Atmospheric radio noise: Worldwide levels and other characteristics

There is a need for an overall, comprehensive usable noise model for application to telecommunication problems. One needed task that was accomplished toward the goal of obtaining such an overall model is the development of an improved atmospheric model The existing worldwide atmospheric noise model was developed from approximately 4 years of measurements from a worldwide network of 16 measurement stations. This network made measurements for 5 years (longer in a few cases) past the completion of CCIR Report 322 in 1963. Also, additional data are now available from other locations, primarily many years of data from 10 Soviet measurement stations. All these additional data was analyzed and an updated worldwide atmospheric noise model has been prepared in both graphical and numerical forms. Results of this analysis show substantial 'corrections; (on the order of 20 dB for some locations) to the 1MHz noise level values given by CCIR Report 322. This new model for atmospheric noise levels and other characteristics is presented and discussed.