Modeling of Fixed Service Interference in Aeronautical SATCOM Channels

A detailed assessment of the radiofrequency interference from terrestrial fixed service into aeronautical earth stations operating with geostationary satellite orbit networks in the fixed-satellite service is performed. We analyze the impact of the major physical, technical, operational, and regulatory parameters in the interference environment having multiple degrees of freedom to be considered. By performing exhaustive geometric computer simulations, we determine the statistical characteristics of the time-variant radiofrequency interference caused by multiple terrestrial fixed service transmitters using information of existing/registered fixed service stations in France. Subsequently, a stochastic channel model to predict the impact of the terrestrial interference using a higher order finite-state Markov process is developed. Balancing model accuracy and complexity, a reasonable vector quantization clustering algorithm is applied for the partitioning of the interference into representative channel states. For these channel states, we provide a method for scaling this model to different antenna sizes and flight velocities, to be used for development of interference mitigation measures and system design of aeronautical earth stations in motion operating in the 17.7–19.7 GHz frequency range.