Outdoor transmission measurement at 26 GHz; results of a 4 years trial in prague

This paper presents the results from a field trial that was performed during a four-year period on a 5.5 km long radio link path operating at 26 GHz in Prague. The purpose was to investigate the amount of attenuation due to precipitation and its yearly variations. The attenuation of the radio link signal as well as the rain rate were measured. The measured attenuation results are compared to the models given by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). The propagation measurements show large yearly variations due to variability in rain rate from one year to another. These variations represent a risk that must be taken into consideration in the planning of radio links. The measured results are in agreement with the ITU long-term statistical rain attenuation model if the measured rain rate for the individual year is used. For the worst year the number of fades, the fade duration, the fade speed, the worst month statistics, and the polarization correlation are presented. The measurements presented will add to the current knowledge of fading due to precipitation, and some of the results, such as the fade duration distributions, are new knowledge.