Avanced Communications Technology Satellite (ACTS) propagation campaign in North America

Ka-band propagation measurements with the Advanced Communications Technology Satellite (ACTS) are entering their fifth year of data collection. Beacon-signal levels and radiometric sky noise are being measured at 20.2 and 27.5 GHz, with supporting meteorological information, at seven experiment sites in the US and Canada, using ACTS propagation terminals (PSTs) supplied by NASA. Uniform system-calibration, data-collection and data-processing procedures and software, prescribed and developed by the NASA Propagation Experimenters (NAPEX) Group, promote commonality of the data sets and permit comparison among results from the various sites. Goals of the program are to develop basic Ka-band propagation knowledge, and to supply information needed to improve propagation-prediction models and to develop impairment-mitigation techniques. The APT sites were selected to sample a variety of North American climate regions and their associated propagation features. Statistical results from the propagation measurements are presented and compared to the predictions of new and existing prediction models. Other aspects of the measurements, including unusually strong antenna-wetting effects observed with the APTs, plus analyses related to impairment dynamics, rain-rate modeling, and clear-air effects, are discussed.