Gateway site diversity statistics for EHF band satellite systems

This paper evaluates diversity statistics between two satellite gateway sites in the United Kingdom, using beacon data from the Aldo-Paraboni experimental payload onboard Inmarsat's Alphasat at Q/V band. Rain fade measurements for the two gateway sites were analysed and diversity statistics were computed for the whole year 2017. Results demonstrate that significant spectral efficiency gains can be achieved during rain events depending on the switching thresholds. A lower switching threshold will achieve a higher probability of wide-ranging gains. However, this comes at the cost of shorter switch durations and higher number of switches. It is noted that the higher spectral efficiency gains which occur less frequently are achievable irrespective of whatever switching threshold in used. Therefore, the optimum switching threshold should be determined by the minimum switch duration that justifies the cost of switching in the specific satellite system.