African Journal of Electrical and Electronics Research (AJEER)

Evaluating the Effect of Rainfall on Signal Reception of Direct-To-Home (DTH) Satellite System in North Central, Nigeria

Abstract

This research work examines the effects of rain attenuation on signal reception of Direct-to-Home (DTH) satellite on Ku-Band in north central, Nigeria. Data used were obtained through experimental approach of recording both rainfall and the quality of signal received from DTH at 12.519 GHz at regular interval of one hour covering Rainy season (April to October) in 2018. The data obtained from field was used, daily and monthly averages were evaluated thereof. The work used experimental as well as statistical correlation to establish the effect of rainfall on signal reception. The results obtained showed a gradual increase in the mean monthly rainfall from April and got to its peak in August or September of the season as the case may be and gradual decrease in September ending and October, as rainfall picks gradually in April along the months, quality of signal reception gradually declines as the rainfall increase. Linear correlations between the rainfall and signal quality reception reveal strong negative mean correlations coefficient (r) and coefficient of determination (R2) values of -0.855 and 0.737 respectively for north central states, Nigeria. The result reaffirmed that the rain rate is inversely proportional to the quality of signal reception at frequency above 10 GHz at Ku-band.