UHF Radio Channel Measurements and Prediction for Maritime Communications

Abstract

Radio Service Coverage Area of UHF Repeater systems is one of the most important performance elements for a ship to shore radio communications within industries around the world. Each implemented system is designed to fulfill their specific demands, which in this case is balancing coverage limitations and transmission power restrictions due to petrochemical industry regulations. This paper presents the performance of an Analogue UHF Repeater Extender characterized by a 3D Shoot and Bounce Ray Tracing Propagation Model combining efforts of field strength distribution, time of arrival, and propagation-channel environment. The work is focused on the extender's field measurements results in comparison to a Wireless InSite 3D SBR simulation model.