Characterisation of data transponding link for road-use debiting systems

Bi-directional short-range data links are being developed for implementation in automatic road-use debiting schemes in the pan-European DRIVE programme. The authors characterise a microwave data transponding link designed by the PAMELA consortium within the DRIVE initiative. They describe the functional analysis of the subsystems that make up the link. The characterisation involves estimating the signal-to-noise ratios and bit error rates for different design options of the link. The effects of system design parameters and of the propagation medium characteristics on the transmission performance of the link are assessed by the means of theoretical modelling and simulation