Slant path attenuation in vegetation at Ku- and C-band

Slant path attenuation of microwaves in vegetation is an important topic for mobile satellite services. Besides the frequency, the attenuation is influenced by the type of vegetation, its density, and the change of the foliage through the seasons. For many applications in this field more experimental data are requested. This study presents experimental results on attenuation in vegetation for slant satellite paths at 17.6 GHz Ku-band and 5.2 GHz C-band frequency. The datasets originate from two flight experiments with transmitters mounted on airborne test platforms. The receiver was in both cases mobile and mounted on a van. For the analysis, route sections with roadside pine woodland have been chosen. The study shows how the experimental data have been corrected and presents cumulative distribution statistics of the attenuation for 20, 40 and 60° path elevation angle.