Wireless Network Link Analysis

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Trasnmitter Specifications
Highest Transmitted Frequency
Transmitter RF Power Output 
Transmitter Cable & Antenna Specifications
Transmitter Site Name
Transmitter External Cable Type
If Other, Transmitter Cable Loss Specification dB    per 100 meters    per 100 feet
Transmitter External Cable Length
Transmitter Antenna Peak Gain
Transmitter Antenna Radome Loss(1) dB
Transmitter Site Ground Elevation (AMSL)
Transmitter Antenna Height (AGL)(2)   Center-of-Radiation
Total Number of Transmitter Cable Connectors/Adapters  
Miscellaneous Transmitter Cable Losses   dB  
Miscellaneous Transmitter Gains, After Cable Loss   dB  
Miscellaneous Transmitter Path Losses(3)   dB  

Receiver Cable & Antenna Specifications
Receiver Site Name  
Receiver External Cable Type  
If Other, Enter the Receiver Cable Loss Specification   dB      per 100 meters    per 100 feet
Receiver External Cable Length  
Receiver Antenna Peak Gain 
Receiver Antenna Peak Gain  Units
Receiver Antenna Radome Loss(1)   dB
Receiver Site Ground Elevation (AMSL)  
Receiver Antenna Height (AGL)(2)     Center-of-Radiation

Following FOUR questions are for vertical space diversity systems only
Receiver Vertical Diversity Antenna Height (AGL)(2)     Center-of-Radiation
Receiver Diversity Antenna Peak Gain  
Receiver Diversity Antenna External Cable Length(4)  
Miscellaneous Receiver Diversity Antenna Losses   dB  
Total Number of Receiver Cable Connectors/Adapters  
Miscellaneous Receiver Cable Losses   dB  
Miscellaneous Receiver Gains, Before Cable Loss   dB  
Receiver Threshold (sensitivity)    

Following THREE questions are for digital data systems only
Receiver Dispersive Fade Margin (DFM)5   dB
Receiver External Interference Fade Margin (EIFM)6   dB
Receiver Adjacent Channel Interference Fade Margin (AIFM)7   dB

Transmitter/Receiver Antenna Distance & Environmental Specifications
Would You Like to Calculate the Climate Factor?   Yes   No
If No, Choose the Climate Factor  
If Yes, Answer the Following TWO Questions Yes, Answer the Following TWO Questions
Average Terrain Roughness8     Deviation of Elevations
Local Area Humidity Type  
Would You Like to Calculate the Effective Earth Radius, K Factor?   Yes   No
If No, Select the Effective Earth Radius, K Factor  
If Yes, Answer the Following TWO Questions Yes, Answer the Following TWO Questions
Average Annual Relative Humidity   percent
Average Annual Barometric Pressure   inches of mercury
Average Annual Temperature  
Enter a Precipitation Rate   mm/hour
Select the Urban Environment Factor  
Select the N th Fresnel Zone to Calculate  
Would You Like to Calculate the Path Distance Based on Latitude & Longitude?   Yes   No
If No, Enter the Distance Between Antenna Sites  
If Yes, Answer the Following FOUR Questions
Transmitter Site Latitude    °   '   "  Positive is North
Transmitter Site Longitude    °   '   "  Negative is West
Receiver Site Latitude    °   '   "  Positive is North
Receiver Site Longitude    °   '   "  Negative is West

 

Notes

AGL  Above Ground Level.  Height above common ground to the midpoint of the radiating antenna.
AMSL  Above Mean Sea Level.  Height referenced above sea level, or zero elevation.

  1. For sealed Yagi antennas, radome loss is usually taken into account in the antenna's specified gain.
  2. Antenna height and diversity antenna height should be measured from the antenna's center-of-radiation, usually the midpoint of the antenna.
  3. Miscellaneous path losses are caused by ground reflections, atmospheric absorption, interference, rain/fog, billboards, vegetation, knife-edge diffraction, small farm animals, etc.
  4. Diversity antenna cable type is assumed the same as the main receiver's.
  5. Dispersive fade margin is provided by your radio's manufacturer, and is determined by the type of modulation, effectiveness of any equalization in the receive path, and the multipath signal's time delay.  Dispersive fade margin characterizes the radio's robustness to dispersive (spectrum-distoring) fades.
  6. External interference fade margin is receiver threshold degradation due to interference from external systems.
  7. Adjacent channel interference fade margin accounts for receiver threshold degradation due to interference from adjacent channel transmitters in one's own system.
  8. Example standard deviation of the terrain elevations: 6 meters - for smooth and over-water terrain, 15 meters - for average terrain with some roughness, 43 meters - for mountainous or very rough terrain.
  9. The K Factor accounts for refraction of radio waves close to the surface of the Earth.  For antenna towers less than a couple of thousand feet above the surface, a K Factor of 4/3 is usually adequate for most line-of-sight calculations over average terrain.  A K Factor of 1.0 is equal to the true Earth radius, a K Factor of Infinity is equal to a flat Earth.