The carrier intensity over earth space path of satellite communication at Ku band affected by three atmospheric conditions viz., clear air, cloud and rain are investigated. The signal amplitude variations were measured during the monsoon months over earth space path by utilizing the DTH (direct to home) service of 2005. Though the signal is found to lie in Ku band but the exact frequency of operation is around 12 GHz. Under clear sky condition the signal level was found to vary from -66 dBm to -69 dBm. The maximum fade of 3 dB was observed. However for 52 % of the time signal was of -67.5 dBm to -69 dBm and for 48 % of time the signal level was found to vary between -66 dBm to 67.5 dBm under clear sky condition. It has been observed that the satellite signal over the earth space path is attenuated even due to cloud. Such attenuation is due to the absorption of the signal by the liquid water content which is present in the cloud. It has been seen that the attenuation of radio wave due to cloud is between 1 dB and 7 dB. The signal level from -67.5 dBm exceeds for 50% of time while the signal level from -66.5 dBm exceeds for 7.8 % of the time under cloudy condition (Fig. 6.7). The analysis suggests that even under cloudy condition signal level becomes of low order for considerable time. The probability distribution of the satellite signal indicates that signal level varied from -66 dBm to -78 dBm under rainy situation (Fig. 6.8). The maximum attenuation of the order of 12 dB was observed. The signal level was found to vary from -67.5 dBm to -78 dBm for 56 % of time while signal was found to vary for 44% of time from -66 dBm to -67.5 dBm. It has also been reported that DTH services affected severely during rain over Delhi. The services may be improved by increasing the gain of the receiving system. The extra gain is to be provided either in form of antenna gain or by introducing extra LNA in the system.





