A Three-Radiometer Path-Diversity Experiment

Data from the Crawford Hill sun tracker have confirmed the expectation that frequencies above about 10 GHz experience large attenuations on an earth-space path when heavy rain is encountered.1Tillotson has proposed using frequencies of about 20 and 30 GHz for a domestic communication satellite system.2In that case, the required continuity of service would be achieved by using two or more diversity ground stations. The three-radiometer path-diversity experiment discussed here was designed to work in conjunction with the sun tracker to determine the advantage of diversity ground station pairs at these frequencies.