LINK BUDGET

CALCULATIONS

Otto Koudelka
Institute of Communication Networks and
Satellite Communications
TU Graz koudelka@t
ugraz.at
PERFORMANCE
• characteristics of
– TX station
– RX station
• propagation
• noise, interference
• characteristics of satellite
NOISE
• noise voltage

 4kTBR
2

un
k = 1.38 10-23 J/K, Boltzmann constant
B... noise bandwidth
R...resistance
T...absolute temperature

• independent of frequency, “white” noise

NOISE
S(f)

f
NOISE
• at very high frequencies thermal
noise vanishes, only quantum noise
remains
• Noise power

N  N 0 B  kTB
 UPLINK
EARTH - SPACE

Satellite

Ground Station

Earth
CARRIER POWER
• Inverse square law
• C…Carrier power (S…signal)
• PT…transmit power
• Aeff... effective antenna aperture
• R...distance
• GT...transmit antenna gain

C PT
2 G T Aeff
4 R
ANTENNA FORMULA
• effective aperture
G 2
 
A
Aeff 4


G 4 D 2    2 D 2
 2 4 

2

CARRIER POWER

C  PT GT2 G R  

 2

4 R  4 
 
EIRP  PT G T

L   4R  free-space loss

  
s

2

CARRIER/NOISE RATIO

C C
C  N N  Nk T s B

Signal/noise C PT G T  G R  1

ratio
N  2
T s  kB
 4 R /   
Signal/noise C PT G T  G R  1
 2
density
No Ts  k
 4 R /   
FIGURE OF MERIT
• G/T [dB/K]
• important characteristic for
– satellite
– ground station
LINK BUDGET
CALCULATION
• figures may vary widely
– EIRP high
– free-space loss very high
– receive carrier power very low
• logarithmic representation
advantageous
 LOGARITHMIC
REPRESENTATION
• Signal-to-noise ratio [dB]

C
 10 log( TP ) 10 log(T G R
)
N
10 log 4)10
 20log( 
R / log(
10
k) log(
10 G )
Ts
log( B)
C 
 EIRP [dBW L[dB k
[dBJ / K
 [dBHz
G /T
[dB/
N ] ] K] ] ]
C/No
• carrier power / noise density
• Normaliset to 1 Hz noise bandwidth

C 
 [dBW L
s[dB k
[dBJ / K

G /T
[dB/
No ] ] K] ]

EIRP

C/T
• sometimes used in link budgets
• in [dBW/K]
• leaves out k = -228.6 dB(J/K)
• at the end of calculation B, k considered

C 
 [dBW L
s[dB

G /T
[dB/
T ] ] K]
EIRP

Eb/No
• energy contrast ratio
• energy per bit / noise density
• r...rate of information rate (not
necessarily channel rate)

Eb C B

No
N
 EXAMPLE (1)
• P = 10 W
• G = 18 dB

EIRP 10log(10) 18  28dBW 

58dBm
Corresponds to 631 W!
EXAMPLE (2)
• free-space loss
• Distance: 1000 km
• f = 438 MHz, = 0.68 m

 4R 
 4 R  

 4 1E 6 
L s
 10 log    20 log    20 log 
 0.68 
  
2

= 145.3 dB
EXAMPLE (3)
• free-space loss, distance = 1000 km
• f = 2.4 GHz, l = 0.125 m

 4R 
 4 R 

 4 1E 6 
L  10 log 
s
  20 log    20 log
  0.125 

2
  
= 160 dB
EXAMPLE (4)
• free-space loss, distance = 1000 km
• f = 8 GHz, l = 0.0375 m

 4R 
 4 R 

 4 1E 6 
L  10 log 
s
  20 log    20 log
  0.0375 

2
  
= 170.5 dB
EXAMPLE (5)
• free-space loss, distance = 1000 km
• f = 8 GHz, l = 0.0375 m

 4R 
 4 R 

 4 2E 6 
L  10 log 
s
  20 log    20 log
  0.0375 

2
  
= 176.5 dB
RECEIVER G/T
• amplifier and antenna

No,v1= Gk(Tant+ T1)

Tant
No,ant= kTant No,v1,in= k(Tant+ T1)
 RECEIVER G/T
• cascaded amplifiers and antenna

No,v1= G1k(Tant+ T1)

No,v1,in

Tant No,v2,in= G1k(Tant+ T1)+k T2

No,a
 SYSTEM NOISE
TEMPERATURE
• referred to input of first stage

No,v1,in= k(Tant+ T1 + T2/G1)

Friis formula Tsys= Tant+ T1 + T 2/ G 1

T = (F - 1)To
LOSSY SYSTEMS
• lossy lines (e.g. coaxial cables,
waveguides)

• L = input power / output power =

1/G
• Te = Tsource (L - 1)
• if network (resistor) at To : L = F,
T=(F-1).290 = (L-1).290
RECEIVER WITH LOSSY
LINES
G1

G2
T1 T2
Tant
L
T sys  T a n t  LT 2
 TL  L T 1 G1
EXAMPLE
A
• Tant = 150 K
• T1 = 200 K
• G1 = 25 dB
• F2 = 8 dB
• G2 = 40 dB
• L = 1 dB
RESULT A
 LT
T sys  T ant
 T L
 LT 1 2

G1
1

T L  (F 1)290  (L 1)290  (101 0 1)290 

8
75K
T 2  ( F 2 1)290  (101 0 1)290 
1539.8K 1
1.258.1 5 3 9 . 8
T s ys  1 5 0  7 5  2 0 0 .1 0 1 0 25
 10 10

T sys  483K
EXAMPLE B
G1 G2

L
T1 T2
Tant

T sys  T a n t  T 1  T L  L T 2

G1
G1
RESULT B
75 1 .2 5 8 . 1 2553 9 . 8
T s ys  150  200 25 
 1 1
0 0
10 10

Tsys  356K
EXAMPLE C
G2 G1

L
T2 T1
Tant
T sys  T a n t  T  T L 
2

L T1
G2 G2
RESULT C
75 1 .2 5 8 .420 0 0
T s ys  1 5 0  1 5 3 9 .8 40 
 1 1
0 0
10 10
T s ys  1670 K
RESULT C
75 1 .2 5 8 .420 0 0
T s ys  1 5 0  1 5 3 9 .8 40 
 10 10 1 0 10

T s ys  1670 K
CONCLUSION
• Avoid losses in front of LNA
• Use LNA with lowest possible NF
• Use LNA with highest possible gain
SATELLITE ANTENNA
NOISE TEMP.
• Noise from earth
• Noise captured from outer space
• Oceans radiate more noise than land
masses
• Conservative figure: 290 K
G/T (spacecraft)
• Satellite antenna gain: 0 dB

• Tsys = 483 K (from example A)

• G/T = 0 – 10log(483) = - 26.8 dB/K

 C/N
• f = 438 MHz
• G T= 18 dB
• P = 10 W = 10 dBW
• R = 1000 km
• G/T = -26.8 dB/K
• B = 200 kHz = 10log(200000) = 53 dBHz
C
N
 EIRP [dBW
]
L
s[dB
]
 G /T
[dB/
k 


K] [dBJ / K ]

C
 28 145.3  26.8  (228.6)  53
B [dBHz]
C/No
• normalized to 1 Hz noise bandwidth

C
 28 145.3  26.8  (228.6) 
84.5dBHz N0
ADDITIONAL LOSSES
POLARIZATION LOSS
• If polarization plane of TX antenna and RX
antenna are misaligned
• Lpol
• If TX and RX are circular: no loss
POINTING LOSS
• antennas not totally aligned
• movement of satellite
• pointing loss,
• Around 0.5…1 dB
• Lpu
ATMOSPHERIC
ATTENUATION
• gaseous absorption in atmosphere
• attenuation by hydrometeors
• depending on rain rate, drop size,
frequency
• Latu
PROPAGATION EFFECTS
• Influence by troposphere
– region up to 15 km
– absorption
– depolarization
• Influence by ionosphere
– much less significant
PRECIPITATION
• rain drop size important
• hail produces very significant
attenuation
• wet snow
• dry snow less critical
PRECIPITATION
• Occurrence of precipitation defined by
percentage of time during which a given
intensity is exceeded
• Rain rate in mm/h
• Different climatic zones
• Measurements necessary for each zone
EUROPE
AFRICA

Q
AMERICAS A

C
B

P
CUMULATIVE STATISTICS
Lat

f>

0.001 0.01 0.1 1.0 % of time

CLEAR SKY ATTENUATION
• Depends on
– frequency
– elevation angle
– atmosphere
• pressure
• temperature
• water vapour content
IONOSPHERIC LOSSES
• Interaction between charged particles
and electromagnetic wave
• Absorption, Faraday rotation,
szintillation
• At microwave frequencies
negligible
• Small effect at VHF/UHF
C/N at SATELLITE

C
N  EIRP 
su
L
pu  Li  pol L  G / T   k 
atu
L L
B
EXAMPLE
• f = 438 MHz
• GT= 18 dB
• P = 10W = 10 dBW
• R = 1,000,000 m
• G/T = -26.8 dB/K
• Lpol = 1.5 dB
• Li = 0.7 dB
• Lpu = 0.5 dB
• Latu = 2 dB
• B = 200 kHz
 RESULT
C
N  EIRP 
su
L  L
pu pol  Li L atu  G / T   k 
L B

C
 28 145.3  0.5 1.5  0.7  2  26.8  228.6 
53  26.5dB N
P = 10 W

C
 18 145.3  0.5 1.5  0.7  2  26.8  228.6 
53  16.5dB N

P=1W
 DOWNLINK
SPACE - EARTH
Satellite

Ground Station

Earth
 SATELLITE EIRP
• Maximum EIRP satellite: specified EIRPsat
• EIRP due to drive level:
EIRP = EIRPsat – Bout Bout…back-off

• Example:
• EIRPsat = -3 dBW (0.5 W into 0 dBi antenna)
EIRP = = -3 – 1 = -4 dBW
EARTH STATION ANTENNA
• noise from sky
• noise from earth
• above 2 GHz: dominant contribution
from non-ionized region of atmosphere
• depends on elevation angle
ANTENNA NOISE

oxygen

water
vapour
f
SKY NOISE TEMPERATURE

4 GHz

elevation angle
AVAILABILIT
Y
• Percentage of time in which defined
QoS is met
• e.g. bit error rate of 10-6 for 99.9 %
• Outage: percentage of time in which
attenuation is too high to meet QoS
• e.g. 0.1 % = 8.76 hours /year
• 0.01 % = 53 minutes /year
AVAILABILIT
Y
• directly related to precipitation time
statistics
CLEAR SKY ATTENUATION
OXYGEN
WATER
VAPOUR
ABSORPTION L

at zenith

f
PROPAGATION
MEASUEREMENTS
• Beacon receivers
• Radiometers
• Radar
• Rain gauge
INCREASE IN NOISE
TEMPERATURE
• Atmosphere: “lossy line”
• Tm … medium temperature, 280 K
• to be added to overall noise
temperature
1
T  (1  )T m
at La t
ATMOSPHERIC
ATTENUATION
• specific attenuation 
in [dB/km]
• l… path length in
• Rp…rain rate
  aR b
p

La t 
l
OVERALL NOISE
TEMPERATURE
• Precipitation:

1
T sys  T ant
 m
 T LN B . La td
(1  )T

L atd
EXAMPLE
• Latd = 2 dB = 10 0.2 = 1.58

• Tatm = (1 - 1/1.58) 280 = 102.8 K

VARIATIONS
• can reach up to 1 dB/s at Ka-band
• slower at Ku-band
• any fade countermeasure technique must
be able to cope with fluctuations
OTHER EFFECTS
DEPOLARIZATION
y

rain
droplet

x
SCATTERING
• on rain cell
• no interference
in clear sky
SCATTERING
• in precipitation
condition:
• attenuation
• scattering

• interference
SCINTILLATIONS
• Variation of refraction index of
atmosphere (troposphere and
atmosphere)
• Refraction index of troposphere
– decreases with altitude
– independent of frequency
FARADAY ROTATION
• Ionosphere introduces a rotation of
linearly polarized wave
– inversely proportional to frequency
– function of electronic content
• varies with time
• planes rotate in same direction for up -
and downlink
• no compensation by rotating feed!
IONOSPHERIC EFFECTS
• can be neglected for normal satcom
systems
• if exact propagation delay matters
(GPS) ionospheric model and effects
must be taken into account
 C/N for DOWNLINK
 C   L  L  G / T
   EIRP sat  L pol
 L L sd  pd atd i k 
N

d

e
B

(G / T )e  G R  10 log( T sys )
EXAMPLE
• EIRP = -4 dBW
• Polarisation loss: 1.5 dB
• Pointing loss: 0.5 dB
• Ionospheric losses: 0.7 dB
• LNB noise temperature: 120 K
• Input loss: 1 dB
• Atmospheric attenuation: 2 dB
 G/T Earth Station
• calculate system noise temperature

T RX  T L 
T RX  L75T LN1.258
A
*120  2 2 6 K

1
T s ys  50  10 0 . 2 )280  (1.58) * 226 
(1  510.4 K

G / T e 18 10log(510.4)  9.07dB /

 Gain of Parabolic Dish

 
 
  2 2 
G  10 2 2

 D   10 log 0.5  2 
log  2   
 3E8 2 
 30.28dB
 2E9
   
 C/N
DOWNLINK
C
 N d  sat  L´ pol  L sd L  L  L   G / T   k 
pd atd i
e

EIRP B
 4   4 1E 
L s
 20  20
 R  log
6 
 0.68  145.3dB
log

C 
   4 1.5 145.3  0.5  2  0,7  9.07  228.6  53
 12.53dB

N d
OVERALL C/No
• Composed of uplink and downlink
1 1 1
 C  C 
 C       
 N  N  N  u d

 C  1
  1 1

 N   C   C 
   
 N  N 
u d
EXAMPLE
• Overall C/N

C
 10 1
10 (26.5/10)
10(12.53/10) )
log(
T
C

12.34dB N
INTERFERENCE
• Co-channel interference
• Adjacent channel interference


1 1 1

 C    C  C   C
1

  
 N      I


u d
N N
Eb/No
• Bandwidth = 200 kHz,
• Uncoded, user data rate= 200 kbit/s
• Eb/No = C/N*B/r
• Eb/No = 12.34 dB
• Coded, code rate = ½
• B/r = 200.000/100.000 = 2 = 3 dB
• Eb/No = 15.34 dB
BER
SYSTEM MARGIN
• Min Eb/No= 7 dB (BER = 10-6, 1 dB
implementation loss)

• Margin = Eb/No -Eb/Nomin

• Margin = 15.34 – 7 = 8.34 dB