Modeling and Validation of Rain Attenuation Effects in GEO Satellite Broadcasting Links

The main objective of this thesis work was to develop an analytical model for determining rain-induced attenuation on DVB-S2 satellite signals. The analyzed problem involved signal dropouts, seemingly attributed to rain events, observed in Pisa. Since no rainfall was recorded in the Tuscan location (as verified by in-situ rain gauge data), it was hypothesized that the signal drops were caused by rain in Rambouillet, the uplink location for the signal. The satellite in question is positioned in geostationary orbit (GEO) at 36°E, while the ground stations are equipped with parabolic reflectors mounted with SmartLNB devices. These devices measure the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and signal dropouts were used to estimate rainfall intensity. For business purposes (at MBI), signal "cleaning" was performed using statistical methods. Good results were achieved both in improving the signal quality in Pisa and in estimating the cumulative rainfall in Rambouillet.