| dc.description.abstract | The propagation of radio waves at microwave
frequencies and the various types of noise that affect
the performance of terrestrial microwave line of sight
radio-relay systems are discussed. A computer terrain
database is developed for a region within central Kenya
covering an area of approximately 200km by 200km. Three
computer programs to assist a microwave radio link system
designer have been developed. The program PROFILE is used
to draw radio path pro files and the associated Fresnel
zones between any two points within the region covered by
t.he database. Examples of path profiles drawn by t.he
program are given.
An example of the output of the second program,
REPEATER, is also given. REPEATER has been developed to
inform the radio link designer of all the possible sites
which may be used as radio repeater locations between two
radio terminal stations. The third program, LINK, is
developed to assist the link designer in assessing all
the possible radio routes in in up to 3-repeat.er
radio-relay systems. Using LINK, the radio link system
designer is able to determine the most cost-effective and
reliable radio route connecting any two terminaI stations
within the area covered by the database.
Two radio links containing 3 repeater stations
between Nairobi and Nakuru has been designed. The first
of these has been designed manually whereas the second
has been designed with the assistance of LINK program. It
has been been through a comparative study of the two
links that the radio system developed with the assistance
of LINK is superior in terms of cost and performance than
t.he manually designed Link | en |
