Development of integraded platform for planning terrestrial and satellite communication systems

• Main Author: Ferreira, Eduardo Filipe da Cruz Mota
• Publication Date: 2022
• Format: Master thesis
• Language: eng
• Source: Repositórios Científicos de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (RCAAP)
• Download full: http://hdl.handle.net/10071/27333
• topic: Radio propagation; Software planning tool; Terrestrial microwave link; Spacial microwave link; Propagação radio; Ferramenta de planeamento; Ligações satélite; Ligações terrestres

The main goal of this dissertation is the development of a software tool that allows the design of terrestrial and spacial microwave radio link, implementing the most recent ITU-R recommendations and meeting the international standards. The presented tool upholds a strong educational value, being developed having a goal to help engineering students the effects of their choices on a project design, establishing the synergies between the classroom and the methods learned inside it and the design of link projects in the professional sector. The development process also took in mind the possibility of the presented tool being used in the professional sector, having the goal to decrease the time taken to design this complex systems. In order to assure that the proposed tool is easy to use, usability testing was done with the help of the Portuguese Army Directorate of Communications and Information Systems, who also helped with suggestions for additional features, that were found helpful for professional users. The tool presents a step-by-step project design layout, having each step being integrated inside blocks that interconnect with each other to evaluate the influence of a step in the entire system design. This tool was developed using Web programming languages, providing a 3-Dimensional world view and is capable to analyze site specific characteristics with the help of developed innovative ray-tracing algorithms that analyze all elements presented in a project site. Using information distributed by CelesTrak, the presented tool allows the design of spacial communication systems with over 3000 satellite orbits.