Degree Name
MS (Master of Science)
Program
Geosciences
Date of Award
5-2018
Committee Chair or Co-Chairs
Arpita Nandi
Committee Members
Andrew Joyner, Mick Whitelaw
Abstract
Radio wave signal strength and associated propagation models are rarely analyzed across individual geographic provinces. This study evaluates the effectiveness of the Radio Mobile model to predict radio wave signal strength in the Blue Ridge and Valley and Ridge physiographic provinces. A spectrum analyzer was used on 19 FM transmitters to determine model accuracy. Statistical analysis determined the significance between different terrain factors and signal strength. Field signal strength was found to be related to test site elevation, transmitter azimuth, elevation angle, transmitter elevation, path loss, and distance. Using 76 signal strength receiver sites, Ordinary Least Square regression models predicted signal strength with 60% of variability explained in the Valley and Ridge province model and 43% of variability explained in the Blue Ridge province model. Region-specific statistical models were more accurate in determining a region’s transmitter placement and level of power for broadcasting compared to generic computer models.
Document Type
Thesis - unrestricted
Recommended Citation
Land, Timothy, "FM Radio Signal Propagation Evaluation and Creating Statistical Models for Signal Strength Prediction in Differing Topographic Environments" (2018). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 3423. https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/3423
Copyright
Copyright by the authors.
Included in
Other Computer Sciences Commons, Other Earth Sciences Commons, Other Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons