Bistatic scatter from rain

An experimental investigation of bistatic scatter from rain was conducted, using a 143-km scatter path at frequencies of 4.5 and 7.7 GHz. The ratio of transmitted to received power (transmission loss) was measured for scattering angles ranging from 6 to 130 deg. Simultaneous weather radar observations were made at a frequency of 1.3 GHz. Transmission loss estimates for the bistatic scatter path were computed, using the weather radar data, the bistatic radar equation, and a model for the scattering cross section per unit volume of rain based upon Rayleigh scattering by an ensemble of water spheres. The measured and estimated transmission loss values were compared to test the use of the scattering model for the estimation of interference. The averaged ratio of measured-to-calculated transmission loss for the 4.5 GHz data is 1.2 plus or minus 0.4 dB. The averaged ratio for the 7.7 GHz data is -1.6 plus or minus 0.5 dB.