Institute for Telecommunication Sciences / Data / Legacy Data

Legacy Radio Propagation Data

We make available here raw propagation measurement data from historical measurements:

• Long term distributions of tropospheric transmission loss in observed signal levels as they vary over a period of time. Measurements were recorded between 1944 and 1969 in several countries with different climatic conditions and discussed in Anita G. Longley, R. K. Reasoner, and V. L. Fuller, Measured and Predicted Long-Term Distributions of Tropospheric Transmission Loss, Office of Telecommunications Technical Report OT/TRER 16, October 1971. The zip file longterm.zip contains a text file that describes the data and two data files.
• "Phase 1" spot measurements for VHF frequencies (30-300MHz) in environments that emphasize irregular terrain were taken in 1963 and 1964. The zip file phase_1.zip contains a text file that describes the data and three data sets corresponding to three different terrain types: the plains, and then the mountains of central Colorado, and the hills of northeast Ohio. The methods and data are described and discussed in:
  
  • M. E. Johnson, M. J. Miles, P. L. McQuate, A. P. Barsis, Tabulations of VHF Propagation Data Obtained Over Irregular Terrain at 20, 50, and 100 MHz, ESSA Technical Report IER 38-ITSA 38, May 1967
  • M. E. Johnson, M. J. Miles, P. L. McQuate, A. P. Barsis, Tabulations of VHF Propagation Data Obtained Over Irregular Terrain at 20, 50, and 100 MHz Part 2: Colorado Mountain Data, ESSA Technical Report IER 38-ITSA 38-2, August 1967
  • M. E. Johnson, M. J. Miles, P. L. McQuate, A. P. Barsis, Tabulations of VHF Propagation Data Obtained Over Irregular Terrain at 20, 50, and 100 MHz Part 3: Ohio Data, ESSA Technical Report IER 38-ITSA 38-3, December 1967
• "Phase 2" spot measurements for UHF frequencies (300-3000MHz) in environments that emphasize irregular terrain were taken in 1965, 1966 and 1967. The zip file phase_2.zip contains a text file that describes the data and five data sets corresponding to five different locations in the U.S. The methods and data are described and discussed in:
  • P. L. McQuate, J. M. Harman, A. P. Barsis, Tabulations of Propagation Data over Irregular Terrain in the 230- to 9200- MHz Frequency Range Part 1: Gunbarrel Hill Receiver Site, ESSA Technical Report ERL 65-ITS 58, March 1968
  • P. L. McQuate, J. M. Harman, M. E. Johnson, A. P. Barsis, Tabulations of Propagation Data Over Irregular Terrain in the 230-to 9200-MHz Frequency Range Part 2: Fritz Peak Receiver Site, ESSA Technical Report ERL 65-ITS 58-2, December 1968
  • M. E. McClanahan, A. P. Barsis, Tabulations of Propagation Data Over Irregular Terrain in the 230- to 9200-MHz Frequency Range Part 3: North Table Mountain-Golden, ESSA Technical Report ERL 65-ITS 58-3, July 1970
  • P. L. McQuate, J. M. Harman, M. E. McClanahan, Tabulations of Propagation Data over Irregular Terrrain in the 230-TO 9200-MHz Frequency Range Part 4: Receiver Site in Grove of Trees, NTIA Technical Report OT/TRER 19, July 1971
  • George A. Hufford, Francis K. Steele, Tabulations of propagation data over irregular terrain in the 75- to 8400-MHz frequency range Part 5: Virginia, NTIA Technical Report TR-91-282, December 1991
• Spot measurements for UHF frequencies (300-3000 MHz) with antenna heights of 3 meters or less. Measurements were made in the summer of 1968 from vertically polarized antennas less than 3 m above ground. More than 145 paths were involved, which varied from 2 to 45 Km. Two frequencies were used, 230 and 415.9 MHz. The terrain where the measurements were made in parts of Wyoming, Idaho, and Washington was hilly and rocky. Methods and results are described and discussed in L.G. Hause, F.G. Kimmett, and J.M. Harman, UHF Radio Propagation Data for Low Antenna Heights, vol. 1, ESSA Tech Report ERL 134 ITS 93-1, November 1969, and L.G. Hause, F.G. Kimmett, and J.M. Harman, UHF Radio Propagation Data for Low Antenna Heights, vol. 2, ESSA Tech Report ERL 134 ITS 93-2, November 1969. The zip file low_ant.zip contains a text file that describes the data and three data files for each of the three locations.
• Attenuation and delay rates of dry air at V-band frequencies (50-75 GHz). Hans J. Liebe, George A. Hufford, and Robert O. DeBolt, The Atmospheric 60-GHz Oxygen Spectrum: Modeling and Laboratory Measurements, NTIA Technical Report TR-91-272, March 1991, describes measurements taken during an experiment to confirm modeled attenuation and delay rates of dry air throughout the V-band (50-75 GHz). Over 4,000 attenuation values are reported for measurements between 53.9 and 66.3 GHz in 0.1 GHz frequency increments at eleven pressure steps (1-100 kPa) for three temperatures (7, 30, 52°C). These measurements constitute a unique data set with respect to their comprehensive extent in pressure, temperature, and frequency. The file LIEBE_DATA.ZIP contains a description of the file format and multiple ascii files, each containing measurements of absorption in synthetic air at one temperature and pressure.
• Sample Data from Radio Channel Impulse Response Measurements at 915 MHz. Data were acquired in 1995 in bursts of 64 or 128 equally spaced impulses using a stationary transmitter and mobile receiver in different environments in the Phoenix, AZ area. The measurements are described, and one set of sample data is available, here.