Radio Mobile is a tool to help in the elaboration of radio communication networks. Therefore, Radio Mobile evaluates if a radio link is possible between two given sites, and provides the performance of that lin,k taking into account:

  1. The radio equipment characteristics are set in 'Network properties > systems' and 'Unit properties',
  2. The radio wave propagation theory (using the US Institute for Telecommunications Science (ITS) propagation prediction model, better known as the Longley-Rice model (Notes 1 and 2)).
Note 1: Georges A. Hufford, Anita G. Longley and William A. Kissick. A Guide to the Use of the ITS Irregular Terrain Model in the Area Prediction Mode, National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) Report 82-100, US Department of Commerce, April 1982.

Note 2: Anita G. Longley. Radio Propagation in Urban Area, Institute of Telecommunication Sciences, Office of Telecommunications, Boulder, Colorado 80302.


The implemented propagation model in Radio Mobile has portions of the Longley-Rice model (ITM).
The propagation model is split up into parts, some of which are conditional.

Radio Mobile will determine if a radio link is line of sight or not. In case of a line of sight, a 2-ray calculation will be used. In case of an obstructed path, the ITM model is applied. To determine a line of sight, the clearance of the Fresnel zone is determined.

As a part of the ITM model, a correction can be applied for the expected clutter on the receiver location or in the target area. In addition to the general ITM model, Radio Mobile enables the user to select the default global clutter correction or a more sophisticated clutter factor correction is applied that is based on the evaluation of the radio path.

This method is described in detail in 'Use of Land Cover'