A Versatile Wave Propagation Model for Very High Frequency Broadcasting Band in Vegetation and/or Rocky Environment

Radio propagation modelsplay a vital role in designing wireless communication systems. The models areused to estimate the location and number of transmitter stations as well aspredict the transmitter coverage area. Different models have been developed inliterature to predict radio propagation behavior for wireless communicationsystems in different operating environments. In this paper, least squareregression analysis was employed to develop a versatile propagation model forvery high frequency broadcasting radio station in vegetation and/or rockyenvironment. The developed model was later evaluated by comparing its path lossprediction result with two existing path loss models in literature. The resultsof the comparative performance analyses show that the two existing modelspredict highest difference in propagation path loss compared with that from thedeveloped least square regression model. The developed model when compared withthe estimated value was found to perform favorably well for each route and theentire coverage area of the transmitter station used as case study. Inaddition, the result of the study confirms the findings of other researchersthat there is no single or universal propagation model that exactly fits allterrains, applications and environments.