A Guide to the Use of the ITS Irregular Terrain Model in the Area Prediction Mode

The ITS model of radio propagation for frequencies between 20 MHz and 20 GHz (the Longley-Rice model) is a general purpose model that can be applied to a large variety of engineering problems. The model, which is based on electromagnetic theory and on statistical analyses of both terrain features and radio measurements, predicts the median attenuation of a radio signal as a function of distance and the variability of the signal in time and in space.

 

The model is described in the form used to make "area predictions" for such applications as preliminary estimates for system design, military tactical situations and surveillance, and land-mobile systems. This guide describes the basis of the model, its implementation, and some advantages and limitations of its use. Sample problems are included to demonstrate applications of the model.