Analysis of Troposcatter Link Performance in Remote Terrains:A Comparative Study

Abstract

Establishing resilient communication in geographically isolated and high-altitude regions like the Himalayas remains a formidable challenge. Traditional line-of-sight (LOS) microwave links are often rendered ineffective by massive mountain peaks, while satellite infrastructure is frequently hampered by high operational costs and significant latency. Troposcatter communication offers a robust beyond-line-of-sight (BLOS) alternative by utilizing the scattering of radio waves in the lower atmosphere. This study investigates the technical feasibility and performance of a 266 km troposcatter link between Dehradun and Dharamshala, India. By integrating high-resolution Digital Elevation Models (DEM) and ERA5 atmospheric reanalysis data, we provide a site-specific analysis of path loss, Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR), and climatic influence across a 1–60 GHz frequency spectrum. We perform a rigorous comparison of three internationally recognized ITU-R propagation standards: P.617, P.452, and P.2001. Our findings identify the critical influence of local refractivity gradients and terrain diffraction on link reliability, providing a technical blueprint for implementing high-performance BLOS systems in remote rugged environments.