Department of Physics, The Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria; Department of Electrical, Electronic and Systems Engineering, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi, Malaysia
Adediji, A.T., Department of Physics, The Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria, Department of Electrical, Electronic and Systems Engineering, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi, Malaysia; Ismail, M., Department of Electrical, Electronic and Systems Engineering, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi, Malaysia; Mandeep, J.S., Department of Electrical, Electronic and Systems Engineering, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi, Malaysia
Surface radio refractivity studies are being carried out in Akure, (formula presented) South-Western Nigeria, by in-situ measurement of atmospheric pressure, temperature, and relative humidity using Wireless Weather Station (Integrated Sensor Suit, ISS). Five years of measurement (January, 2007–December, 2011) were used to compute the surface radio refractivity and its diurnal, daily, seasonal and yearly variations are analyzed. The results were then used to compute radio horizon distance (formula presented) and examine the field strength (FSV) variability. Results obtained show that the surface radio refractivity, (formula presented), varies with the time of the day as well as the seasons of the year. High values of (formula presented) were recorded in the morning and evening hours while the values were minima around 1,500 h local time. An average value of surface radio refractivity of 364.74 N-units was obtained for this location. The annual maximum mean of FSV is 15.24 dB and the minimum is 2.20 dB. This implies that the output of a receiving antenna in Akure may generally be subject to variations not less than 2 dB in a year, but can be as high as 15 dB. © 2014, Springer Science+Business Media New York.