Review of the Advanced Communications
Technology Satellite (ACTS) Propagation
Campaign in North America'
R. K. Crane' and D. V. Rogers'
lSchool of Meteorology
University of Oklahoma
Norman, Oklahoma, USA 73019
Tel: +1 (405) 324-4419
Fax: +1 (405) 325-7689
E-mail: bcrane@ou.edu
2CommunicationsResearch Centre
3701 Carling Avenue
Ottawa
Canada K2H 8S2
Tel: +1 (613) 998-5174
Fax: +1 (613) 998-4077
E-mail: Dave.Rogers@crc.ca
Keywords: Ka band, radio propagation meteorological factors,
attenuation measurement, prediction methods
1. Abstract
Ka-band propagation measurements with the Advanced
Communications Technology Satellite (ACTS) are entering their
fifth year of data collection. Beacon-signal levels and radiometric
sky noise are being measured at 20.2 and 21.5 GHz, with support-
ing meteorological information, at seven experiment sites in the
US and Canada, using ACTS Propagation Terminals (APTs) sup-
plied by NASA. Uniform system-calibration, data-collection and
data-processing procedures and software, prescribed and developed
by the NASA Propagation Experimenters (NAPEX) Group, pro-
mote commonality of the data sets and permit comparison among
results f?om the various sites.
Goals of the program are to develop basic Ka-band propaga-
tion knowledge, and to supply information needed to improve
propagation-prediction models and to develop impairment-mitiga-
tion techniques. The APT sites were selected to sample a variety of
North American climate regions and their associated propagation
features.
Statistical results &om the propagation measurements are
presented and compared to the predictions of new and existing pre-
diction models. Other aspects of the measurements, including
unusually strong antenna-wetting effects observed with the APTs,
plus analyses related to impairment dynamics, rain-rate modeling,
and clear-air effects, are discussed.
'Editor's note: A version of this article appeared in the
Proceedings of URSI Commission F Open Symposium on Climatic
Parameters in Radiowave Propagation Prediction
(CLIMPARA '98), Ottawa, Canada, April 27-29, 1998, pp. 175-182.
IEEE Antennas and Propagation Magazine, Vol. 40, No. 6, December 1998
2. Introduction
A CTS was launched in September, 1993, primarily to demon-
strate advanced satellite communication technologies at Ka
band [l]. An adequate characterization of the propagation envi-
ronment was recognized as a critical requirement for reliable
exploitation of frequencies in the Ka band, allocated for satellite
communications. NASA developed the Advanced Communica-
tions Technology Satellite (ACTS) Propagation Experiment to
obtain the needed information. Beacons at frequencies of 20.2 and
27.5 GHz were made available on ACTS. Results from the first
two years of the ACTS Propagation Experiment were reported in a
special issue of the Proceedings of the IEEE [2]. An update is
given here of recent experimental results and new model develop-
ment.
NASA sponsored two types of propagation experiments: 1)
long-term experiments, designed to collect statistical data for
propagation-model development and testing; and 2) shorter
experiments, designed to explore mitigation techniques and special
topics. Only the long-term measurements are considered here.
3. Experiment design
Prior to the launch of the satellite, NASA convened several
meetings of propagation specialists to evaluate the capabilities of
ACTS for propagation measurements, and to design an experiment
to take advantage of these capabilities. Based on deliberations of a
Science Working Group and a Systems Working Group, recom-
mendations were developed for this purpose.
The Science Working Group [3] specified the quantities to be
measured and their required accuracies. Recommendations were
made to perform propagation measurements in a variety of climate
regions; to obtain a statistical description of path fading for annual
time percentages of 1%-lo%, required for low-margin communi-
cation systems; to provide a statistical description of physical proc-
esses giving rise to attenuation at higher frequencies; and to obtain
1045-9243/98/$10.0001998IEEE 23
information on the vertical structure of the atmosphere to refine Table 1. The ACTS Propagation Terminal locations
attenuation-prediction models. and their pathklimate characteristics.

The Systems Working Group [4] addressed like issues, but in

terms of design requirements for communication systems, such as
Very Small Aperture Terminals (VSATs), dynamic propagation-
impairment mitigation, and mobile-satellite services. Suggestions
were made conceming the configuration of the propagation termi-
nals, fade-mitigation algorithms to be studied, and novel experi-
ments that could be performed with the ACTS communications
package. Both groups judged the beacon cross-polarization isola-
tions to be insufficient for reliable measurements of cross-polari- 1
zation. I
6

The above recommendations served as guidelines for the F

5 5
E
development of the ACTS Propagation Terminals (APTs) and 3 4
influenced the selection of propagation measurements to be per- 3 3

formed with the APTs. r, - -F;urbanks,AK

--Crreeley, CO
- -Vmmuver.BC
-+--Tampa, FL

Collection of Ka-band propagation data in varied climate

1
---
--Q---Las Cruces. NM
-Reston. VA
-Norman. OK

0 10 20 30 40 M 60 70 80 90 1W
regions, some previously unsampled, was considered important.
Rain Rate (d)
Placement of the APTs depended, of course, on receipt of accept-
able technical proposals for sites within desired climate zones. This Figure 1. The 20.2 GHz attenuation due to water on the
part of the program was very successful. Features of the seven offi- antenna reflector surface and feed window.
cial APT sites are summarized in Table 1, along with the respec-
tive climate designations in both the ITU-R and Crane-Global rain
zone classifications. 8
1

Particularly beneficial climatic features of the sites for propa-

gation-model development include the following. Fairbanks expe-
riences a complex mixture of snow and rain influence on path
attenuation, and the high-latitude location tests the heezing-level
dependence of models. The Colorado and New Mexico sites, at
almost 1.5 km above mean sea level, stress the rain-height
assumptions of existing prediction models.
1 ---- Reston, VA
iI
0 ' ' " ' . " ' . ' " , " . ' " " ~ ' ' . . ~ " . . Y ,. . . . . , . . . .
0 10 20 30 40 M 60 70 80 90 1W
Previous Ka-band fade statistics, collected at the Florida Rain Rate (m")

location, were in time-percentage "gaps" of the ITU-R data banks;

the new data should fill these gaps. The Virginia site provides a
good connection to the data collected during previous propagation
campaigns. The New Mexico data stress the ITU-R rain zone
scheme and have few independent raidfade events, testing the sta-
tistical stability of prediction models. Oklahoma is a region where
rain zones are closely spaced, allowing the effects of spatial varia-
tion of rain climate to be examined. At Vancouver, winter is the
rainy season, opposite to the assumed (summer) rain height of most
models, providing another test of freezing-level assumptions.
Therefore, these data sets are especially valuable for not only
Ka-band propagation characterization, but also for elucidation of
climate effects on model behavior.
Figure 2. The 27.5 GHz attenuation due to water on the
antenna reflector surface and feed window.
second data are available for the complete experiment on CD-
ROMs, and are available for anyone to use in model development
or receiver-performance simulations. The annual empirical distri-
bution functions (EDFs) for attenuation, sky-brightness tempera-
ture, fade duration, inter-fade interval, and rain rate are posted on
the Internet (http://rossby.ou.edu/-actsraid). The high-data-rate
observations have been archived, and are also available for ten
minutes in each hour for selected sites and seasons.
4.1 Antenna-wetting

4. E x p e r ~ m e nresults
~~
Automated calibration and beacon-signal reference-level
determination procedures were employed, to provide attenuation
estimates with a statistical uncertainty of less than 0.2 dB (one
standard deviation), and a peak uncertainty of less than 0.5 dB [ 5 ] .
Two types of data have been archived for the experiment: 1) con-
tinuous one-second average calibrated beacon and radiometer
attenuation data, with one-minute supporting meteorological data,
and all associated calibration and reference-level determination
information; and 2) ten-minute high-data-rate segments of beacon
data collected at a rate of 20 samples per second. Continuous one-
An early finding of the ACTS Propagation Experiment was
the unusual sensitivity of the ACTS Propagation Terminal antenna
to dew and rain water, on both the antenna reflector surface and on
the feed window. In sprayer tests, the wet antenna could produce as
much as 8 dB attenuation in addition to path attenuation. A physi-
cal model has now been developed to estimate the attenuation pro-
duced by the wet surfaces.
Antenna-wetting-model predictions at 20.2 and 27.5 GHz are
presented in Figures 1 and 2, as a function of rain rate at the
antenna. The predictions were made for the elevation angle and
polarization orientation of the antenna. Three sites have antennas

24 IEEE Antennas and Propagation Magazine, Vol. 40, No. 6, December 1998
pointed at nearly the same elevation angle (50). Their curves I00

overlap in the figures. The high attenuation values are caused by 1)

a plastic coating over the metal screen reflector, which was crin-
kled during manufacture; and 2) the feed-window orientation E 10,
3 :
caused by the offset-feed design. The crinkled plastic surface 5:
- .
retards the flow of water down the reflector surface, and provides a e .

spacer between the water layer and the primary reflecting surface. 4 I i +Farbanks AK -#-Vancouva.BC
Hydrophobic properties of both surfaces (if they existed) are - 4Greety.CO -X-Tampa FL
. +LasCruces,NU -3-Noman.OK
quickly lost through weathering. -
-Reston, VA (2 yn) i
01 Y

An additional design problem affects the 27.5 GHz observa-

tions. Water on the feed window produces a mismatch between the
antenna and the receiver LNA (no isolator in the 27.5 GHz chan- Figure 5. The 20.2 GHz attenuation EDFs for the ACTS
nel). Empirically, the antenna attenuation at 27.5 GHz was twice Propagation Experiment sites.
the value given in Figure 1 for two of the seven sites, Oklahoma
and Colorado. The mismatch produces as much as 2 dB additional
loss at the higher rates. 1W
27 5 GHn Ermncal
-___ -
hstnbullon Funcoons
1 ThKeYearEDFs

4.2 Path attenuation measurements 9 10:

8
-
:
.
2 -
Data acquisition and archival for the ACTS Propagation I
- --+Farbanks AK -C-Vancouver BC
Experiment started December 1, 1993. Three complete years of g I --O-Greeley CO -X-Tampa FL
: +LasCrUces NM +Norman OK
calibrated data are available for all seven sites. A fourth year of .- Reston VA (2 yn)
data i s available from three of the sites. The automated data pre- 01 d

processing program generates three sets o Iattenuation statistics:

one-second average attenuation relative to free space (AFS); one-
minute average AFS; and one-minute average attenuation relative Figure 6. The 27.5 GHz attenuation EDFs for the ACTS
to clear sky (ACS = AFS minus the attenuation due to gaseous Propagation Experiment sites.
absorption).

The EDFs for a full four years of observations from Okla-

homa are presented in Figure 3. The attenuation due to gaseous
absorption was estimated for each minute of observations, using a
statistical estimation procedure and surface meteorological data
151.
The attenuation EDFs presented in Figure 3 include the
effects of attenuation due to rain and clouds, and attenuation due to
water on the antenna reflector surface and feed window. Models
for the prediction of the cumulative distribution functions (CDFs)
for attenuation must include all these effects. The Crane Revised
Two-Component model [6], combined with the new local rain rate
model [7] and the model for attenuation caused by water on the
antenna (Figures 1 and 2), was used to estimate the expected
annual ACS EDFs. The results are presented in Figure 4. The
curves labeled A & P estimate the combined effects of path
attenuation (P) and water on the antenna (A). The additional effect
of antenna mismatch at 27.5 GHz (M, not depicted in Figure 2)
was also included.

01
0 01
L. .
01 1
, , I ,

10
, . . . . , ,...,
100
The two-component model predicts the effects of rain and the
clouds accompanying the rain. The curves extend over only the
Percentage of Year Attenuation is Exceeded (%) percentage of a year dominated by rain effects. The prediction
biases for the four annual EDFs are 3% at 20.2 GHz and 2% at
Figure 3. Attenuation statistics for the Norman, Oklahoma,
27.5 GHz. The root-mean-square deviations (RMSDs) between
site.
model predictions and observations are 22% at 20.2 GHz and 18%
at 27.5 GHz, based on a log-normal model for year-to-year varia-
ACTS PropagationExperiment
tions in the EDFs. These results show a combined model consis-
Atteauation RelaUve to Clw Sky EDFs tency with measurements at the 0.1 significance level (use of the
model cannot be rejected).

-20.2 GHz A & P -27.5 GHz A & P n- - Observations from all the sites for the three years of cali-
brated data, December 1, 1993 through November 30, 1996, are
presented in Figures 5 and 6.
I
I
01 1 , . . . I . .

0 001 001 01 1 10
Percentageof Y a r Attenuationir Exceeded (%)
4.3 Microwave brightness temperature measurements

Figure 4. Attenuation EDFs, measurements and predictions, The radiometric measurements made at each site were pri-
for Norman, Oklahoma. marily for use in beacon-system calibration. As an interim step in

IEEE Antennas and Propagation Magazine, Vol. 40, No. 6,December 1998 25
the calibration process, the microwave brightness temperatures Table 2. The annual average number of fades.
were estimated for each beacon frequency, for every minute of
20.2 GBZ - 3 dB 20.2 GHz ~ 5 dB 27.5 GBz - 3 dB 27.5 GAz - 5 dB
observations. For calibration verification at the Oklahoma site, the
brightness-temperature measurements at launch time for nearby
rawinsonde observations were compared with calculated values
from the balloon soundings. Summary EDFs for the four years of
observations at the Norman, Oklahoma, site are presented in Fig-
ure 7.

4.4 Dynamics of path impairments

____ ---
homan Oklahoma
Fade duration and inter-fade interval statistics were compiled rourYW standard D W ~ EDFS
~ U ~ ~
1994 1997
for each day, month, and year of observations. The automated data
pre-processing program generated the duration and inter-fade
interval data for the four attenuation thresholds of 3, 5 , 7, and
10 dB. Unfiltered one-second averaged data were used for this
+275GHzRadtomeler
analysis. The observations were extrapolated through each calibra-
tion interval (20 seconds every 15 minutes) by instantaneous fre- -20 2 GHz Rad~ometrr
quency scaling, based on the beacon-attenuation values from the
other beacon. The calibration times for the two frequencies were
staggered, so frequency scaling could be used. The frequency-
scaling coefficients were dynamically adjusted using the two-fke- Figure 9. Attenuation Standard Deviation EDFs for the ACTS
quency observations from the prior minute. Propagation Experiment.

The fade duration data were compiled for each day. Fading
events that continued across midnight were ignored. Inter-fade
intervals were only computed between rain-attenuation events that
occurred on the same day.
Figure 8 displays the four-year fade duration EDFs for Nor-
man, Oklahoma. The complete EDFs cannot be modeled by simple
log-normal, exponential, or power-law CDFs. Similar results were
obtained for the fade duration and inter-fade interval EDFs from
the other sites.
fades exceeding 2 sec duration, and the number of fades exceeding
10 sec duration. At the 5 dB threshold, the fades exceeding 10 sec
are rain fades. Scintillation contributes to the large number of fades
shorter than 10 sec at the lower attenuation threshold. Scintillation
fades occur more often at lower elevation angles or in moist, wet
climates (e.g., Florida).
4.5 Clear-air effects

The numbers of rain fades at two attenuation levels are given The automated pre-processing program generated EDFs for
for each site in Table 2. This table contains the total number of the standard deviations of within-a-minute fluctuations of the bea-
con-signal levels and radiometer-attenuation estimates. Figure 9
presents these results for the four years of observations at the Nor-
I man, Oklahoma, site.
-275GHz 1
--- -m7c.u7 I
The beacon data display the variations produced by scintilla-
. .
tion due to clear-air turbulence, due to attenuation due to clouds
ACTS PropagationExperiment
Norman, Oklahoma and rain, and due to the increased effect of receiver noise at low
Four-Year Sky Tempe" EDFs
1994 - 1597 signal-to-noise values during a rain fade. The radiometer data do
not show fluctuations during periods of clear-air scintillation, but
101 J
0.01
' ' I , " "

0.1 I 10 100
do reveal the fluctuations caused by rain and clouds. Differences
Percentage of Yea Brightness Tempraturt ir Exceeded (I) between the beacon and radiometer EDFs can be used to estimate
the EDFs for scintillation intensity.
Figure 7. Microwave brightness EDFs for Norman, Oklahoma.
During clear-air periods, the high-rate data produce power
spectra that display the classic segmented-power-law shape
Four Year Fade Duration EDFr expected for clear-air turbulence. During periods of rain, the spec-
I. Unfiltered 1-secondA v m g e
tra display the characteristics of a slowly varying flat fading chan-
nel, with a relative increase in noise caused by the low signal-to-
noise ratio.

-275GHr.3 dB -- - - --20 2 GHr, 3 dB

-275GHz.SdB -3- 20 2 GHr. 5 dB 5. Comparison to model predictions
6 - 2 7
-0-27
SGHZ 7 dB
5 G H c 10 dB
-- *
-3- -20 2 GHz, 7 dB
-20 2 GHz, IO dFJ
0.1 1 u The prediction errors for the revised two-component model
10 1W 1W lw00
Fade Duration (sec)
[6] and the DAH model (rain attenuation only) [8] are listed in
Table 3, for the annual EDFs from each site. In each case, the rain-
Figure 8. Fade duration EDFs for the ACTS Propagation rate distribution was predicted using the local two-component rain
Experiment, Norman, Oklahoma. model. The effect of water on the antenna was determined using

26 IEEE Antennas and Propagation Magazine, Vol. 40, No. 6,December 1998

[ I 20.2 GBZ - ACS 21.5 GHz - ACS
the calculations presented in Figures 1 and 2. For Colorado and
Oklahoma, the wet-antenna attenuation at 27.5 GHz was corrected
for mismatch.
The use of each model was subject to a hypothesis test at a
0.1 significance level. The calculated RMSD values were tested
against the expected value for year-to-year fluctuations at a single
location [6], using a chi-square test. If the model is consistent with
the observations, Yes was entered in the Pass column. For the
revised two-component model, the use of the model can be rejected
for three of the seven sites. For the DAH model, its use can be
rejected for five sites.
A closer examination of the observations from the three sites
with data not consistent with either model reveals a significantly
higher year-to-year variability in the EDFs than expected. This
large variability exists even if the median observed EDF is used for
the prediction model. The model for variability was based primar-
ily on four- and five-year measurement sets collected in Italy. The
number of rain events that occur at two of the sites (Colorado and
New Mexico) is significantly smaller than at the Italian sites or at
the other ACTS sites (Table 2). Given its larger intrinsic variabil-
ity, the attenuation-prediction model may hold for use in Colorado
(at this site, the average prediction is unbiased).
The model predictions for British Columbia produce signifi-
cantly higher attenuation values than were observed. For this site,
the rain occurs predominantly during the winter months. If the rain
height is reduced by a factor of two, to mimic winter-time height
profiles, the observations and predictions will be in agreement (not
rejected at the 0.1 significance level for the revised two-component
model).
The two-component models for predicting the attenuation
CDFs rely on a complete description of the rain-rate distribution.
Both the DAH and ITU-R models rely only on rain-rate predictions
at 0.01% of a year. The ITU-R model postulates a universal distri-
bution shape (i.e., all the EDFs in Figures 5 and 6 should be paral-
lel). The DAH model provides minor adjustments in shape with
elevation angle and latitude (but not rain climate; see [9]). The
observed EDFs show a significant departure from parallel curves.
These results bring into question one of the tenets of models
dependent on predictions at only one probability value, and the use
of a universal adjustment to extend to other probability values.
6. Conclusions
The initial comparisons between ACTS measurements and
model predictions concluded that none of the models tested pro-
vided an exact fit to the data, but the DAH model, when combined
IEEE Antennas and Propagation Magazine, Vol. 40, No. 6, December 1998
with the Rice-Holmberg model, performed best. The wet-antenna
problem was noted. We now have two new models for attenuation
prediction: the local two-component rain rate model, and the wet-
antenna model. The effect of water on the antenna has been suc-
cessfully analyzed, and good agreement between model estimates
and predictions has been achieved.
The ACTS propagation campaign has proven to be an espe-
cially valuable undertaking, particularly with the current intense
interest in Ka-band satellite systems for a variety of fixed- and
mobile-satellite applications [ 101. Despite the difficulties posed for
the experiment by the unexpectedly strong antenna-wetting effect
(which has, in the meantime, become an important research topic
as well), uniform procedures specified and adopted by the experi-
menters for system calibration, data collection, and analysis have
resulted in an important data set for characterization of Ka-band
propagation, development of prediction models, and development
and evaluation of adaptive impairment-mitigation schemes.
7. References
1. R. Bauer, Ka-Band Propagation Measurements: An Opportu-
nity with the Advanced Communications Technology Satellite
(ACTS), Proceedings of the IEEE, 85,6, 1997, pp. 853-862.
2. Special Issue on Ka-Band Propagation Effects on Earth-Satellite
Links, Proceedings of the IEEE, 85, 6, 1997.
3. R. K. Crane, Report of Science Group, Presentations of First
ACTS Propagation Studies Workshop, Santa Monica, CA, Jet Pro-
pulsion Laboratory Publication JPL D-6918, December 15, 1989,
pp. 195-199.
4. D. V. Rogers, Report of System Group, Preseritatioris of First
ACTS Propagation Studies Workshop, Santa Monica, CA, Jet Pro-
pulsion Laboratory Publication JPL D-6918, December 15, 1989,
pp. 201-207.
5. R. K. Crane, X. Wang, D. B. Westenhaver and W. J. Vogel,
ACTS Propagation Experiment: Experiment Design, Calibration,
and Data Preparation and Archival, Proceedings of the IEEE, 85,
6 , 1997, pp. 863-878.
6. R. K. Crane, Electroriingiietic Waiv Propngatiori fhroirgh Rairi,
New York, John Wiley & Sons, 1996.
7. R. K. Crane, A Local Model for the Prediction of Attenuation
Caused by Rain, Proceedirigs of URSI Coiiiiiiissiori F Opeii S I V -
posiurii 011 Cliriintic Parnriieters iii Radionmie Propagatiori Pre-
diction (CLIMPARA 98),Ottawa, Canada, April 27-29, 1998
8. A. W. Dissanayake, J. E. Allnutt and F. Haidara, A Prediction
Model that Combines Rain Attenuation and Other Impairments
along Earth-Space Paths, IEEE Trarisnctioris or1 Aiiteririns arid
Propagatiori, AP-45,9, 1997, pp. 1546-1558.
9. R. K. Crane and A. W. Dissanayake, ACTS Propagation
Experiment: Attenuation Distribution Observations and Prediction
Model Comparisons, Proceedirigs of the IEEE, 85, 6 , 1997, pp.
879-892.
10. D. V. Rogers, L. J. Ippolito and F. Davarian, System
Requirements for Ka-Band Propagation Data, Proceedirigs of the
IEEE, 85,6, 1997, pp. 810-820.
27
 Introducing Feature Article Authors

Robert K. Crane received the BS, MS, and PhD degrees in
electrical engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute, MA.
In 1981-1992, he was Research Professor of Engineering at
the Thayer School of Engineering, Dartmouth College. In 1976-
1981, he was Deputy Division Manager and Division Senior Sci-
entist at Environmental Research and Technology, Inc. In 1964-
1976, he was a staff member in MITs Lincoln Laboratory. He cur-
rently is Professor of Meteorology and Professor of Electrical
Engineering at the University of Oklahoma, Norman. He has spent
his research career conducting studies in electromagnetic wave
propagation through the atmosphere and in the remote sensing of
precipitation via radio and radar techniques.
Dr. Crane is a member of the American Meteorological Soci-
ety and the American Geophysical Union. He has been active in
the work of Commission F of the International Union of Radio
Science (URSI) and in the United States National Committee for
URSI. He has also been active in the work of Study Group 3 of the
radiocommunications sector of the International Telecommunica-
tions Union.
David V. Rogers received a BS, Physics, from Lamar Uni-
versity, Beaumont, Texas, in 1967, and the PhD, Physics, from
North Texas State University, Denton, in 1973, with a specializa-
tion in microwave spectroscopy.
In 1973, he joined the Communications Research Centre,
Ottawa, Canada, as a National Research Council of Canada post-
doctoral fellow, where he performed research in tropospheric
radiowave propagation. From 1976 to 1977, he was a member of
the engineering staff of O N , Inc., Silver Spring, Maryland. In
1977, he joined COMSAT Laboratories, Clarksburg, Maryland,
and was responsible for theoretical and experimental research and
development in radiowave propagation for application to satellite
communications. During his last few years at COMSAT, he was
Manager of the Propagation Studies Department. In June, 1990, he
rejoined the Communications Research Centre in Ottawa, as Group
Leader, Earth-Space Propagation, in the Radio Sciences Branch.
Dr. Rogers is active in Study Group 3 (Radio Propagation) of
the ITU Radiocommunication Sector (ITU-R), having been a dele-
gate to ITU meetings since 1981, and currently is a Vice-chairman
of ITU-R Study Group 3. He is a member of CNCNRSI Commis-
sion F and the American Geophysical Union, and served on the
Science Review Panel for the NASA Propagation Program.

Advanced RF Design and Development Engineer

Responsible for the development of reflector type antennas as used in such applications as
satellite communications, radio telescopes, and radar applications.

The successful candidate must demonstrate detailed experience in the design and development of
associated low-loss (high power) waveguide feed systems, involving such components as
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Vertex, located in a pleasant and quiet comer of East Texas away from the bustle and traffic jams
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Human Resources Manager
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2600 Longview Street
Kilgore, Texas 75662-6842
EOE MfFiHN
wtucker@vertexcomm.com
Fax: 903 984 7769
Tel: 903 984 0555

28 IEEE Antennas and Propagation Magazine, Vol. 40, No. 6 ,December 1998