Characterization of multipath parameters for line-of-sight microwave propagation

Ray equations are derived for microwave multipath propagation in a two-layer atmosphere, and the connection between the different solutions is demonstrated by numerical examples. Analytical expressions are developed to characterize the condition for multiple rays, the variation in angle-of-arrival (AOA), and the delay spread. The results suggest that more than three rays will be rare in practice and that the three-ray model (obtained from the zero-order rays defined in the paper) may provide a good representation of selective fading on microwave links.