Weather effects on hybrid FSO/RF communication link |
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Authors: | Nadeem F Kvicera V Awan MS Leitgeb E Muhammad SS Kandus G |
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Affiliation: | Institute for Broadband Communication, Graz University of Technology, Graz, Austria; |
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Abstract: | Free Space Optics (FSO) or optical wireless systems provide high data rate solution for bandwidth hungry communication applications. Carrier class availability is a necessity for wide scale acceptability which is extremely difficult to achieve in the case of optical wireless links. FSO links are highly weather-dependent and different weather effects reduce the link availability. Employing a hybrid network consisting of an FSO link and a back up link in the GHz frequency range renders high availability besides providing comparable data rates. In this paper effects of fog, rain and snow on FSO/GHz hybrid network are studied so that GHz frequencies with best complementary behaviour can be selected as a back up link. As a prime conclusion of the article, it is suggested that free space optical links can be supplemented with 40 GHz RF links to achieve near carrier class availability. |
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