A Test of the Relationship Between Refractivity and Radio Signal Propagation for Dry Particulates

Radio waves or radio signals propagate through the atmosphere in wireless communication. They are affected mostly by variability in radio refractivity which leads to a decrease in their speed or rate of propagation which eventually cause propagation delay or attenuation in the troposphere.The hourly averages of radio refractivity for dry particulates during dry season (January) were calculated from the data obtained from the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NIMET) when UHF broadcast signal measurement was also taken for each hour throughout the whole day in Akure, Ondo state, Nigeria. However, the statistical correlation (with a correlation coefficient of -0.97) reveals that at different points when the refractivity was high (most especially at night and in the morning when the humidity was high) the signal strength was low and at the points when the refractivity was low (most especially during the day when the humidity was low due to high temperature) the signal strength was higher. Therefore, the higher the refractivity the lesser the signal strength at the point of observation in the troposphere i.e. they are inversely proportional to each other