TITLE:
Empirical Studies on Topographical Influences on Crbc/Akbc Terrestrial Television Stations’ Signals in Akpabuyo Local Council Area, Nigeria
AUTHORS:
Donatus Enang Bassey, Godwin O. Effiong, Ofem U. Omini, Effiong O. Obisung
KEYWORDS:
Akamkpa, Biase, Broadcast Station, Channels, Propagation Models, Signal, Television Stations, UHF/VHF Signals
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Computer and Communications,
Vol.7 No.9,
September
20,
2019
ABSTRACT: Dissemination of information to citizens is a relevant component of governance. Expectedly, viewers tuned to broadcast stations within and outside their localities, expecting their receivers to faithfully reproduce the exact features of the transmitted signal. Akpabuyo is a dense forest zone near the creeks leading to the Atlantic ocean in Cross River State, Nigeria. The location has distinct environmental characteristics that made Akpabuyo Area Council, a challenging location to propagate electromagnetic waves; and therefore recipe for further investigation. Radio frequency analyzer, with 24 channels spectrum, ranging between 46 - 870 MHz (model: RO.VE.R.-“DLM3-T”) was deployed to capture signals from terrestrial television stations (TV). CATV measured signal of TV stations in dB, dBμV and dBmV. Its frequency ranged from 40 - 860 MHz; while varying from channel 1 to channel 69. Measurements taken from Akpabuyo L.G.A. showed the following results: the signal strength received from VHF Channel 11 ranged from 20 dBμV to 49 dBμV. From recorded empirical statistics from the study, 50% of the area received signal from this station above 30 dBμV, while other regions had signals below this value; representing the fringe zone of the frequency. The results obtained from the study relatively showed acceptance with Egli’s model. The study recorded a steady fluctuation between 17 dBμV and 19 dBμV from both propagating stations. However, Channel 27 signal at 519 MHz, had very weak signal coverage in Akpabuyo Local Government Area; with signal strength dropped to as low as 13 dB in many parts of the rural area. The study discovered that the state’s broadcasting stations, both at UHF and VHF channels did not transmit successfully across this densely forest (rural) location. Remedial measures such as installing Repeater stations at different locations as signal booster were recommended.