Python Radio Library

An assortment of radio related Python snippets.

What's included?

• The propagation package currently holds the majority of the modules.
• The electron_density_model package is currently under development and aims at providing an implementation of the Neustrelitz Electron Density Model (NEDM2020).

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Propagation Package

Calculating the Fresnel Zone

To calculate the Fresnel zone, use the fresnel_zone.py module and it's included FresnelZone class.

It takes the following parameters:

Parameter	Description
wavelength_meter	Wavelength of the signal in meters
distance_meter	Distance between the transmitter and receiver (in meters)

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Calculating the Knife Edge Diffraction

To calculate the Fresnel zone, use the knife_edge_diffraction.py module and it's included KnifeEdgeDiffraction class.

It takes the following parameters:

Parameter	Description
distance_receiver_obstruction	Distance between the receiver and the obstruction (in meters)
distance_transmitter_obstruction	Distance between the transmitter and the obstruction (in meters)
height_obstruction	Height of the obstruction (in meters)
wavelength_meter	Wavelength of the signal (in meters)

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Visualizing the line of sight between two points

You can visualize the elevation profile between two points using their latitude & longitude coordinates.

Currently, you can use the elevation_profile_plotter.py module and the included ElevationProfilePlotter class to create a plot of the elevation profile.

It takes the following parameters:

Parameter	Description
latitude_point_a	Latitude of point A (ex. 47.502136)
longitude_point_a	Longitude of point A (ex. 9.235879)
latitude_point_b	Latitude of point B
longitude_point_b	Longitude of point B
granularity_meters	The distance between intermediate data points (in meters). Ddefault value of 100 m.

How it works:

1. The distance and amount of intermediate steps between the two points are calculated in the coordinates_interpolation.py module.
2. The coordinates of the intermediate steps are being interpolated in the same coordinates_interpolation.py module.
3. The elevation data for all the coordinates are being fetched from the API of https://open-elevation.com/ in the coordinates_elevation_fetcher.py module.
4. The elevation is being plotted with Matplotlib Pyplot in the elevation_profile_plotter.py module.

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Electron Density Model

As mentioned in the introduction, this model is based on the Neustrelitz Electron Density Model (NEDM2020). The corresponding articles on which this model is based can be found in the /articles directory.

The NEDM2020 is based on a superposition of several existing models and aims to be a "(...) three-dimensional electron density model to support space weather services and mitigate propagation errors for trans-ionospheric signals". (Mainul Hoque, Jakowski & Prol 2022).

Notable components of this model are

• Neustrelitz Plasmasphere Model (NPSM)
• Neustrelitz TEC Model (NTCM)
• Neustrelitz Peak Density Model (NPDM)
• Neustrelitz Peak Height Model (NPHM)

I do not claim any of the implementations of this model as my own ideas, nor do I claim that the implementations are free of possible errors. This library is purely based on my own curiosity for the subject.