Patent ID: 7136621

Claim:
A method of determining a power spectral density (PSD) of a radio frequency (RF) wave signal from a mobile platform having a communications system in communication with a space-based transponder, said method comprising: using a controller to receive and determine a signal quality value of said RF signal transponded from a transmitter of said space-based transponder; assuming that said signal quality value of said RF signal received by said controller is approximately identical to a signal quality value of an RF signal emanating from an output of said space-based transponder; determining an effective isotropic radiated power (EIRP) value of an RF signal from an antenna of said mobile platform being received by said space-based transponder, as a function of said signal quality value of said RF signal being received by said controller, and denoting said EIRP value as a target EIRP; using said target EIRP to determine an actual EIRP of said RF signal reaching a GEO arc within which said space-based transponder resides; and using said controller to determine, from said actual EIRP reaching said GEO arc, said PSD of said RF signal reaching said GEO arc.