How to setup system and simulation using digital terrain in SEAMCAT and run simulations
Interference simulation using digital terrain considers U/I operations of many large files of data and are computationally heavy and can result in computer memory overflow and longer simulation times. Please take care of that when determining number of links, Terrain step size, number of events in simulation, number of tiers considered in cellular systems, etc. It advised to firstly setup and test run smaller and simpler scenario before proceeding to full scale and complex simulations using terrain functionalities.
Set up Terrain Settings for the Workspace using terrain calculations (these settings can be different than in configuration and those will be used for the simulation). These settings are set within workspace in Scenario / Terrain settings.
User can setup:
Geographical coordinate of the reference point (i.e. VLT or VLR of the VSL for Generic, or Victim BS ref cell for cellular). Latitude and longitude of the reference point is set in decimal degrees. SEAMCAT is Monte-Carlo simulator and positions of the other points are automatically generated in SEAMCAT cartesian coordinate system by other position settings within workspace. Then points are georeferenced calculated to Geo coordinates using mutual spatial correlation to reference point. and reference point coordinate
Step size for the calculations. In setting step size balance between precision and calculation time have to be found. Users have to note precision of raster data provided as there is no sense of setting smaller step size than available raster data step.
Terrain Format & Path DEM (DTM or DSM) data file format and path to the source of digital terrain data used. It is recommended to organise terrain data files in folder structure and store different data from different sources and with data types in different folders.
Clutter height terrain data selection: some propagation model plugins allow using clutter height profile instead of general or site specific clutter. Settings are used to set different options in using clutter data clutter height extraction.
Corine land cover digital land use data file. The 'Coordination of information on the environment' provides pan-European CORINE Land Cover inventory for 44 thematic classes for the reference year in GeoTIFF format.
Terrain Format & Path DSM data file format and path to the source of digital terrain data used for clutter height profile extraction.
Save Workspace settings to the SEAMCAT configuration settings
Restore default settings from SEAMCAT configuration settingsDefine Data format used
Set up all other Systems & Scenario settings as defined in SEAMCAT Handbook (no change)
User can setup calculations using digital terrain for all three types of links in SEAMCAT (works on generic and cellular system types):
Victim system link (Set up in workspace Systems / Positioning and Propagation)
Interfering system link (Set up in workspace Systems / Positioning and Propagation)
Interference link (Interfering system Transmitter to Victim system Receiver) (Set up in workspace Scenario – Propagation model)
For setting up using terrain functionality in simulation user can select PMP supporting calculations with digital terrain (e.g. ITU-R P.456-16, ITU-R P.456-17, ITU-R P.456-18, ITU-R P. 2001-4, and ITU-R P.1546-6) for the link of your choice (VSL, ISLs, ILs)
Select Use Terrain profile data Check box (to have terrain calculations for that link in simulation)
Setting multiple PMP per link is possible (from SEAMCAT version 5.5.0 A4), some of link sections could be with terrain PMP
Run SEAMCAT simulation