Evaluation of ITU-R P.837 rainfall rate models using high-resolution measurements in Bolivia

Abstract

Rainfall rate is a key parameter in radiowave propagation, directly influencing rain attenuation prediction. This paper assesses ITU-R P.837 models that predict 1-minute rainfall rate statistics, using a 5-year high-resolution dataset of measurements in a temperate region of Bolivia as reference. Error analysis shows that the ITU-R P.837-7 model significantly outperforms previous versions, with enhanced accuracy achieved when local mean monthly meteorological data is used as input. Utilizing earlier versions of the ITU-R P.837 model may yield unreliable or inaccurate results.