Assessment of Radio Frequency Signals Availability in Bida: Assessment of Radio Frequency Signals Availability in Bida

Assessment of Radio Frequency Signals Availability in Bida

Abstract

This study investigates the availability and intensity of radio frequency (RF) signals in Bida, a town in southwestern Niger State, Nigeria (9.0800° N, 6.0030° E). Signal strength measurements for Amplitude Modulation (AM), Frequency Modulation (FM), Television (TV), and Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) signals were conducted at sixty-nine locations using a spectrum analyzer (100 kHz–7.0 GHz). TV signals were captured with a Yagi antenna, while dipole antennas were used for AM and FM. GSM signals were measured using the Network Cell Info Lite app on an Android smartphone. The Epicollect5 mobile application facilitated accurate data collection and geotagging, with cloud-based synchronization enhancing field efficiency and data reliability. Kriging interpolation was employed for spatial analysis due to its high predictive accuracy. All four signal types were available across all locations but varied in intensity. Results showed that GSM signals had the lowest strength at -116 dB, followed by TV (-98.62 dB), FM (-94.09 dB), and AM with the highest strength at -87.00 dB. These findings provide critical insights for designing RF energy harvesting systems, offering a sustainable solution for powering low-energy devices in resource-constrained environments.