Radio wave propagation over finite size plateau

The problem of radio wave propagation over a perfectly conducting, infinitely wide rectangular plateau of finite length has previously been solved. (see Electron. Lett., vol.25, p.707-9, 1989). This solution is now extended to deal with a perfectly conducting, rectangular plateau of finite size along all three coordinate axes. When the infinite width is reduced to a finite size the additional diffraction round the two sides of the plateau will produce a more complicated expression for the overall attenuation. The authors quantify the new attenuation and derive an approximate analytic expression for the attenuation function in closed form. Experimental confirmation of the calculated result both as a function of distance along the propagation path and as a function of transverse displacement of the plateau perpendicular to the propagation path is presented.< >