Advanced Coverage Prediction Software

The Communication Research Centre Canada (CRC) has been at the forefront of coverage prediction software since the advent of digital broadcast systems. Our software has been used throughout the world to design networks of broadcasts and radio communications systems. 

CRC-COVLAB specializes in the design of transmitters operating in a synchronized network taking into consideration constructive and destructive signal components from the network to ultimately calculate the service availability and signal margin throughout the coverage.

The software enables the system designer to:

• Design and optimize networks of transmitters,
• Generate high accuracy service coverage results,
• Evaluate the interference from self and from neighbouring systems,
• Optimize and strengthen the coverage using state-of-the-art tools,
• Diagnose difficult coverage situations,
• Select and mix technologies in a network design,
• Visualize and analyze predicted performance in 2D or 3D,
• Compare simulation and experimental data,
• Conduct demographic (population reached) coverage assessment,
• Specify target areas and derive statistics on the coverage performance,
• Automatically search and import stations from a broadcast database,
• Scan a broadcast database to identify potential interfering stations,
• Assess the impact of interferers and print a detailed report.

As we are a Research laboratory, our software systems incorporate the latest and ongoing results from the most current research being done in broadcast system modeling and software technology.

Coverage Analysis for all types of RF Communications Through our modular design approach and libraries we offer a comprehensive range of RF communication system models from the modulator to the demodulator with highly detailed sub-models, allowing the study and design of various broadcast systems. These models address the following technologies and configurations: DAB, DMB DVB-T, DVB-H ATSC, ATSC M/H ISDB-T MMDS NTSC AM, FM IBOC DRM Point to point, point to multi point Mobile communications Hybrid systems

Flexible Suite of Software Products

We offer our design capabilities via three software applications.

• COVLAB has the full set of capabilities and is suited to large scale, complex RF broadcast network designs.

• COVLITE is suitable for small system designs with single transmitter configuration that do not require as many design options.

• COVWEB is a free web based application that can be used to calculate the coverage for a single transmitter using the Longley Rice standard propagation model.

For more information on the applications see our Products page.