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Free-space optical (FSO) communication has become a focus of both study and commercial interest. FSO transfers data between sites in free space, typically the Earth's atmosphere or space, using laser-emitted light beams, in contrast to standard radio frequency (RF) wireless communication. The possibility for high data transmission speeds, the lack of licencing constraints, versatility, affordability, simplicity of deployment, and its environmentally friendly communication method which provides an alternative to crowded radio frequency-based communications are the driving forces behind this growing interest. To determine the feasibility of FSO communication in the cities of Alexandria and Aswan in Egypt, we utilized the micrometeorology model to analyze how weather conditions and atmospheric turbulence impact on FSO linkages based on real-time weather data. In both the winter and summer seasons, we evaluated the bit error rate, beam spreading, scintillation, and transmission range of FSO. Moreover, bit error rate performance was improved by the use of the multi-hop Decode and Forward relay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a short overview of the available LEO weather satellites transmitting APT (Automatic Picture Transmission) images. Also, this paper shows the development and setup of an advanced VHF ground station capable of receiving APT images from LEO weather satellites. This ground station will be capable of automatic tracking of selected NOAA satellites by using a steerable high gain multi-purpose VHF X-Quad Yagi antenna. The 137 MHz FM signal from NOAA satellites is received using a wideband Icom receiver and is processed using an external USB soundcard with dedicated software for APT/WEFAX image decoding. The proposed solution will provide low-cost access to APT data from NOAA POES weather satellite fleet. Tests were completed with good results and based on the experimental data, it demonstrates the technical feasibility of this improved receiving system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]