Tower Coverage Calculator
Estimate cell tower coverage radius from antenna height, power and terrain factors.
Inputs
Height of the receiving antenna/device above ground (e.g. handset, CPE)
4/3 Earth radius model (k=1.33) accounts for standard atmospheric refraction
Line-of-Sight Coverage Radius
27.59km
Line-of-Sight Coverage Radius
17.14mi
Approx. Coverage Area
2,391.4km²
Horizon Distance from Tower
22.55km
Horizon Distance from Receiver
5.04km
Step by step
Values used
Tower/Antenna Height = 30 m; Receiver Height = 1.50 m; Earth Curvature (k-factor) Adjustment = 1.33
Radio horizon distance
horizon_km = sqrt(2 * effective_earth_radius_km * height_km)
Total coverage radius
total_radius = tower_horizon + receiver_horizon
Line-of-Sight Coverage Radius
= 27.59 km
Line-of-Sight Coverage Radius
= 17.14 mi
Approx. Coverage Area
= 2,391.4 km²
Horizon Distance from Tower
= 22.55 km
Horizon Distance from Receiver
= 5.04 km
How it works
Radio line-of-sight range is fundamentally limited by Earth curvature. The radio horizon distance from height h is d = sqrt(2*R*h), where R is Earth's effective radius (inflated by k-factor, typically 4/3 to model atmospheric refraction). Total coverage radius sums both the tower's and receiver's horizon contributions.
Formulas
Radio horizon distance
horizon_km = sqrt(2 * effective_earth_radius_km * height_km)
- R_eff
- Earth radius times k-factor (6371 * 1.33 km)
- h
- Antenna height in km
Total coverage radius
total_radius = tower_horizon + receiver_horizon
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does the k-factor matter for coverage estimates?
Standard atmospheric refraction bends radio waves toward Earth's surface, extending coverage beyond pure geometric line-of-sight. The 4/3 Earth model (k=1.33) approximates this effect.
Does this account for terrain obstructions?
No — this models theoretical radio horizon over smooth Earth. Real-world coverage is reduced by hills, buildings, and foliage in the propagation path.