Script Plugin Receiver Model
The Script Plugin RF Receiver model and the Script Plugin Laser Receiver model enable you to use external scripts, such as MATLAB and VBScript scripts, to define receivers for use in your communications link analyses. STK polls the script at each time step of the simulation and obtains the model parameters. The model can accommodate dynamic system parameters with values that can change as a function of time or other factors.
For further information on scripting in STK, see Engine Plugin Scripts. For instructions on the setup and use of plugin points, see Plugin Scripts. To develop a custom script from a sample template, select the appropriate sample plugin script, in MATLAB or VBScript, from <STK install folder>\CodeSamples\Extend\PluginScripts.
To implement a Script Plugin Receiver Model (RF or Laser), go to the Receiver object properties and select the Basic - Definition page. Click the ellipsis under Receiver Models to view and select model types. Then specify the parameters as described in the table below. For the Script Plugin RF Receiver Model, select the Model Specs tab to access these parameters
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Script Filename | Provide the path and name of the script file. STK does not automatically reload the plugin script after you make changes to it. To reload the script, click . |
| Link Margin |
To specify parameters, first select the Enable check box. Then provide values for the Link Margin type (BER, RIP, C/N, etc.) and threshold value. For descriptions of link margin types, see Link Margin. |
For the Script Plugin RF Receiver Model, go to the Interference tab to select interference sources for your receiver (see the section below).
Interference sources
You can add interference sources to an RF receiver and assess their impact on the performance of the receiver.
On the receiver's Basic Definition properties page, go to the Interference tab. You can turn on interference and then add or remove emitters from the assigned list. Only qualified assets will appear in the Available Emitters list, including the following:
- Transmitter objects configured with one of the RF transmitter models (no laser models)
- Radar objects configured with either the Monostatic or Bistatic Transmitter Radar systems
Also, you can set constraints for an interfering emitter and include the effects of the interference in Coverage and Attitude Coverage analyses.
Enabling and disabling interference effects
Select or clear the Use check box to enable or disable the computation of interference effects. Use this check box to turn off interference analysis temporarily without having to dismantle your interference setup; i.e., it is not necessary to remove assigned emitters, turn off constraints, etc. Disabling interference computation will save you processing time if you want to make and test other changes in the scenario without having to recompute interference each time. This can be especially helpful in a scenario that includes many interfering emitters.
Assigning interference sources
To add an emitter from the Available Emitters list to the Assigned Emitters list, double-click it or select it and click the right arrow button. To remove it from the Assigned Emitters list, double-click it or select it and click the left arrow button.
If you want to add or remove whole classes of objects, proceed as follows:
- In the Selection filter area, select object check box(es) to make objects available by class.
- To assign all the objects of that class (those classes) as assigned emitters, click the right arrow button. Make sure not to highight an individual emitter before clicking the arrow button.
- You cannot remove all the objects of that class (those classes) from assigned emitters, click the left arrow button. Make sure not to highight an individual emitter before clicking the arrow button.
You can also use multiselect techniques to manage large lists of Available and Assigned Emitters.
Assigned Emitters can occupy the receiver's parent object in the STK object browser, but interference computations will only occur if the receiver and interferer are physically separated by an offset distance.
Include active communication systems
At the bottom of the Interference tab, select the Include Active CommSystems Interference Emitters check box to account for interference from these sources.
Effects of interference on Coverage and Attitude Coverage
You can select an RF receiver object as the associated class in defining the basic grid for Coverage Definition or Attitude Coverage. If you then select Access Constraint as the Figure of Merit Definition, the available constraints for the receiver, including those that take interference into account, appear in the Constraints list.
Plugin Receiver Inputs and Outputs
For a list of required inputs and outputs, see Receiver Model Plugin Points.