FAQs

Can I model clutter effects using Land Use / Land Cover data in TAP?

Land Cover or Land Use data describes the artificial or naturally-occurring land features at a particular location, assigning one of a discrete set of classifications to each point.  Within the U.S., SoftWright has provided NLCD data since 2012, starting with NLCD 2006 then NLCD 2011 and 2016, and now the just-released NLCD 2019. For areas outside of the U.S., SoftWright provides land cover data from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS).   These land cover data sets categorize land use attributes, such as Urban, Agricultural, Forest, etc.  The NLCD legend is shown below.

NLCD_Colour_Classification_Update

How and why to use land cover data in tap

When a Land Cover Portfolio is created that contains Land Cover data that covers the study area, TAP can determine the land cover classification at a given set of coordinates.  As shown below, the land cover category can be shown graphically along a path study.  This can aid in the consideration of where trees or buildings may impact link performance and inform the placement of appropriate surface features.  It can also help identify where possible reflection points along the path may be especially problematic due to the presence of water.

TAP 7 Showing Land Cover Classification Along a Path

In both Path and Coverage studies, “clutter” losses may be applied at the receiver location according to Land Cover Loss Tables.  TAP includes three industry-standard loss tables and allows users to create their own custom tables.  The Land Cover Loss Tables contain losses to be applied based on the frequency and the land cover category at the receiver location.  For more information the TAP Land Use module, click here or email sales@softwright.com.

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