# 2.16 Testing propagation models

A sanity check on the suitability of a propagation model can be done by clicking on &lt;Tools/Test Propagation Models&gt; in the main menu of SEAMCAT, by clicking on the icon ([![image.png](https://wiki.cept.org/uploads/images/gallery/2026-04/scaled-1680-/ayRgRB4V5stIJGTR-image.png)](https://wiki.cept.org/uploads/images/gallery/2026-04/ayRgRB4V5stIJGTR-image.png)) of the toolbar or by pressing &lt;<span data-highlighted="true" data-vc="highlighted-text"><span class="_kqswh2mm"><span class="_5pioz8co _189e1dm9 _1il9buyh _19lc184f _d0altlke" data-testid="definition-highlighter">CTRL</span></span></span>+SHIFT+M&gt;. With this feature, it is possible to evaluate the result while using a certain propagation model.

![image.png](https://wiki.cept.org/uploads/images/gallery/2026-04/scaled-1680-/eM8moBbEZPY72csQ-image.png)**Figure 50: Access to testing propagation model**

For that, choose the propagation models to compare them. It is possible to compare 2 or more propagation models with this interface.

Figure 51 shows that the SEAMCAT resulting attenuation from the free space is 101.47 dB where the free space path loss is defined as:

[![image.png](https://wiki.cept.org/uploads/images/gallery/2026-04/scaled-1680-/Cuo26F9XxGiAb4eL-image.png)](https://wiki.cept.org/uploads/images/gallery/2026-04/Cuo26F9XxGiAb4eL-image.png) *(Eq. 16)*

where d is given in km and f is given in MHz. This results in

![image.png](https://wiki.cept.org/uploads/images/gallery/2026-04/scaled-1680-/iCsvURYryni7F2mE-image.png)

[![image.png](https://wiki.cept.org/uploads/images/gallery/2026-04/scaled-1680-/CGjaBDdlCm7N1GbD-image.png)](https://wiki.cept.org/uploads/images/gallery/2026-04/CGjaBDdlCm7N1GbD-image.png)

**Figure 51: Illustration on to check the propagation model results**

If one parameter is chosen as a distribution (for instance distance), then the button &lt;generate sorted samples &gt; is activated. Pressing it enables you to plot your results according to a sorted X-axis from min to max.

  
Finally click on &lt;Generate samples&gt; or &lt;generate sorted samples&gt; (depending which one is active) to view the results. If no results are displayed, check the Java console for any error messages.

[![image.png](https://wiki.cept.org/uploads/images/gallery/2026-04/scaled-1680-/YfQDWD7AE8psSOel-image.png)](https://wiki.cept.org/uploads/images/gallery/2026-04/YfQDWD7AE8psSOel-image.png)

**Figure 52: Example comparing 2 propagation loss using the “generate sorted samples”. You can display the vector in linear or logarithmic scale**