Basic Principle of Radio Propagation

Prepared by WCDMA RNP

Radio Waveband Classification

Waweband
Extremely long wave (EFL, extremely low frequency) Special long wave (SLF, special low frequency) Ultra long wave (ULF, ultra low frequency Very long wave (VLF, very low frequency) Long wave (LF, low frequency Medium wave (MF, medium frequency) Short wave (HF, high frequency) Very short wave (VHF, very high frequency Decimetric wave (UHF, ultra high frequency) Centimeter wave (SHF, special high frequency) Millimeter wave (EHF, extremely high frequency) Submillimeter wave (ultra extremely high frequency)

Frequency
3 30Hz 30 300Hz 300 3000Hz 3 30 k Hz 30 300 k Hz

Wavelength
10 10 km 10 10 km 10 10 km 10 10 km 10 1 km 10 10 m 10 10 m 10 1 m 10 10 cm 10 1 cm 10 1 mm 1 0.1 mm
2 2 2 3 2 4 3 5 4

300 3000 k Hz
3 30MHz 30 300MHz 300 3000MHz 3 30GHz 30 300GHz 300 3000GHz

Microwave

Note: The above table is from Electromagenetic, Antenna and Electric Wave Propagation, written by Pan Zhongying.

Frequencies in different bands have different propagation characteristics.

Generation of Electromagnetic Wave

Based on Maxwell equations set:

The variable magnetic field can excite eddy electric field and variable electric field can also excite eddy magnetic field.

Continuous electromagnetic oscillation (electromagnetic wave) forms due to mutual excitation of alternating electric and magnetic field.

The speed of electromagnetic wave only varies with electric and magnetic characteristics of medium. The propagation speed of electric microwave in vacuum equals that of light in

vacuum.

Light and electromagnetic wave are essentially the same. Light is electromagnetic wave of a certain wavelength.

Oscillator

Magnetic field Electric field

Magnetic field

Electric field

Electric field

Transmission direction of electric wave

Propagation of Electromagnetic Wave

Ripple in the pond: Energy is propagated around from the source point and gradually weakens. Electromagnetic wave is similarly propagated except that (when the

radiation source is isotropically effective ideal point source):

It is propagated in the form of spherical wave in three-dimension space. The propagation media are different, including air, obstacle and reflector.

Theory of Radio Propagation

In the free space, sine wave emitted by point source radiates
spherical waves in all directions. This point source is called isotropically effective radiation one.

Suppose transmitted power of point source is Prad (W), the power of unit area d (m) away (namely, Poynting vector) is:

Prad Pfs (W/m2 ) 4d 2

For actual antennas, if radiated power is Pt (W) and antenna gain is Gt (dBi) , Poynting is:

Pt Gt Pfs (W/m2 ) 4d 2

Theory of Radio Propagation

Suppose effectively received area of the Rx antenna is Ae (m2) and the gain is Gr (dBi), they satisfy the following equation:

2 Ae G r (m 2 ) 4

Therefore, the received power at the place d (m) away is:

Pt Gt 2Gr 2 Pr Pfs Ae Pt G t G r (W ) 2 2 4d 4 (4d)

Radio network planning and design are based on propagation loss. Free space propagation loss is:

Pr 1 4d L fs 10 log( ) 20 log( ) (dB) Pt G t G r L fs 32 .45 20 log (dkm ) 20 log (f MHz ) (dB)

Other propagation models are developed on the basis of free space

propagation model.

Characteristics of Radio Propagation

Electric wave propagation system of Land Mobile Communications

LOS and NLOS

Radio
propagation actual environment in

Reflected wave of buildin Diffracted wave Direct wave Reflected wave on the gr

Characteristics of Radio Channels

Radio channels vary with users position and time. Multipath scattering and obstruction result in acute changes to received power.

Pr (dBm)

-20
-40

Fast fading

Slow fading

-60 Slow fading Attenuation: Pr is in direct proportion to 1/dn. Shadow: obstructed by barriers 10
Fast fading Multipath effect
Fast changes to signal strength at small distance and time interval Doppler frequency shift Delay spread

20

30

d (m)

Diversity Technology Measures against fast fading- diversity technologies

Explicit diversity
Space diversity Polarization diversity Frequency diversityGSM-frequency hopping; WCDMAspread spectrum Others: directional diversity, field diversity and transmit diversity Implicit diversity uses signal processing technologies to hide diversity functions into signals under transmission, such as RAKE reception technology, channel interlacing and error code correction. Regarded as time diversity

Implicit diversity

Delay Spread
Multipath propagation: Signals on different paths reach the receiver at different time. When the receiver fails to differentiate multipath signals, cochannel interference (CCI) occurs. In the WCDMA system, only the multipath delay larger than one chip period (0.26s)can be recognized. Typical value (s): Open < 0.2, Suburban = 0.5, Urban = 3
Solutions Equalization and RAKE technology

Doppler Frequency Shift

Example of Doppler effect: A train is passing by you.

Doppler frequency shift in Mobile Communications

f1 f3

Vspeed of MS
angle where signals arrives
f2

V(km/h)

Loss

Diffraction loss T T R

Penetration loss

Clutter loss

Diffraction Loss

Characteristics: Electromagnetic wave is diffused around at the diffraction point. Diffracted wave covers all directions except for barriers. Diffusion loss is the most serious. Calculation formula is complicated, varying with different diffraction constants.

Penetration Loss

Indoor signals depend on penetration loss of building. Signals are different at the indoor window and in the middle of room. Building materials have great effect on penetration loss.

The reference angle of electromagnetic wave have great effect

on penetration loss.
w1 0 0 d D w2 0 0

E2

WdBm XdBm

E1
Reflection and refraction of electromagnetic wave through the wall

Penetration loss=X-W=B dB

Penetration Loss

Obstacle/penetration loss is: Partition obstruction: 520dB Floor obstruction: 20dB Indoor loss value is function of floor height: -1.9dB/floor Obstruction of furniture and other barriers: 215dB Thick glass: 610dB Penetration loss of the carriage of the train: 1530dB Penetration loss of lift: 30dB or so Loss of thick leaves: 10dB

Reflection Loss

Ground type

Water

Rice paddy

Field

City, mountain and forest

Equivalent ground

0.91

0.60.8

0.30.5

0.10.2

reflection coefficient
Reflection loss (dB) 01 24 610 1420

Radio Propagation Environment

Radio propagation environment determines the propagation models directly. And propagation environment is impacted by the following factors: Landform: high mountain, hill, plain, waters, and vegetation Clutter: building, road and bridge Noise: natural noise and artificial noise Climate: rain, snow and ice (tiny effect on UHF band)

Radio Propagation Environment

Type of radio environment

Radio environment is classified as follows, according to ITU-R P.1411-1 and specific conditions in China.
Propagation environment Dense urban Many tall buildings, signals fail to diffract from the roof of building . Urban Signals can diffract from the roof due to low buildings and wide streets. Suburban Rural Mountainous areas Road Low and sparse buildings Low and sparse buildings, but with lots of vegetation Description

Indoor

Radio Propagation Environment

Type of propagation environment

The corresponding cell type is as follows:

Cell type Cell type Typical antenna installation

Macro-cell

>500 m

Installed outdoors, higher than average height of

surrounding roofs

Micro-cell

100~500m

Installed outdoors, lower than average height of surrounding roofs

Pico-cell

<100m

Installed outdoors or indoors, lower than height of all roofs

Type of other new cells, such as Mini-cell

Thank you!