Part 5: Link Budget Analysis

1. Why Do We Need Link Budget Analysis?

• To answer the following questions:

• What is the required transmit power?

• What is the maximum cell radius (i.e., path length)?

• What is the effect of changing the frequency of the signal?

• …

• Such that a certain QoS is satisfied ( SINR > SINRth , BER< BERth , …)

2. Link Budget Calculations

We will need the following equations:

1. 𝑃𝑟 (dBW) = 𝑃𝑡 (dBW) + ∑dB Gains − ∑dB Losses

2. Margin(dBm) = Pr (dBm) − R x( sensitivity ) (dBm)

S
3. = Pr (dBW) − PN (dBW) = Pt (dBW) + ∑dB Gains − ∑dB Loses – PN (dBW)
N

• Thermal noise:

𝑃𝑁 = 𝐹𝑘𝑇0 𝐵

• 𝐹 : Noise figure, 𝑘 : Boltzmann’s constant, 𝑇0 : Standard Noise Temperature= 294 k, 𝐵:

bandwidth

𝑃𝑁 (dBW) = 𝐹(dB) + 𝑘(dBWs/K) + 𝑇0 (dBK) + 𝐵(dBHz)

• Important Notes:

• You can use dBm instead of dBW.

• If using EIRP transmit power, it includes Pt(dBW)+Gt(dB), so don’t double count

Gt by also including it in the dB Gains sum.

• The antenna gains are used in dBi (compared to isotropic antennas). Where
dBi=dBd+2.15. In practice, antenna gains are given in units of dBi (dB gain with
respect to an isotropic antenna) or dBd (dB gain with respect to a half-wave
dipole).

1 Prof. Raed Al-Zubi , Electrical Engineering Department, The University of Jordan

Communication Systems-EE425
 • There are also coding, a.k.a. processing, gains, achieved by using channel coding
to reduce the errors caused by the channels. DS-SS (e.g., CDMA) is a type of
modulation which has a processing gain. These added to the gains.

• Losses include large scale path loss (reflection losses, diffraction, scattering, or
shadowing losses, if you know these specifically), and losses due to imperfect
matching in the transmitter or receiver antenna.

3. EIRP and ERP

• Effective isotropic radiated power (EIRP): EIRP = Pt Gt

EIRP represents the maximum radiated power available from a transmitter in the
direction of maximum antenna gain, compared to an isotropic radiator.

• In practice, effective radiated power (ERP) is more commonly used:

ERP = EIRP /1.64 or ERP (dB) = EIRP (dB) – 2.15

ERP represents the maximum radiated power available from a transmitter in the
direction of maximum antenna gain, compared to a half-wave dipole antenna.

4. Link Margin

• In a wireless communication system, the link margin, measured in dB, is the difference
between the receiver's sensitivity (i.e., the received power at which the receiver cannot
detect or decode the received signal) and the actual received power.

• A 15 dB link margin means that the system could tolerate an additional 15 dB of

attenuation between the transmitter and the receiver, and it would still just barely
detect the signal.

• It is typical to design a system with at least a few dB of link margin, to allow for
attenuation that is not modeled elsewhere.

• For example, a satellite communications system operating in the tens of gigahertz might
require additional link margin in order to ensure that it still works with the extra losses
due to rain fade or other external factors.

• A system with a negative link margin would mean the system is insufficient to transfer
data, usually this means a better receiver is needed, with improved sensitivity.

2 Prof. Raed Al-Zubi , Electrical Engineering Department, The University of Jordan

Communication Systems-EE425
5. Example: GSM Uplink

• Consider the uplink of a GSM system, given GSM requires an S/N of 11 dB. Assume a
maximum mobile transmit power of 1.0 W (30 dBm), 0 dBd antenna gain at the mobile,
and 12 dBd gain at the BS. Assume path loss given by the urban area Hata model, with fc
= 850 MHz, BS antenna height of 30 meters, mobile height of 1 meter. Assume F = 3 dB.
What is the maximum range of the link?

• Solution:

• The required S/N = 11 dB

• 𝑃𝑁 = 𝐹𝐾𝑇0 𝐵 = 2(1.38 × 10−23 𝐽/𝐾 )(294𝐾)(200 × 103 Hz) = 1.62 × 10−15 =

−147.9(dBW)

• 𝑃𝑡 = 0dBW.

• Gains: 0 dBd (or 2.15 dBi) and 12 dBd (or 14.15 dBi) for a total of 16.3 dBi gains

• Losses: path loss is via urban area Hata, for d in km:

𝐿(dB) = 69.55 + 26.16log10 (850) − 13.82log10 (30) + [44.9 − 6.55log10 (30)]log10 𝑑

= 125.8 + 35.22log10 𝑑

11(dB) = 0(dBW) + 16.3(dB) − (125.8 + 35.22log10 𝑑 ) + 147.9(dBW)

𝑑 = 1027.4/35.22 = 6.0(km) = 3.7 miles

Note: 1 km = 0.62 miles

6. Example: Sensor Network

• Assume two wireless sensors 1 foot above ground need to communicate over a range of
30 meters. They operate based on the 802.15.4 standard (DS-SS at 2.4 GHz). Assume the
log-distance model with reference distance 1m, with path loss at 1 m of 40 dB, and path
loss exponent 3 beyond 1m. Assume the antenna gains are both 3.0 dBi. The transmitter
is the TI CC2520, which has max Pt = 1 mW, and its spec sheet gives a receiver
sensitivity of -98 dBm. What is the fading margin at a 30 meter range?

• Solution:
30
• 𝑃𝑟 (𝑑𝐵𝑚) = 0(𝑑𝐵𝑚) + 6𝑑𝐵 − (40𝑑𝐵 + 10 ∗ 3log ( 1 )) = −78.3dBm

• Margin(dBm) = −78.3 − (−98) = 19.7dBm

3 Prof. Raed Al-Zubi , Electrical Engineering Department, The University of Jordan

Communication Systems-EE425
7. Example: IS-136 Uplink

• Compare IS-136 and GSM (GSM uplink in the example before) in terms of range. IS-136
mobile has 0.6 W transmit power, and the required S/N is 15 dB, and IS-136 has a lower
bandwidth of 30 kHz.

• Solution:

• The required S/N = 15 dB

𝑃𝑁 = 𝐹𝑘𝑇0 𝐵 = 2(1.38 × 10−23 𝐽/𝐾 )(294𝐾)(30 × 103 Hz) =

•
2.43 × 10−16 𝑊 = −156.1(dBW)

• 𝑃𝑡 = −2.2 dBW.

• 15(dB) = −2.2(dBW) + 16.3(dB) − (125.8 + 35.22log10 𝑑 ) + 156.1(dBW)

• 𝑑 = 1029.4/35.22 = 6.8 km

8. Example: Access point – client link

• A 5 km link, with one access point and one client radio. The access point is connected to
an antenna with 10 dBi gain, with a transmitting power of 20 dBm and a receive
sensitivity of -89 dBm. The client is connected to an antenna with 14 dBi gain, with a
transmitting power of 15 dBm and a receive sensitivity of -82 dBm. The cables in both
systems are short, with a loss of 2dB at each side at the 2.4 GHz frequency of operation.
Find the link margin.

• Solution:

4 Prof. Raed Al-Zubi , Electrical Engineering Department, The University of Jordan

Communication Systems-EE425
 20 dBm (TX Power AP)
+ 10 dBi (Antenna Gain AP)
- 2 dB (Cable Losses AP)
+ 14 dBi (Antenna Gain Client)
- 2 dB (Cable Losses Client)
= 40 dB Total Gain
-114 dB (free space loss @5 km)
=-74 dBm (expected received signal level)
--82 dBm (sensitivity of Client)
= 8 dB (link margin)

15 dBm (TX Power Client)

+ 14 dBi (Antenna Gain Client)
- 2 dB (Cable Losses Client)
+ 10 dBi (Antenna Gain AP)
- 2 dB (Cable Losses AP)
=35 dB Total Gain
-114 dB (free space loss @5 km)
= -79 dBm (expected received signal level)
--89 dBm (sensitivity of AP)
=10 dB (link margin)

5 Prof. Raed Al-Zubi , Electrical Engineering Department, The University of Jordan

Communication Systems-EE425
9. Radio Mobile

• Radio Mobile is a free tool to aid in the design and simulation of wireless systems.

• It can automatically calculate the power budget of a radio link, calculating the Fresnel
zone clearance. It can use digital maps, GIS (Geographical Information Systems), or any
other digital map, including maps provided by yourself.

References

• Wireless Communications Principles and Practice by Theodore S.

Rappaport.Prentice Hall PTRPrenticeHall, Inc.Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458. Second
Edition 2002.
• Principles of Electronic Communication by Louis E. Frenzel Jr. Published by McGraw-
Hill Education 2016. Fourth Edition.

• Link Budget Calculation: Training materials for wireless trainers. The Abdus Salam
International center for theoretical physics.

• Course Notes for ECE 5325/6325 Wireless Communication Systems by Prof. Neal
Patwari, University of Utah, 2010.

6 Prof. Raed Al-Zubi , Electrical Engineering Department, The University of Jordan

Communication Systems-EE425