Basic Principle of Radio Propagation

Prepared by WCDMA RNP

Radio Waveband Classification

Waweband

Frequency

Wavelength

Extremely long wave

(EFL, extremely low frequency)

3 30Hz

10 10 km

Special long wave

(SLF, special low frequency)

30 300Hz

10 10 km

Ultra long wave

(ULF, ultra low frequency

300 3000Hz

10 10 km

Very long wave

(VLF, very low frequency)

3 30 kHz

10 10 km

Long wave
(LF, low frequency

30 300 kHz

10 1 km

300 3000 kHz

10 10 m

Short wave
(HF, high frequency)

3 30MHz

10 10 m

Very short wave

(VHF, very high frequency

30 300MHz

10 1 m

300 3000MHz

10 10 cm

Centimeter wave
(SHF, special high frequency)

3 30GHz

10 1 cm

Millimeter wave
(EHF, extremely high frequency)

30 300GHz

10 1 mm

Submillimeter wave
(ultra extremely high frequency)

300 3000GHz

1 0.1 mm

Medium wave
(MF, medium frequency)

Decimetric wave
(UHF, ultra high frequency)

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

Magnetic field
Electric field

Electric field
Transmission direction of electric wave

Electric field

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 P rad (W), the power of unit area d (m) away (namely,
Poynting vector) is:

Prad
2
Pfs
(W/m
)
2
4d

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

(dBi) , Poynting is:

Pt Gt
2
Pfs
(W/m
)
2
4d

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 (d km ) 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

LOS and NLOS

of Land Mobile Communications

Radio propagation in
actual environment

Reflected wave of buildin

Diffracted wave
Direct wave
Reflected wave on the gro

Characteristics of Radio Channels

Radio channels vary with

users position and time.

Pr (dBm)

Fast fading

-20

Slow fading

Multipath scattering and

obstruction result in acute
-40
changes to received
power.

-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 diversity GSM-frequency hopping; WCDMAspread spectrum
Others: directional diversity, field diversity and transmit
diversity

Implicit 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

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
Equalizationand
andRAKE
RAKEtechnology
technology

Doppler Frequency Shift

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

Doppler frequency shift in Mobile Communications

f1
f3

V speed of MS
angle where
signals arrives

f2
V (k m /h )

Loss

Penetration loss

Diffraction loss
T

T
R

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

Penetration
Penetrationloss=X-W=B
loss=X-W=BdB
dB

E1
Reflection and refraction of
electromagnetic wave through the
wall

Penetration Loss

Obstacle/penetration loss is:

Partition obstruction: 5 20dB
Floor obstruction: 20dB
Indoor loss value is function of floor height: -1.9dB/floor
Obstruction of furniture and other barriers: 2 15dB
Thick glass: 6 10dB
Penetration loss of the carriage of the train: 15 30dB
Penetration loss of lift: 30dB or so
Loss of thick leaves: 10dB

Reflection Loss

Ground type

Water

Rice

Field

paddy
Equivalent ground

City, mountain
and forest

0.9 1

0.6 0.8

0.3 0.5

0.1 0.2

01

24

6 10

14 20

reflection coefficient
Reflection loss (dB)

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

Description

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

Low and sparse buildings

Rural

Low and sparse buildings, but with lots of vegetation

Mountainous
areas
Road
Indoor

Radio Propagation Environment

Type of propagation environment

The corresponding cell type is as follows:

Cell type

Macro-cell

Cell type
>500 m

Typical antenna installation

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!