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E C E 4 2 2 1 M O B I L E C O M M U N I C AT I O N S
 Outline
2

Propagation Mechanisms (Ch 4)

Simplest scenario
Free space propagation
Free Space Attenuation

Realistic scenario
Interacting objects (IOs)
Reflection (smooth surface)
Scattering (rough surface)
Diffraction (edge of surface)
Power
3
Examples of Power Level
4
 Antenna Basic

Isotropic antenna
radiation pattern

The length of the dipole is determined by the

Dipole antenna wavelength of the radio waves used. The
most common form is the half-wave dipole,
in which each of the two rod elements is
approximately 1/4 wavelength long, so the
whole antenna is a half-wavelength long.

Rabbit ears:
a TV dipole antenna
Antenna Gain
6
Free Space Attenuation
7
Free Space Loss (Lfree or Lf)
8

(Assume gain 0 dB or 1 W)

unit in meter
Received Power for Two Types of Antenna
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How about the link budget?
10
 Validity of Friis Law
11

dR is also known as Fraunhofer region.

To be in the far-field region, dR must

satisfy:
dR >> La and dR >>
Additional Notes: Rappaport p. 108/109
12

Received power at reference distance and

Received power beyond dR
 Exercise
13

Find the far-field distance for an antenna with maximum dimension of 1 m and
operating frequency of 900 MHz and 1800 MHz

Solution:
Given, La = 1 m
f= 900 MHz, =c/f=0.333
dR=2(1)2/0.333= 6m

f=1800 MHz, =c/f=0.666

dR=2(1)2/0.666= 12m
Exercise
14
 Exercise
15

Consider a wireless LAN system operating in a room temperature (27oC) having the
following system specifications:
Fc = 5 GHz B = 20MHz GTX = 2dB GRX = 2dB Fading margin = 15 dB
Path loss = 90 dB PRX = -81 dBm TX losses: 3 dB
(Boltzmanns constant 1.38x10-23 J/K)

a) Find the noise power at the receiver.

b) Determine SNR at the receiver.
c) Draw a link budget and determine the transmitted power.
The Three Basic Propagation
Mechanisms
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REFLECTION
DIFFRACTION
S C AT T E R I N G
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Electromagnetic waves are often experiencing the three

propagation mechanisms before arriving at the Receiver.

Practically & realistic scenario, there are dielectric &

conducting obstacles (IOs Interacting Objects).

-If these IOs have smooth surface (i.e. mirror), waves are
reflected and part of energy penetrates the
IOs(transmission).
-If the surfaces are rough, waves are diffusely scattered.
-At the edges of the IOs, waves can also be diffracted.
 Reflection
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A radio wave propagation in which that it travels in

one medium upon another medium having different
electrical properties.

The wave is partially reflected and partially

absorbed.
 Reflection from Dielectrics
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Medium 2 is not perfect conductor:

Snells law

The complex
dielectric constant is a relative dielectric
constant of a material
Note: In Molisch
textbook, he uses e = 8.85x10-12 Farad/m, is
instead of i vacumm dielectric constant

If medium 2 is a perfect conductor, what happen?

 Additional Notes
20

Transverse Electric
the electric field component is parallel to the boundary between
the two dielectrics
Transverse Magnetic
the magnetic field component is parallel to the boundary between
the two dielectrics
21
Reflection from Perfect Conductors
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 Propagation over a Ground Plane
23
TX antenna height LOS
RX antenna height

The path
difference
 The d4 Power Law
24
the direct (line-of-sight)
path, and the ground
reflection path.

Our d is n=4, Friiss law is approximately not valid anymore,

Friiss law remains valid for d < dbreak Equation 4.25 (Molishs Textbook)
Also see fig. 4.3 page 54
So the Link Budget ?
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Rough Comparison the real world
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27
Diffraction
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 Diffraction by a Single Screen
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Attenuation?
Prediction of the received Power ?

Diffraction can be understood

from Huygens principle that each
point of a wavefront can be
considered the source of a
spherical wave.
Fig. 4.8
Diffraction by a Wedge
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Attenuation?
Prediction of the received Power ?
Diffraction by Multiple Screens
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 Diffraction Loss
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Diffraction loss proportional to the number of screens

Scattering by Rough Surfaces
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Waveguiding
34
 Next Lecture
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Statistical Description of the Wireless Channel

Two-Path Model

Small-scale fading