Summary of Path Loss

in Propagation
Understanding RF Propagation

Goals
1. Estimate radio coverage area
2. Estimate link performance
3. Estimate network design parameters
1. Transmitters and their location
2. Transmit power
3. Antenna type
Interesting Scenarios
At which locations will
correct reception take
place?
Antenna Basics
Pdirectional
G
Pisotropic

Isotropic Dipole High gain

directional

0 dBi 2.2 dBi 14 dBi

 Free Space Propagation Model
PT Isotropic power
2 density
PR PDi W / m
d 4d 2

PT
PT GT Power density along
PD the direction of
4d 2 maximum radiation
Power received by
PR PD Aeff Antenna

PT GT Aeff2
PR Aeff
G 4
Predict received signal
strength when the transmitter 4d 2

and receiver have a clear

2 Also known
line-of-sight path between them

PR PT GT GR
as Friis free

d
space formula
Path Loss (relative measure)
2
PR PR
GT GR
PT d
Pt
PR 0.57 *10 3 f is in MHz
GT GR d is in Km
PT (df ) 2

PR
(GT ) dB (GR ) dB (32.5 20 log10 d 20 log10 f )
PT dB

Path Loss represents signal attenuation

(measured on dB) between the effective
transmitted power and the receive power
(excluding antenna gains)
 Path Loss (Example)
Assume that antennas are isotropic.
PR Calculate receive power (in dBm) at free
space distance of 100m from the antenna.
What is PR at 10Km?
Pt
50 W PR
(GT ) dB (GR ) dB (32.5 20 log10 d 20 log10 f )
= 47 dBm PT dB

PR 59
0 0 (32.5 20 log10 0.1 20 log10 900)
PT dB

-20 (for d = 0.1) 20 (for d = 10)

PR PR
71.5dB 111 .5dB
PT dB
PT dB

( PR ) dBm 47 71.5 24.5dBm ( PR ) dBm 47 111 .5 64.5dBm

 Path Loss (another example)
Path Loss Vs. Distance

2.4 GHz 5 GHz

160

140

120

100
Path Loss (dB)

80

60

40

20

0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 100
Distance (Km)
 Path Loss (another example)
Path Loss Vs. Distance

2.4 GHz 5 GHz

150

140

130

120
Path Loss (dB)

110

100

90

80

70

60
0.01 0.1 1 10 100
Distance (Km) Log Scale
Radio propagation: path loss

near field path loss in 2.4 Ghz band

Pr
r 8m r > 8m
Pt
near field far field
r r2 r3.3
Pr

path loss = 10 log (4r2/) r 8m

= 58.3 + 10 log (r3.3 /8) r > 8m

 Indoor Signal Measurement

Signal Strength

Channel 3 Channel 4 Channel 5 Channel 10

0
-10 1 61 121 181 241 301 361 421

-20
-30
RSSI

-40
-50
-60
-70
-80
-90
Time
 Outdoor P2P Link Signal Measurement

Signal Strength

-81
-83
-85
dBm

-87
-89
-91
-93
-95
1 51 101 151 201 251
Packet number