Comparative Analysis of Path Loss Prediction Models for Urban Macrocellular Environments
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COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF PATH LOSS PREDICTION MODELS FOR URBAN MACROCELLULAR ENVIRONMENTS A. Obota, O. Simeonb, J. Afolayanc Department of Electrical/Electronics & Computer Engineering, University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. aEmail: [email protected] bEmail: [email protected] cEmail: [email protected] Abstract A comparative analysis of path loss prediction models for urban macrocellular environments is presented in this paper. Specifically, three path loss prediction models namely free space, Hata and Egli were used to predict path losses. The calculated path loss values were compared with practical measured data obtained from a Visafone base station located in Uyo, Nigeria. The comparative analysis reveals that the mean square error (MSE) for free space, Hata and Egli were 16.24dB, 2.37dB and 8.40dB respectively. The results showed that Hata's model is the most accurate and reliable path loss prediction model for macrocellular urban propagation environments, since its MSE value of 2.37dB is smaller than the acceptable minimum MSE value of 6dB for good signal propagation. Keywords: macrocellular areas, path loss prediction models, Hata model, mean square error 1. Introduction nals generally propagate by means of any or a combination of these three basic propaga- Nowadays, wireless communication technol- tion mechanisms; reflection, diffraction, and ogy is influencing every area of modern life, scattering [2, 3]. One of the most impor- and has encouraged useful researches in nearly tant features of the propagation environment all fields of human endeavour. Cellular ser- is path (propagation) loss. Path loss is de- vices are today being used by millions of peo- fined as the difference (in dB) between the ple worldwide. The third generation (3G) effective transmitted power and the received wireless network such as code division mul- power, and may or may not include the effect tiple access (CDMA2000) is designed to facil- of the antenna gains [4]. Path loss may be due itate high-speed data communications in ad- to many effects, such as free-space loss, refrac- dition to voice calls. tion, diffraction, reflection, aperture-medium Importantly, the knowledge of the propaga- coupling loss, and absorption (penetration) tion characteristics of a mobile radio channel losses. Path loss is also influenced by terrain is essential for designing any wireless (mobile) contours, environment (urban or rural, vege- communication system in a given region [1]. tation and foliage), propagation medium (dry In terrestrial cellular radio systems, radio sig- or moist air), the distance between a base sta- Nigerian Journal of Technology Vol. 30, No. 3, October 2011. Path Loss Prediction Models for Urban Macrocellular Environments 51 tion (BS) and mobile station (MS), and the 1.1. Contribution and relevance of the height and location of transmitting and re- study ceiving antennas. The need for efficient planning in mobile ra- Usually, the calculation of path loss is called dio systems is extremely important because path loss prediction. On the basis of the imprecise path loss prediction models always mobile radio environment, path loss predic- lead to networks with high co-channel inter- tion models are classified into two main cate- ference and waste of power. An accurate es- gories: outdoor and indoor prediction models timation of path loss is useful for predict- [4]. Furthermore, with respect to the size of ing coverage areas of base stations, frequency the coverage areas the outdoor path loss pre- assignments, proper determination of electric diction models are subdivided into megacellu- field strength, interference analysis, handover lar, macrocellular, and microcellular, whereas optimization, and power level adjustments. the indoor prediction models are subdivided Most of the existing path loss prediction mod- into two classes: Picocellular and femtocel- els have limitations. By comparing them lular [3]. Megacell areas are extremely large with the practical measured data, the most cells spanning hundreds of kilometers. \Mega- accurate path loss prediction model for ur- cells are served mostly by low-earth orbiting ban propagation environment is highlighted. mobile satellites". The telecommunication companies in Nigeria whether based on GSM or CDMA technolo- Macrocellular areas span a few kilometres gies operating at radio frequency band of 800 to tens of kilometers, depending on the loca- to 900MHz, should apply the knowledge pre- tion [5]. These are the traditional \cells" cor- sented in this article in radio link budget de- responding to the coverage area of a base sta- sign and analysis so as to further improve their tion associated with traditional cellular tele- services, thereby serving high quality signals phony base stations. The frequency of oper- to their teeming subscribers in urban areas. ation is mostly around 900MHz. Macrocells can be classified into different channel types: 1.2. Arrangement of the paper urban, suburban, and rural propagation envi- The rest of the paper is arranged as follows: ronments [6]. Microcells are cells that span a review of existing path loss prediction mod- hundreds of metres to a kilometre. The span els such as Free space, Plane earth propaga- of picocells is between 30m and 100m, while tion, Okumura, Hata and Egli are presented femtocells span from a few metres to few tens in section 2. In section 3, predicted path loss of metres. values were obtained from a numerical prob- The path loss prediction (propagation) lem using the path loss prediction models, models are broadly divided into three types, while section 4 describes the data collection namely: theoretical, empirical, and site- method for measured path loss values. Sec- specific models [7]. This paper addresses the tion 5 dwells on results, while discussion, con- comparisons between the theoretical path loss clusion and recommendation are presented in models, empirical path loss models and the section 6 followed by references. practical measured path losses from a Visa- fone CDMA2000 base station. At the end of 2. Review of Related Works the comparative analysis using different prop- agation models, the most accurate and reli- In this section, some existing theoretical, able path loss prediction model that could be empirical and terrain-specific path loss mod- adopted for urban path loss calculations in els are reviewed. Sample models reviewed in- Nigeria is recommended. cludes, the Free space path loss model [4], Nigerian Journal of Technology Vol. 30, No. 3. October 2011. 52 A. OBOT, O. SIMEON, J. AFOLAYAN Plane earth propagation model [4, 11], Oku- When antenna gains are unity (isotropic an- mura model [8], Hata model [4], and Egli tennas), Equation (3) can be re-written as model [10]. These models reveal that path λ2 loss increases as the transmitter-receiver sep- PL(dB) = −10 log (4) 10 (4π)2d2 aration distance increases. or (4π)2d2 2.1. Theoretical path loss models PL(dB) = 10 log (5) 10 λ2 Theoretical models were derived based on the physical laws of wave propagation. The According to Nadir et al [7], substituting (λ theoretical path loss prediction models are di- (in km) = 0.3/f (in MHz)), and rationalizing Equation (5), produces the generic free space vided into two basic types; namely: Free space path loss formula, which is stated in Equation path loss model, and Plane earth propagation (6): model. PL(dB) = 32:5 + 20 log10 (f in MHz) + 20 log10 (d in km) (6) 2.1.1. Free space path loss model where f is the carrier frequency. In free space, the wave is not reflected or The path losses predicted by the free space absorbed [7]. The free space path loss model path loss model of either Equation (5) or is used to predict received signal strength Equation (6) are not accurate, because most when the transmitter and receiver have a often mobiles antennas in urban areas gener- clear, unobstructed line of sight path between ally do not have line of sight path to base sta- them. Satellite communication systems and tions. microwave line of sight radio links typically undergo free space propagation. The free 2.1.2. Plane earth propagation model space power received by a receiver antenna The Free space propagation model does not consider the effects of propagation over from a radiating transmitter antenna is given ground. When a radio wave propagates over by [3], ground, some of the power will be reflected P G G λ2 due to the presence of ground and then re- P (d) = t t r (1) r (4π)2d2L ceived by the receiver. The Plane earth model computes the received signal to be the sum of where: Pr(d) is the received power which is a direct signal and that reflected from a flat, a function of the transmitter-receiver separa- smooth earth. The path loss equation for the Plane earth model is [4]. tion distance, Pt is the base station transmit power, G is the transmitter antenna gain, G PL(dB) = 40 log10 d−20 log10 hb−20 log10 hm−10 log10 Gb−10 log10 Gm t r (7) is the receiver antenna gain, λ is the signal where d represents the path length in metres, wavelength, d is the distance between trans- hb and hm in metres are the antenna heights at mitting and receiving antennas, L is the sys- the base station and the mobile respectively, tem loss factor not related to propagation while Gb and Gm are the gains of the base and (L ≥ 1). mobile stations respectively. Quantitatively, path loss in decibel is When the transmitting and receiving anten- nas are omnidirectiional, Equation (7) reduces PL(dB) = P (dB) − P (dB) (2) t r to Equation (8), as illustrated by [7, 11]. The path loss in decibel for the free space PL(dB) = 40 log d−20 log h −20 log h model when antenna gains are included is 10 10 b 10 m given by [4], (8) The Plane earth model is not appropri- P G G λ PL(dB) = 100 log t = −10 log t r (3) ate for mobile CDMA/GSM path loss predic- 10 10 2 2 Pr (4π) d L tions because it does not consider the reflec- tions from buildings, multiple propagations Nigerian Journal of Technology Vol.