Illustrating Multipath Propagation by Means of Sound Waves

A method is presented that uses sound waves to illustrate multipath-propagation concepts. This is based on the existing analogy between radio and sound waves, and has the advantage that the required equipment is easily available. Different measurement techniques are introduced to respectively examine time dispersion, time variation, and both aspects of the multipath channel simultaneously. The proposed techniques are justified, example results are given, and the specific features that are illustrated by each type of measurement are discussed. Suggestions are given regarding application in courses on wireless communications.