Review on terrestrial propagation channel modelling

Design and implementation of wireless systems, comprising mobile and fixed radios, requires the knowledge of the propagation characteristics of the channel. The random nature of the radio channel parameters and the complexity of the propagation phenomena suggest that characterization of the channel can be achieved based on statistical analysis of field measurements. This approach leads to statistical and empirical models of the propagation channel. Alternatively, deterministic modelling, based on approximate solutions of the wave equation, can be used in the prediction of propagation effects in some situations. This paper presents an overview of the characteristics of the radio channel and the models to predict the main effects of the propagation medium on terrestrial links.