Narrowband, low data rate communications on the low-voltage mains in the CENELEC frequencies. I. Noise and attenuation

This is the first part of a two-part series on communications over the European 240 V domestic powerline in the frequencies identified by the CENELEC European mains signalling standard using low-cost equipment for applications requiring data rates of no more than hundreds of bits per second (bits/s). To minimize costs, narrow-band modem techniques are considered. The series of papers identifies the key impairments introduced by the channel, proposes a novel model structure to simulate them, and gives quantitative values for simulation based on empirical measurements. The first paper describes the principal linear impairments; noise whose intensity cycles at twice the AC line rate, and linear signal attenuation. The second paper describes nonlinear multiplicative fading. Both papers present suitable modulation schemes based on orthogonal frequency division modulation (OFDM).