Estimation of signal strength characteristics in typical microcell environments for PCN networks

In this paper, results obtained from signal strength measurements in the LOS and non-LOS regions of urban microcells are compared with predicted profiles calculated using geometrical optics (GO) and the uniform theory of diffraction (UTD). Measurements of propagation path loss have been conducted simultaneously at 900 and 1800 MHz in the urban city centres of Liverpool and Manchester, UK. The base station setup employed, in turn, two different antennas (omni-directional and directional), four different heights (5,7,10 and 13 m) and three different tilt angles (0°, 30°, and 60°) of the directional antenna. In addition to the theoretical analysis involving GO and UTD, parameters have been obtained for an empirical dual-slope path loss model in LOS streets and single-slope model in NLOS streets. The variation of these parameters and signal strength with base antenna height, tilt and antenna type are also discussed