Mobile radio propagation in rural areas at 168, 455 and 896 MHz

An extensive series of field trials has been carried out in an undulating rural area in the vicinity of Bath at frequencies between 168 and 896 MHz. A strong correlation is evident between the results at all frequencies with the propagation losses tending to increase with an increase in carrier frequency. Although range is an important factor in determining propagation loss, terrain variations also have a significant role in estimating the coverage area of a base station. The experimental results have been compared with predictions from the terrain-based method used by the Joint Radio Committee of the Nationalised Power Industries. It is concluded that, although the general trends in the measurements are forecast correctly, the signal-strength predictions are generally optimistic.