815 MHz radio attenuation measured within two commercial buildings

Copolarized attenuation measurements were made at 815 MHz inside two office/laboratory buildings. For the propagation paths along a straight corridor and into a adjoining room received signal power decayed with distance as d^-3.6. Signal powers higher than their free-space values were routinely measured for line-of-sight paths along a corridor. As expected, isolation between floors and between parallel corridors is heavily dependent on building construction techniques. Energy propagates selectively in directions not blocked by large amounts of metal. Cross-floor isolations of 26 dB were measured between floors separated by solid sheet metal. Coupling between otherwise isolated corridors was produced by an open central cavity in the larger building