Wireless local loop. Propagation environment measurements and analysis

This paper examines factors which affect the performance, i.e. the link budget, of a wireless local loop system. We first introduce a new dimension to the estimation of the propagation model by making use of the actual line of sight conditions, recorded in parallel to received signal strength measurements. We show that about 4 dB improvement in the model estimation confidence can be achieved using the LOS/non-LOS information. We then discuss the contribution of antenna diversity and frequency diversity to the link budget. We also introduce the concept of “installer diversity” and show that a trained installer can significantly improve the performance of the system. We conclude our discussion with a suggestion for a modified link budget equation