Characterization of fixed wireless channels between 200 MHz and 2 GHz for intelligent grid applications in suburban macrocell environments

Abstract

Growing interest in the wireless-enabled intelligent grid has prompted spectrum regulators to re-allocate various bands between 200 MHz and 2 GHz to fixed wireless applications. Although it is well-known that fixed wireless channels are subject to fading due to the motion of scatterers in the environment, most past efforts to characterize such fading on non-line-of-sight links in suburban macrocell environments have focused on frequency bands at 2 GHz and above. Based upon received signal strength data that we collected simultaneously in the 220, 850 and 1900 MHz bands at ranges between 1 and 4 km from a set of transmitting antennas located at 80 m above ground level, we have investigated the manner in which path loss and signal fading vary with distance at lower frequencies in such environments. Our results show that the severity of fading increases rapidly as both the carrier frequency and path loss increase.