APPENDIX B

Path Loss over a Reflecting

Surface

B.1 Path Loss over a Reflecting Surface

When the two antennas (transmitting and receiving) are on the earth, then there
are multiple paths from the transmitter to the receiver. The effect of the multiple
paths is the change in the path loss between two points. The simplest case is when
the antenna heights, hb and hm, are small compared with their separation, d, and
the reflecting earth surface is assumed to be flat. The received signal is then repre-
sented by a scattered field, Es, that is approximated by a combination of a direct
wave and reflected wave (see Figure B.1).

Es  [1  cre j]E (B.1)

Es  [1  cr(cos  jsin)]E (B.2)

 dd
hb
3
dr
hm
2

dd : length of direct path  (1 3)

dr : length of reflected path  (1 2)  (2  3)
d  dr  dd
Image of transmitting antenna

Figure B.1 A model for path loss with reflection.

B-1

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 B-2 Appendix B Path Loss over a Reflecting Surface

where:
cr  coefficient of reflection
E  electric field
  phase difference between the direct and reflected path

   r
d 
2 (d  d )  2 d

(B.3)

where:
d  difference between direct path and reflected path

In the mobile radio environment, cr  1, and  is much less than one
radian. Thus Equation B.2 can be written as:

Es  Ej (B.4)

Since the received power Pr is proportional to the square of the field strength,
the power level at the antenna output located at the distance, d, from the transmitter,
including the path loss, will be:

2P G G
 4d 
Pr   t b m
 j2
L0
(B.5)

From Figure B.1


dd  (hb  hm)2  d2

and using image property


dr   (hb  hm)2  d2

(h  h ) 1/2 (hb  hm) 1/2

b
d  dr  dd  d 1   m
d d 1
d  

 2 
h
   2 
h
 
h 2 h 2
d  d 1   
1

b m
 …  d 1  
1

b m
…
d d

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 Appendix B Path Loss over a Reflecting Surface B-3

When hb and hm

d, then

2h h
b m
d   (B.6)
d

4 h h
    b m  d  (B.7)

Substituting for  from Equation B.7 into Equation B.5, we get

 
h h 2 PtGbGm
b m
Pr    (B.8)
2 d L0
or

 
Pr hbhm 2 GbGm
   (B.9)
Pt 2 d L0

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App_B-P373580.indd B-4 5/4/07 1:04:47 AM