Fundamental problems concerning VHF and UHF

propagation: free space propagation and reflection

An important stage in designing of mobile radio communications systems (VHF: 30MHz-

300MHz; UHF: 300MHz-3GHz) consists in studying the mobile radio channel behaviour. The technical
characteristics of the transmitter/receiver and antennae are adjusted/ chosen depending on the
radio communication channel. The radio channel modifies randomly in time and frequency. Its
behaviour may be predicted, in certain limits, using complex statistical propagation models.
In this lab two deterministic propagation models will be studied: free space propagation model
and the model of propagation over planar reflecting surfaces.

Free space propagation

Free space propagation model assumes the existence of a transmitter and a receiver separated
by a distance much higher than the electromagnetic radiation wavelength and placed in direct
visibility, at great distance with respect to other objects. This is an ideal model and the propagation
losses corresponding to this model will act as reference for other complex models with practical
applicability in systems designing.

Theoretical abstract
The antennae may be designed with no omnidirectional characteristics thus the antenna
directivity can be used to quantify its ability to focus the energy in a particular direction. The antenna
directivity D is defined as the ratio between the power density at the distance d (in the direction of
maximum radiation) and the mean power density:

It is more convenient to work in terms of power at receiver and power gain G. The latter is
defined as the ratio between the power density at distance d and the power density at distance d if
the transmitter antenna was isotropic:

where represents the power density at distance d (in the direction of maximum radiation)

and - the power supplied at transmission in the antenna. An isotropic antenna radiates the

energy uniformly in all directions, being a pure theoretical concept. If an isotropic antenna radiates
the power , then the power density induced at the distance d is given by:
Thus, the energy radiated by the isotropic antenna is uniformly distributed on a sphere with the
radius d. A real antenna placed at the distance d will capture a certain amount of this energy, in
accordance with its effective area, such that the received signal power becomes:

The relation between the effective area and the power gain is:

If the transmission antenna is placed in free space (far from ground and other obstacles),
considering that is the gain on the direction of the transmission antenna:

The power available for the receiver antenna characterised by the effective area A is:

where is the receiver antenna gain. Therefore:

which is known as the free space propagation fundamental equation or Friis equation. The losses
due the propagation may be deduced from equation (1) and expressed in dB as:

where: .

It is useful to compute the losses in the case of the isotropic antennae (which radiate uniformly
in all directions with by G=1) and the primary losses are:

Equation (2) indicates that the received power decreases with 6 dB when the distance doubles.

Remark:
In some situations, an expression that highlights the electrical field intensity at a certain
distance with respect to the transmission antenna would be very convenient. Therefore, the relation
between the field intensity and the power density is:
where is the wave characteristic impedance of the medium, its value being .

Therefore, the equation may be written as:

hence

The maximum usable power at reception may be written as:

Remarks:
• For high frequencies (used in mobile communications) propagation losses are very
significant, and therefore it is necessary to use high gain antennae. This type of antennae may be
easily designed for VHF and UHF bands and represents a solution for point-to-point communications,
but not for the mobile communications where an omnidirectional coverage is required.
• The conditions imposed in order to use this model (unobstructed antenna placed in free
space, radio waves propagation is not done on multiple paths, aligned antennae and correctly
polarised, ) cannot be fulfilled by usual terrestrial communications, so Friis equation is

adequate only for satellite communications, when the atmospheric absorption is negligible.

Contents of the work

Run demo1rpr.m which creates the plot of the propagation losses as a function of the
distance taking the frequency f as a parameter. Input data:
o Distance between transmitter and receiver ;

o Frequency values: f = 1 MHz, 4 MHz, 12 MHz, 100 MHz şi 1 GHz;

o Antennae’s gains .

Questions
1. Determine the slope for free space propagation losses variation as a function of frequency.
2. Determine the slope for free space propagation losses variation as a function of distance.
3. What can be observed in the proximity of the transmitter (distances ≈ wavelength)?
4. Determine the propagation losses in the case when the distance between the transmitter
and the receiver is d =1 km, the frequency of the signal is f = 900 MHz and the antennae have a gain
of 2 dB. Indication: use the Matlab function FrSpcLss.
5. Consider a radio transmitter with PT= 50 W. If the antenna of the transmitter is isotropic and
the frequency of the emitted signal is 900 MHz, compute the free space received power at the
distance d=100m from the transmitter. It is supposed that the receiver also has an isotropic antenna.
 6. If the power received by an antenna having the gain is , and the

frequency of the signal is f=900MHz, determine the intensity of the electrical field at the receiver.
Indication: relation (3) should be used.

The reflective coefficient of the earth

In case of propagation above the reflective surfaces, the received signal is a combination of
the direct and reflected waves. In order to determine the resultant, the reflective coefficient of the
earth which will affect the reflected wave must be taken into consideration.

Theoretical abstract
The amplitude and the phase of the reflected wave depend on the reflective coefficient of
the earth in the reflection point. Their values for the horizontally polarized wave and for the
vertically polarized wave are different. In practice the earth is neither a perfect conductor, nor a
perfect dielectric, therefore the reflective coefficient depends on the dielectric constant ε and on the
conductivity σ. For the horizontally polarized wave, incident on the surface of the Earth (considered
perfectly smooth), the reflective coefficient is given by:

where is the relative dielectric constant of the Earth and

where is the dielectric constant of free space and ω is the angular frequency.

For the vertically polarized wave, the corresponding expression is:

It can be remarked that and are complex quantities and the reflected wave will differ

both in amplitude and in phase as compared to the incident wave.

For the vertical polarization, the amplitude and the relative phase of the reflected wave
decrease rapidly with the increase of and, at an angle known as the pseudo-Brewster angle, the

amplitude reaches a minimum, and the phase shift has the value of – 90o. For values of higher than

the pseudo-Brewster angle, increases again and the phase converges to zero. By definition, the

Brewster angle (the polarization angle) represents that incidence angle for which the polarized wave
is perfectly transmitted through the incident surface, without any reflections.
Remark:

• The polarization of an electromagnetic wave is given by the orientation of the electric field
vector. The electric field vector is perpendicular both to the propagation direction of the wave, and
on the magnetic field vector. Polarization can be thus defined as the geometric locus traced by the
electric field vector on a (stationary) plane perpendicular on the propagation direction, while the
wave propagates and goes beyond the respective plane. When this geometric locus is a line, the
polarization is linear, and further on it can be classified in vertical and horizontal polarization.

Contents of the work

Run demo2rpr.m which creates the plots of the variations of the modulus and phases of the
reflective coefficients in case of the vertically polarized planar wave and of the horizontal one,
respectively, taking as a parameter the frequency f. Input data:

o the coefficients , ;

o the values of the frequencies f = 1 MHz, 4 MHz, 12 MHz, 100 MHz

and 1 GHz.

Questions
1. For horizontal polarization describe the phase variation of the reflective coefficient as a
function of the frequency. Give the approx. value of the relative phase of the incident and reflected
waves.
2. Demonstrate that, at very small incidence angles (ψ →0), the value of the reflective coefficient
does not depend on the frequency and the conductivity σ of the Earth. The demonstration must be
done for both types of polarization using the definition relations of the reflective coefficients.
3. Estimate the approximate value of the reflective coefficients for both types of polarization of the
wave, in the case of a small incidence angle (ψ →0). Read from the graphics the values for the
modulus and for the phase, corresponding to each type of polarization.
4. Compute the value of the pseudo-Brewster angle in the domain of mobile communications
(frequency higher than 800 MHz), according to the graphic which gives the modulus of the reflective
coefficient as a function of the incidence angle.

5. Determine from the graphic the value of the pseudo-Brewster angle at 100 MHz.

Propagation above planar reflective surfaces

In case of propagation above planar reflective surfaces, the received signal is a combination of
the direct and reflected waves (Figure 1). The model of the propagation above the planar reflective
surfaces is the fundament on which lay the majority of the empirical and semi-empirical models that
will be studied later.
 Figure 1. Propagation above a planar surface

Theoretical abstract
The propagation losses depending on the complex reflective coefficient are:

in which the equation of the electric field at the receiver was taken into account

For distances smaller than a few tens of km the curvature of the Earth can be neglected and it
can be supposed that the surface is smooth. Moreover, the assumption that we are in the case of the
incident wave at a very small angle ψ and therefore ρ = −1 can be done and thus the equation that
highlights the intensity of the field at the receiver is:

Therefore:

and, moreover, by using the geometry of the reflection from the figure above:

Because the received power is proportional with the square of the field intensity according to:

and, because

therefore

it results
If and , the equation becomes:

Equation (5) is known as the equation of propagation above smooth surfaces.

Contents of the work

Run demo3rpr.m which creates the plots of the propagation losses in the case of the reflection
on planar surfaces, as a function of the distance, taking as a parameter the frequency f. Input data:
o the distance between the transmitter and the receiver d =10 m...10 km;
o the values of the frequencies f = 1 MHz, 4 MHz, 12 MHz, 100 MHz and 1 GHz;
o the height of the antennae , ;

o the gain of the antennae .

Remark:
• Equation (5) can be applied only when the conditions and are fulfilled. In

the proximity of the transmitter the exact formula must be used which allows the evaluation of the
maxima and minima of the power of the signal.

Questions
1. What are the essential differences between the propagation equation in free space and the
propagation equation above planar reflective surfaces?
2. Determine the slope of the propagation losses above planar reflective surfaces, as a function of
the distance.
3. What can be stated about the frequency dependence of the propagation losses at a high distance
from the transmitter?
4. How can be explained the presence of the local minima in the proximity of the transmitter?
5. Determine the propagation losses in the situation in which the distance between the transmitter
and the receiver is d=1km, the frequency of the signal is f=900MHz, the heights of the
antennae , and the gains of the antennae . Indication: use the

Matlab function: ReflPlan.

6. Determine the propagation losses with the relation obtained with the approximation of a planar
surface in the situation in which the distance between the transmitter and the receiver is d=1km, the
frequency of the signal is f=1GHz, the heights of the antennae are , and the

gains of the antennae are . The Matlab function: use trueReflPlan.