Investigation of 2-GHz Threshold Levels for Radio Waves in the NIGER Delta Region, CRS, Nigeria

Okon Bernard Edem

Abstract: Measurements and analyses of Radio wave transmission are basic necessities for optimization and planning of radio communication networks. These evaluations are usually done through series of propagation measurements, computation of intensive radio waves simulation, or by empirically estimating transmitted field strengths. In collaboration with M-TEL, Nigeria, measurements on W-CDMA based mobile networks, modeled IS-95 and cdma2000, were carried out. The study centered on 2G and 3G bands. The received signal was mixed and amplified to an in-phase quadrature baseband signal levels through a common DSP board for 900MHz and 2000MHz. The recorded time interval for impulse response of data was 0.1s, while the mobile recording instrument maintained a low continuous velocity of approximately 1.5 m/s, along the trajectory leading to the specified locations. Samples from the results of the study indicate that Calabar urban recorded mean signal path loss of 82.9dB, as against a predicted path loss of 94.5dB. Values for path loss mean square error and standard deviation were 4.48dB and 4.48 dB respectively. Characteristically, the urban city has a flat surface and high concentration of buildings. Similarly, measured signal penetration recorded 5.9dB, as against predicted urban environmental path loss model of 2.7dB 3.5 dB. The remarkable difference between measured and predicted values for Calabar urban was attributed to obstructions of the signal path due to buildings. Results from the study can be used for validation of existing propagation models for urban, residential and office blocks located in plantations in the Niger Delta region.

Keywords: Attenuation coefficient, predicted path loss, propagation models, signal path loss