Achievable accuracy of site-specific path-loss predictions in residential environments

The design of future wireless communication systems employing microcells will require a flexible tool for determining the dependence of the coverage area on base-station antenna height and position. In this paper, the accuracy of a ray-based algorithm versus slope intercept models for propagation prediction in residential environments is investigated by comparison with measurements. The measurements were taken in two areas of Trenton, NJ, where building heights ranged from one to three stories. For base-station antennas at or above rooftop levels, the algorithm is shown to give good agreement with the measurements. For these high antennas, the average and standard deviations of the difference between the site-specific prediction and measurement are less than 1 and 5 dB, respectively. For base-station antennas below the rooftops, additional ray paths are required in order to achieve similar prediction accuracy.