60 GHz Path Loss Modelling Inside Ships

This paper presents the results of a mmWave channel sounding campaign in a bulk carrier vessel. Using the Terragraph channel sounder, we measured path loss at 60.48 GHz for different separations between the transmit and receiving nodes in the engine room and steering control room of the vessel. The path loss at reference distance 1.5 m is 74.6 dB, which is higher than the free space path loss, whereas the path loss exponent of 1.7 is lower than in free space. The one-slope path loss model is used to estimate throughput via link budget calculations, which shows that 60 GHz propagation realizes high data rate communication in the engine room of a vessel if the Line-of-Sight path is not obstructed. Due to the highly metallic nature of the propagation environment, reflections make communication possible in an obstructed Line-of-Sight configuration, but there is no clear distance relationship.