A novel 3-D scattering model of 1.8-GHz radio propagation in microcellular urban environment

This work presents a novel three-dimensional (3-D) scattering model to predict the path loss of a microcellular radio channel in an urban environment. The analytical scattering model combined with a patched-wall model predicts the median path loss more accurately than the conventional analytical ray-tracing model in the cases studied. Comparing the path loss with the measured one at 1.8 GHz demonstrates the effectiveness of the scattering model. The scattering model includes three major propagation modes: (1) a direct-path wave; (2) a ground-reflected wave; and (3) the scattered field from the walls aligned along a street. The proposed model with a polarization scattering matrix associated with the patched-wall model aptly describes the third mode, which is usually neglected or oversimplified.