Determining the average penetration loss: measurement procedure and results

The average penetration loss, APL, is a propagation parameter that can be useful to estimate the power level behind an obstacle. In spite of the simplicity of the measurement procedure, it is not easy to know what is the adequate value to be used. Diversity of dimensions and materials restricts the knowledge of the APL to the professionals that operate wireless systems on a daily basis. In this work an APL measurement procedure is described and experimental results are presented for different wall types, commonly used in the Brazilian Northeast. Although the results are presented only for specific wall types, the measurement procedure can be applied to many other situations where penetration loss measurement is required.