r

116 Ch. 3 .
Mobile Radio Propagation: Large-Scale Path Loss

3.10.3 Okumura Model

Okumura's model is one of the most widely used models for signal predic-
tion in urban areas. This model is applicable for frequencies in the range 150
MHz to 1920 MHz (although it is typically extrapolated up to 3000 MHz) and
distances of 1 km to 100 km. It can be used for base station antenna heights
ranging from 30 m to 1000 m.
Okumura developed a set of curves giving the median attenuation relative
to free space (AmI)' in an urban area over a quasi-smooth terrain with a base sta-
tion effective antenna height (hte) of 200 m and a mobile antenna height (hre ) of
3 m. These curves were developed from extensive measurements using vertical
omni-directional antennas at both the base and mobile, and are plotted as a
function of frequency in the range 100 MHz to 1920 MHz and as a function of
distance from the base station in the range 1 km to 100 km. To determine path
loss using Okumura's model, the free space path loss between the points of inter-
est is first determined: and then the value of Amu(f, d) (as read from the curves)
is added to it along \vith correction factors to account for the type of terrain. The
model can be expressed as
Lso(dB) = LF + Amu(f, d) - G(hte) - G(hre) - GAREA (3.80)
where Lso is the 50th percentile (i.e., median) value of propagation path loss, LF
.is the free space propagation loss, Amu is the median attenuation relative to free
space, G(hte) is the base station antenna height gain factor, G(hre) is the
mobile antenna height gain factor, and GAREAis the gain due to the type of envi-
ronment. Note that the antenna height gains are strictly a function of height and
have nothing to do \vith antenna patterns.
Plots of Amu(f, d) and GAREA.for a wide range of frequencies are shown in
Figure 3.23 and Figure 3.24. Furthermore, Okumura found that G(hte) varies
at a rate of 20 dB/decade and G(hre) varies at a rate of 10 dB/decade for heights
less than 3 m. .
hte
( )
G(hte) = 2010g 200 1000 m > hte > 30 m (3.81.a)

h re
G(hre) = 1010g(T ) (3.81.b)

G(hre) = 2010g(h;e) 10m >hre > 3 ill (3.81.c)

Other corrections may also be applied to Okumura's model. Some of the
important terrain related parameters are the terrain undulation height (M), iso-
lated ridge height, average slope of the terrain and the mixed land-sea parame-
ter. Once the terrain related parameters are calculated, the necessary correction
 A.t2..

Outdoor Propagation Models 117

70 100
Urban Area
80
ht = 200 m 70
60 hr=3m
60

50

40

3d

20
10
,..'...;
5
30
2
20
10
5
201-
2
1

10 70 100 200 300 500 700 1000 2000 3000

Frequency f (MHz)

Figure 3.23
Median attenuation relative to free space(Amu(f,d),overa quasi-smoothterrain [From.[Oku68J@
IEEE].
factors can be added or subtracted as required. All these correction factors are
also available as Okumura curves [Oku68]. .

Okumura's model is wholly based on measured data and does not provide
any analytical explanation. For many situations, extrapolations of the derived
curves can be made to obtain values outside the measurement range, although
the validity of such extrapolations depends on the circumstances and the
smoothness of the curve in question.
Okumura's model is considered to be among the simplest and best in terms
of accuracy in path loss prediction for mature cellular and land mobile radio sys-
tems in cluttered environments. It is very practical and has become a standard
for system planning in modern land mobile radio systems in Japan. TheJD.._~
d~~advantage with the model is its slow response to rapid changes in terrain,
t~e~~f~~eth~-~odel is fairly good in urban and suburban ar;~;,but not as good
!!li.!!r.~l._~z:~as..
Commoii-standar;fdeViaiions ..bet~een -p-redi~ted and measured
path loss values are around 10 dB to 14 dB. .

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118 Ch. 3 .Mobile Radio Propagation: Large-Scale Path Loss

35

30

iD 25
:2.

0 20
.:
0
1:1
II
LI..
c 15
0
.,' ,,'
o
0
10

o
100 200 300 500 700 1000 2000 3000

Frequency f (MHz)

Figure 3.24
Correction factor, GAREA'for different types of terrain [From [Oku68] @IEEE].

Example 3.10
Find the median path loss using Okumura's model for d = 50 km, hte = 100
m, hre = 10 m in a suburban environment. If the base station transmitter
radiates an EIRP of 1 kW at a carrier frequency of900 MHz, find the power at
the receiver (assume a unity gain receiving antenna).

Solution to Example 3.10

The free space path loss L F can be calculated using equation (3.6) as

.
LF = 1010g[ 4
(41t) d- ]
= 1010g (3 x 108/900 x 106( = 125.5 dB.
[ (41tlx(50XI03) ]
From the Okumura curves
Amu(900 MHz (50 km» = 43 dB
and
GAREA = 9 dB.
 Outdoor Propagation Models 119

Using equation (3.81.a) and (3.81.c) we have

hte 100
G(hte) ( ) = 2010g(200)
= 2010g200 :::: -6 dB.

G(hre) = 2010gC;e) =-~~

2010gC30) :::: 10.46 dB.
Using equation (3.80) the tota~ path loss is
Lso(dB) = L F + Amu ({, d) - G(hte) - G(hre) - GAREA
= 125.5 dB + 43 dB - (- 6) dB - 10.46 dB - 9 dB
= 155.04dB.
Therefore, the median received power is
Pr(d) ::::. EIRP(dBm) -Lso(dB) + Gr(dB)
= 60 dBm - 155.04dB+ 0 dB = -95.04 dBm.

3.10.4 Hata Model

'bO
,!,he ~a~~ mod~UHat.9{)]is an empirical formulation of the graphical path
loss data provided by Okumura, and is valid from 150 MHz to 1500 MHz. Hata
prese-nted the urban area propagation loss as a standard formula and supplied
correction equations for application to other situations. The standard formula for
median path loss in urban areas is givenby .

Lso(urban)(dB) :::: 69.55+26.1610gfc

- 13.8210ghte
- a(hre) (3.82)
+ (44.9 - 6.551oghte)10gd
where fc is the frequency (in MHz) from 150 MHz to 1500 MHz, hte is the effec-
tivetransmitter (base station) antenna height (in meters) ranging from 30 m to
200 m,hre is the effective receiver (mobile) antenna height (in meters) ranging
from 1 m to 10 m, d is the T-R separation distance (in km), and a(hre) is the cor-
rection factor for effective mobile antenna height which is a function ofthe size of .
the coverage area. For a small to medium sized city, the mobile antenna correc-
tion faCtor is given by .'

a(hre) :::: (1.11ogfc-0.7)hre-(1.561ogfc-0.8)dB (3.83)

and for a large city, it is given by
,
a(hre) :::: 8.29(log1.54hret -1.1 dB for fc::; 300 MHz (3.84.a)
,
a(hre) :::: 3.2(log11.75hret- 4.97dB for fc 2:300MHz (3.84.b)
To obtain the path loss in a suburban area the standard Hata formula in
equation (3.82) is modified as
,
Lso( dB) :::: Lso(urban) - 2[log(fc/28)r - 5.4 (3.85)

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 120 Ch. 3 . Mobile Radio Propagation: Large-Scale Path Loss

and for path loss in open rural areas, the formula is modified as
,
L50(dB.) = L50(urba n) - 4.78(logfer + 18.33logfe- 40.94 (3.86)
Although Rata's model does not have any of the path-specific corrections
which are available in Okumura's model, the above expressions have significant
practical value. The predictions of the Rata model compare very closely with the
original Okumura model, as long as d exceeds 1 km. This model is well suited
for large cell mobile systems, but not personal communications systems (PCS)
which have cells on the order of 1km radius.

3.10.5 PCSExtensionto HataModel

The European Co-operative for Scientific and Technical research (EURO-
COST) formed the COST-231 working committee to develop an extended version
of the Rata model. COST-231 proposed the following formula to extend Rata's
model to 2 GHz. The proposed model for path loss is [EUR91] .
L50(urban) = 4.6.3+ 33.910gfe-13.8210ghte
-a(hre) (3.87)
+ (44.9 - 6.5510ghte)10gd + CM
where a(hre) is defined in equations (3.83), (3.84.a), and (3.84.b) and

C - 0 dB for medium sized city and suburban areas (3.88)

M - 3 dB for metropolitan centers
The COST-231 extension of the Hata model is restricted to the following
range of parameters:
f : 1500 MHz to 2000 MHz
hte : 30 m to 200 m
hre : 1 m to 10 m
d : 1 km to 20 km

3.10.6 Walfisch and Bertoni Model

A model developed by Walfisch and Bertoni [Wa188]considers the impact of
rooftops and building height by using diffraction to predict average signal
strength at street level. The model considers the path loss, S, to be a product of
three factors.
2
S = PoQ PI (3.89)
where Po represents free space path loss between isotropic antennas given by
2
A
Po = (47tR ) (3.90)

The factor Q2 gives the reduction in the rooftop signal due to the row of
buildings which immediately shadow the receiver at street level. The PI term is

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