Millimeter-wave urban and suburban propagation measurements using narrow and wide bandwidth channel probes

Measurements reported are part of a study of propagation characteristics for millimeter-wave communication links operating in an urban-suburban environment. Absorption data were collected for signals propagated through some common building materials. At these same channel frequencies, paths at street level obstructed by office buildings and residential properties were examined in terms of received signal levels resulting from direct penetration and/or propagation by diffraction modes with terminal separation of from 0.1 to 1.2 km. Signal fading was measured for line-of-sight paths traveled down an urban street. Narrow- and wide-beam antenna patterns and both modes of linear antenna polarization were used to compare multipath fading characteristics. A unique 30.3 GHz wide bandwith channel impulse probe was used to record multipath signal amplitudes and delay times. Impulse response measurements were recorded as the transmitter traveled along the urban street.