Experimental Propagation Channel Characterization of mm-Wave Radio Links in Urban Scenarios

The 71-76- and 81-86-GHz bands, which are a part of the millimeter-wave (mm-wave) E-band (60-90 GHz), are allocated worldwide for ultrahigh-capacity point-to-point communications. Here, a geometry-based single-bounce channel model is developed for E-band point-to-point link applications and is verified by channel measurements. A measurement campaign was performed in a street canyon scenario, which is one very interesting possible new usage environment for E-band radio links, where reflected signals can cause more severe multipath fading compared to traditional open environments. The measurement results and the geometry of the measurement locations were used to determine the parameters of the developed channel model. The model can be used to estimate the characteristics of the radio channel such as excess delay, power level, and angular distribution of the multipath components. The channel model was validated by comparing the measured and modeled root mean square (RMS) delay spread, which is an important parameter for very broadband radio systems. All the modeled and measured mean values of RMS delay spread were in the range of 0.089-0.125 ns, revealing a good agreement between the channel model and the measurements.