AbstractUsing ArcGIS to Support RF Propagation SimulationTrack: Telecommunications and Location-Based Services Author The propagation of communication signals within an urban environment is a complex problem. RF channel impairments, in a widely varied urban environment, are generally modeled as statistical processes based on several accepted distributions. In urban areas, channel impairments are strongly influenced by numerous environmental factors including terrain, buildings, climate, etc, and because of this, the propagation characteristics of RF signals vary with time and space. For example, the propagation characteristics of urban canyons, where no direct propagation path exists between transmitter and receiver differ greatly from an open urban scenario where a direct path is available. In a realistic simulation of the communications channel, separate statistical distributions would be used to model each type of urban terrain. This paper provides an overview of the research being conducted at the Pennsylvania State University, where ArcGIS and site-specific urban terrain data are being used to manage and improve RF propagation simulation. David Walrath Penn State University/ARL Applied Research Laboratory, Penn State University POB 30 State College, Pennsylvania 16804-0030 United States Phone: 814-867-1553 E-mail: dcw8@psu.edu |