A Wideband Channel Sounding Technique at Millimetre-Waves and Experiment in an Indoor 63.4-64.4GHz Picocell

Abstract:
In order for systems engineers to be able to determine optimum methods of mitigating the impairments caused by multipath propagation, it is essential for the transmission channel to be satisfactorily characterised. It shows also the extent to which propagation effects in a radio environment influence the capacity of wireless systems, and outlines possible countermeasures for mitigating multipath effects in such systems. By describing the various measurement techniques to sound the channel and the interrelationships between them, applicable for the determination of important channel design characteristics this paper will serve as a supplementary document for those available in the open literature with respect to radio channel characterisation with particular interest at millimetre waves (55-65GHz). The challenges of designing and constructing channel sounding systems at as high frequencies as 60GHz are discussed. The actual system design characteristics and hardware as well as some propagation measurements taken in a University building to characterise the channels transfer function are presented.