Validation of wireless channel models using a scaled mm-wave measurement system

This paper presents the design and development of a Scaled Propagation Measurement System (SPMS). The system calibration and its overall specifications are presented. It is shown that with this system a signal as low as -125 dBm and a maximum path loss of 100 dB (dynamic range congruent to 65 dB) can be accurately measured. The transceivers of SPMS [1] are fully coherent. They make use of a stepped-frequency-based network analyzer with time-domain capability, which allows for real-time power-delay profile measurement. A delay profile resolution of 0.5 ns, corresponding to a 2 GHz system bandwidth, was measured at W band. Arbitrarily shaped building structures were built with plaster and glue using a computer-controlled three-dimensional printing machine. Using the scaled building models, a few propagation scenarios were constructed, and the related propagation path-loss and delay profiles were measured. The measured results were compared with their counterpart simulation results obtained from a three-dimensional ray-tracing channel simulator [2]. Good agreement between simulation and measurement results indicated the high accuracy of both the measurement system and the ray-tracing simulation model.