Research on 2.4 GHz Wireless Channel Propagation Characteristics in a Steel Ship Cabin

Wireless sensor network (WSN) has become a popular technology and has a good potential application in naval architecture and marine engineering field. Analysis of transmission ability of wireless signal in steel ship environment is important for network deployment including base station and node installation, which would directly impact network performance and has become a hot research field. This paper investigates 2.4 GHz frequency wireless signal propagation characteristics in the steel ship cabin. A 3D ray-tracing model of 2.4 GHz wave propagation in the ship cabin is established, a multipath propagation prediction is carried on, and receiving power is calculated. Besides, the experimental test is performed in the real ship. The simulated and experimental results are processed and compared; the influence law of large obstacles on the signal is discussed, and the guidance scheme for node and base station deployment of the wireless sensor network is proposed. The results show that this analysis could provide valid interpretation of wireless channel propagation characteristics in steel ships.