Radiowave Propagation in Multipath Channels

Abstract

With the rapid growth in wireless communications, there is considerable interest in radiofrequency (RF) propagation and RF channel modeling in the 400 MHz–2 GHz band, where multipath propagation is a characteristic property. This article presents a comprehensive overview of the RF signal variations related to propagation in multipath fading channels. The diverse phenomena that cause signal variations are described via mathematical models. The different types of fading and their salient features are discussed in detail. The goal of this article is to provide a mathematical and an engineering‐oriented treatment of multipath fading, thereby providing the reader with the necessary tools and the information to understand the different RF propagative issues and how they impact wireless communications.