A comparative study of path loss models in the ultra-high frequency band in a vegetated environment

Abstract

With the additional challenge of forecasting a transmitter’s radio coverage region, radio propagation models concentrate on path loss realization. Empirical approaches are used in radio propagation models. Path loss models are essential in mobile radio systems for effective planning, as well as for calculations of interference, frequency assignments, and cell parameters-the fundamental building blocks of the network planning process. For a given scenario, they are created using a substantial amount of data collected. This work presents a comparative study of path loss models in the ultra-high frequency (UHF) band in vegetated environments of three cities in South Eastern Nigeria. The applicability of the computed empirical propagation models was confirmed using the practical measured data collected from the fields. The findings revealed that, in general, all the vegetated environments had path loss that was overestimated by the SUI and ECC-33 models. For any vegetated region of South Eastern Nigeria, the Hata’s model outperforms the other propagation models, with mean square error (MSE) values of 4.08 dB, 5.50 dB, and 3.75 dB respectively. The MSE value is below 6 dB, thus it is suitable for signal prediction.