Radiowave propagation in mobile communications: an overview of European research

Detailed knowledge of radio propagation effects is a keystone for the development and performance assessment of mobile communication systems. Although a lot of investigations have already been carried out, there remains a need to gain deeper insight into the complex mechanisms which govern radio propagation. The authors first present a summary of the propagation mechanisms and discuss some issues related to radio channel parameters and measurement techniques. Then a systematic description of the propagation and simulation models developed within various European projects is given. The survey focuses on the main features of these models and the rationale behind their elaboration.