Modeling and Evaluation of Received Signal Strength Using Reconfigurable Antennas in Complex Urban Environments

Abstract

Today wireless communication has become paramount to everyday life. The strength of these signals can be diminished over long distances, which can increase in highly urban environments where more obstacles will hinder the signal’s ability to propagate in a straight path [1]. The two types of antennas used today include fixed and reconfigurable antennas. Fixed antennas remain within a set boundary between one fixed location and another. With a reconfigurable antenna the receiving and transmitting antenna location may change dynamically, requiring the antenna be capable of adjusting itself to maximize performance [2]. This study will determine how living in an urban environment with complex obstacles will affect the signal path and strength of both fixed and reconfigurable antennas. To evaluate the effects of an urban environment the engineering quadrant and Academic Plaza of the Texas A&M campus will be simulated in a simplified CAD drawing using Wireless InSite (Remcom). The path of an autonomous vehicle through these areas will then be simulated to gather antenna strength ‘measurements’ for both fixed and reconfigurable antennas. The signal propagation can be mapped in the simulated campus and the measurements taken will be used to analyze how this path affects the signal strength with varying frequencies and paths.