Every initiative to expand spectrum use and efficiency relies on predictions of how far a wireless signal will travel, or propagate, before interfering with another user or fading away. Unlocking the full potential of spectrum resources requires a deep understanding of radio wave behavior, and accurate propagation models, so that systems can be designed to coexist in a crowded environment.

High-precision measurements are key to creating and validating radio propagation models. NTIA’s Institute for Telecommunication Sciences (ITS) and its predecessors have been collecting measurement data for more than a century, creating a unique expertise in measurement science and techniques. Last year, NTIA released a technical memorandum on “Best Practices for Radio Propagation Measurements [1].”

(Figure 1 depicts radio-wave signal measurements) 

In December, ITS researchers, along with other experts from the Federal Communications Commission and the United States Naval Academy, will present a tutorial on precision radio propagation measurements at the 2019 IEEE Global Communications Conference [2].

The tutorial will provide information on wireless propagation measurements for state-of-the-art wireless networking research. It is designed for newcomers and those interested in exploring high-level refinements of their measurement systems and techniques. Hands-on demonstrations will illustrate theory and best practices.