Analysis of Propagation Model in Conformance with

IEEE 802.16-2009-based Fixed Wireless Networks

Jaime Jarrn, Pal Bernal, Romn Lara
AbstractThis paper describes a simulator implementation of a
propagation model proposed by Yong Soo Cho, which permits to
estimate the losses of the wireless channel for a communication
system in conformance with IEEE 802.16-2009 Fixed OFDM
WirelessMAN. We used Matlab to program the simulator,
which considers the channel losses and reflect their effects on the
physical layer. The system implementation considers the
modulations defined in the standard, with different channel
coding rates. The program permits to obtain results about
channel losses, transmit power as a function of BER, transmit
power as a function of Eb/No. The channel considers losses
produced by the wireless medium with shadowing, and it is
related to an AWGN channel described by a standard deviation
obtained from the Eb/No produced by the transmit power. We
compared Yon Soo Cho, SUI and Free Space models at 3.5 GHz
to obtain the bit error probability. The main result showed by
Yong Soo Cho model have differed related to SUI model, in the
way to estimate the shadowing for that it is determined Yong Soo
Cho model is valid for rural areas without changes.

II.

In order to understand the wireless channel design, it is

important to describe the main features that set the standard.
A. Modulation Schemes
There are four modulation types defined in IEEE 802.162009. BPSK, QPSK, 16QAM and 64QAM, in which the
number of information bits (M) is equal to 1, 2, 4 and 6,
respectively.
B. Code Rate
The channel encoder is formed by the concatenation of a
Reed-Solomon (RS) block and a convolutional encoder (CC),
which, by using the process known as punctured obtains
various coding rates. In TABLE I. shows the Reed-Solomon
code form, convolutional encoder rate and the resulting rate
from the concatenation of two encoders, which will be used for
calculations to design of wireless channel [4].

Keywords WiMAX, SUI, IEEE 802.16-2009, PHY FIXED

WIRELESS MAN OFDM

I.

INTRODUCTION

Any standard for wireless communications technology have

mathematical models which will allow to provide the behavior
of a link, to analyze transmission power, modulation used,
propagation models, and others; to determine the feasibility of
implementing, i.e. models are essential to define the
characteristics of a link. Therefore, the main objective of this
paper was to provide a simulator for IEEE 802.16-2009
physical layer [2], based on the study made by Yong Soo Cho
[1].
This document are performed several studies on the IEEE
802.16-2009 standard, which is an amendment that reviews and
consolidates all previous versions of standard leaving them as
obsolete. It corresponds to the most stable version to date of
WiMAX, which has been thoroughly studied and interpreted in
[3]. This paper focuses only on the WirelessMAN FIXED
OFDM PHY, on which the studies and analysis are carried out.
The propagation model proposed by Yong Soo Cho
motivates the development of this work, since the
mathematical model of channel losses allows for designing a
wireless channel to simulate the way the noise affects each one
of the symbols transmitted through it, and to know the mode of
operation and importance of all stages of WiMAX that arise in
IEEE 802.16-2009.
Manuscript received July 18, 2012; revised January 28, 2013; accepted April
7, 2013. Date of publication June 4, 2013; date of current version December
24, 2013.
J. Jarrn, C.P. Bernal and R.A. Lara are with the Department of Electrical and
Electronic Engineering, Universidad de las Fuerzas Armadas, Quito-Ecuador,
171-5-231B e-mail: (see ttp://wicom.espe.edu.ec/contactos.html

KEY FEATURES IEEE 802.16-2009

TABLE I.

CODE RATES

Modulation

RS Code

CC rate

BPSK
QPSK
QPSK
16-QAM
16-QAM
64-QAM
64-QAM

(12,12,0)
(32,24,4)
(40,36,2)
(64,48,8)
(80,72,4)
(108,96,6)
(120,108,6)

1/2
2/3
5/6
2/3
5/6
3/4
5/6

Combined
rate
1/2
1/2
3/4
1/2
3/4
2/3
3/4

C. OFDM Signal Parameters

The standard defines the elements that characterize the
signal being sent through the wireless channel.
1) Primitive Parameters definitions
-

BW: channel bandwidth.

Nused: Number of subcarrier used.
n: Sampling factor. This parameter is related with
the BW and Nused to determine the subcarrier
spacing and the useful symbol time.
G: This is the ratio of Cyclic Prefix (CP).

2) Derived Parameters definitions

-

NFFT: Size of FFT, its value is 256.

Sampling frequency
Fs=floor(n x BW/8000)x8000
Subcarrier spacing

(1)

f=Fs/NFTT
Useful symbol time
Tb=1/f
CP time
Tg=G x Tb
OFDM symbol time
Tsym=Tb+Tg
Sampling time
Tsam= Tb/NFTT

III.

A
B
C

Model

A
B
C

(4)

Type A

Type B

Type C

4.6
0.0075
12.6

4
0.0065
17.1

3.6
0.005
20

(5)
4) Modified reference
(6)
Make a correction to the model so that it is consistent
at all distances.

PROGRAM DESIGN

TABLE II.

PARAMETERS VALUES FOR A,B,C MODELS

Parameter

(3)

A. Propagation Model
The model proposed by Yong Soo Cho is based on studies
of a log-normal channel measurement with shadowing obtained
by AT&T on its own WiMAX network in rural areas, since it
highlights three types of terrain as shown in TABLE II.

Type

TABLE III.

(2)

d'0 =d0 10

PL dB =

For flat terrain with light obstacles densities.

Each terrain considered a different shadowing value

depending on the number of obstacles present, and is necessary
to calculate all the parameters described below to estimate the
losses of the channel.

10

(10)

Finally, using (1), (2), (3), (4) and (5) can calculate the
propagation loss of the wireless channel as shown in (6).

TERRAIN TYPES

Description
For hilly terrain with moderate-to-heavy obstacles
densities.
For intermediate paht loss conditions. Medium
density of obstacles.

c + C
- f RX

20log10
20log10

4d

4d'0

for dd'0
+10

d
d0

+Cf +CRX for d>d'0

(11)

B. Wireless Channel Design

The first thing to do is link budget, which is shown in
Figure 1 is considered the gains and losses of the
communication system, this is calculated as indicated in (12)
and (13).

1) Correlation coefficient for the carrier frecuency

It allows the model is compatible with all operating
frequencies.
Cf =6log10

fc
2000

(7)

Fig. 1.

2) Correlation coefficient for the receive antenna

It allows the prediction of shadowing corrections in the
receiver; it depends on the type of terrain that is being
estimated.
CRX =

hRx

-10.8log10
-20log10

for Type A y B

2
hRx

for Type C

(8)

3) Terrain Factor
It describes the terrain in the mathematical model.
=a-bhtx +

c
htx

(9)

The parameters a, b, c depends on the type of terrain

and is described in TABLE III. ; hex represents the
transmitter height in meters.

Link Budget

PRxdBm =PTxdBm +GTx+GRx-L [dBm]

(12)

L=Pathloss+cableLoss+ConectorLoss [dB]

(13)

where:
PRx:
Receive power in dBm.
GTx:
Transmit antenna gain.
GRx:
Receiving antenna gain.
L:
Losses.
Pathloss: Losses en wireless channel in dB
cableLoss: cable loss in dB.
ConectorLoss: Connector loss in dB.
Knowing the reception power, the following is to calculate
the signal to noise ratio (SNR)
SNRRx =PRxdB -10log(KTaB)
where:
PRxdB:

Reception power in dB. (dB=dBm-30)

(14)

Ta:

Ambient temperature in Ecuador (approximately 18

y 25C) in Kelvin.
Boltzmann constant 1,380x10-23
Receiver Bandwidth in Hz.

K:
B:

considering all the parameters in the standard, using the

characteristic of a minimum-distance demodulator and a
channel decoder implemented with Viterbi hard decision.

Then, with the SNR is possible to calculate the bit energy

ratio as a function of power spectral density of noise (Eb/No):
Eb
No

dB =10 log

Tsym
Tsam

+SNR-10log(M)

(15)

where:
Fig. 4.

Tsym: OFDM symbol time

Tsam: Sampling time
M:
Number of information bits
With this, you can finally get the standard deviation () of
the channel AWGN (Additive White Gaussian Noise) with
shadowing that is intended to design, which will add to the
information sent by the channel.

(16)

Eb

2rateNo

where:

F. Graphical interface
Graphical interface or GUI, is programed only in GUIDE
of MATLAB and provides a learning environment for the
user and allows the following functions:
-

Simulation with a string of bits preset

Simulation with an audio signal
Loss of Channel Graph based on the distance
Graphic BER vs. Eb/No
Transmitter power vs. BER graph
Transmitter power vs. Eb/No graph

rate: code rate used.

IV.

C. Implementation of WiMAX transmitter

In Figure 2, it is showed the block diagram of the WiMAX
transmitter, which is programmed in MATLAB, as
established by the IEEE standard 802.16-2009, channel coding
done by concatenating the Reed-Solomon encoder and
convolutional encoder.

Fig. 2.

Receiver block diagram

RESULTS

A. Simulator
Figures 5 and show two GUI windows, which allow
calculating channel losses and getting the graph of BER against
Eb/No. These two windows represent only one example of the
simulator, each of the graphs mentioned in Section III literal F.
Graphical interface, may be obtained through this form.

Transmitter block diagram

D. Implementation of Wireless Channel

In Figure 3, the wireless channel implementation is
presented as explained in section B, this allows to generate
AWGN noise to each OFDM transmitted symbol.

Fig. 5.

GUI for calculte channel loss.

To receiver

Receive
power
stimation

Propagation
characteristics

Fig. 3.

Pathloss

Clculo
SNR de
calculation
SNR

Adding
Noise

From
transmitter

Wireless channel block diagram

E. Implementation of WiMAX receiver

Similarly to the transmitter, the WiMAX receiver is
programmed in MATLAB as shown in Figure 4, it is

Fig. 6.

GUI for obtain BER Vs. Eb/No graph

B. Wireless channel losses

To estimate losses is used 3.5GHz frequency, transmitter
with a height of 20m and 10m for the receiver, this specs are
settled down to simulate rural environments with the most
critical case of obstructions using the terrain A. Figure 7 shows
the loss of the wireless channel without shadowing correction
which is estimated in a loss of 169.6 dB to 5 km, whereas, in
Figure 8 is presented channel losses but with the shadowing
correction and it is estimated a loss of 165.9 dB.
Modelo de Yon Soo Cho, fc=3.5GHz
200

model, which is a generic model that only considers the

channel losses unobstructed. For the simulations will test the
three environments considered the same characteristics:
antenna height, bandwidth, and link budget at 5 km, terrain
type A and modulation 64QAM .
Figure 9 shows the propagation loss between the three
models of study; at 5 km the Yon Soo Cho models losses is
equal to 165.94 dB, SUI, 171.74 dB and the free space is 117.3
dB. Between free space and Yon Soo Cho model there is a
difference of 47.7 dB because the free space model does not
consider all the features of the terrain, but against the SUI
model, the model of Yon Soo Cho estimated 5.8 dB less.
Comparacin Prdidas de Propagacion, fc=3.5GHz, htx=20 [m],hrx=10[m], terreno=A
200

180
160

120

Pathloss[dB]

Pathloss[dB]

150

140

100

100

50

80
0

60

Modelo de Yon Soo Cho

Espacio Libre
Modelo del Sui

htx=20 [m],hrx=10[m], terreno=A

40
0
10

Fig. 7.

10

10
Distancia[m]

10

Terrain A without shadowing correction

Fig. 9.

The difference of 3.7dB in both cases is due to the

shadowing correction factor proposed by AT&T, which being
measured on its rural WiMAX network, they notes that there
are fewer propagation losses.
Modelo de Yon Soo Cho, fc=3.5GHz
200
180
160

Pathloss[dB]

-50

10

140
120

1000

2000

3000

4000 5000 6000

Distancia[m]

7000

8000

9000 10000

Comparison of the three propagation models

Confirming the above, in Figure 10. shows the results of

sending bits across the three channels, as previously mentioned
because the free space model has such low losses, its bit error
probability (Pberror) is always zero, while between SUI and Yon
Soo Cho model there is a difference of 0.2W. The main
difference is shadowing considerations for each model, while
SUI uses a value set to 8.2dB, the proposed model performs a
prediction of the shadowing corrections, this is due to the
difference of 5.8dB between the models, indicating that in rural
environments there are fewer obstructions, then the shadowing
is lower and resulting that a lower power is required to achieve
an error-free transmission.
Pberror Vs. PTx

100
80

Modelo Yon Soo Cho

Modelo SUI
Espacio Libre

0.5

60
0.4

Fig. 8.

10

10
Distancia[m]

10

10

Terrain A with shadowing correction

C. Validating of the propagation model

Because the proposed propagation model is new, it is
essential to compare against other already established, in this
case it is selected the model of SUI (Stanford University
Interim), which is designed exclusively for WiMAX and
adapted from urban areas to rural areas [5], and the free space

Pberror bit

htx=20 [m],hrx=10[m], terreno=A

40
0
10

0.3

0.2

0.1

0.1

0.2

Fig. 10.

0.3

0.4

0.5
PTx [W]

0.6

0.7

Validating the model

0.8

0.9

D. Relations between the transmit power and BER

In a real-life transmission, at the time of link budget
calculation, its goal is always looking for a power
transmission which allows us to reduce the BER, that just in
case you cant increase the antenna gain; thats why this
simulator can make that estimation, in the case of these
simulations is used a transmit power from 0 to 1W, 100mW
step, transmitting antenna height of 20m, 10m receiving
antenna, the link budget calculation at 5 km, additional losses
2.8dB, BW equal to 3.5MHz, G = 1/16.

Ptx Vs Eb/N0 G=1/16, BW=3.5GHz

30
25
20

Eb/N0 [dB]

15

BER vs Eb/No G=1/16

0.7
BPSK
QPSK1/2
QPSK 3/4
16QAM 1/2
16QAM 3/4
64QAM 2/3
64QAM 3/4

0.6

Pb error

0.5

0
-5
-10

0.2

0.4

0.2

Fig. 12.

V.

VI.
4

Fig. 11.

10
12
Eb/No [dB]

14

16

18

BER Vs.Eb/No

Ptx Vs. Eb/No

DISCUSION

After making a comparison with the model of SUI, the

propagation model proposed by Yon Soo Cho is valid, and
highlights its functionality only for rural areas, which is
designed initially.

0.1

0.8

This simulator provides the basic features of WiMAX,

which can improve efficiency by using turbo codes instead of
the channel coder implemented by concatenating ReedSolomon, and convolutional code, this is described in the
advanced part of the standard IEEE 802.16-2009, also
considers implementing the Viterbi soft decision decoder.

0.3

0.6
Ptx [W]

If the desired use of modulation with a higher encoding

rate, it requires more transmit power for an Eb/No which
allows free communication errors in transmission.

0.4

BPSK 1/2
QPSK 1/2
QPSK 3/4
16QAM 1/2
16QAM 3/4
64QAM 2/3
64QAM 3/4

The result of this simulation is shown in Figure 11, which is

observed the behavior of the BER of all modulations with all
code rates defined in the standard, this is related to the Eb/No.
But what is meant to obtain a relationship between Ptx and
BER, for this it is necessary the use of Figure 12 in which
indicate the relationship between transmit power and the Eb/No
previously indicated in Figure 11. Then, with the result of the
previous figures can be obtained TABLE IV. which is a
summary of the results obtained, this allows to know the
required transmit power for each of the modulations in order to
obtain an error-free communication (BER = 0).

10

20

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors gratefully acknowledge the contribution of

Universidad de las Fuerzas Armadas ESPE for the support in
the development of this project through the Wireless
Communications Research Group (WiCOM).
REFERENCES

TABLE IV.
Modulation
BPSK
QPSK 1/2
QPSK 3/4
16 QAM 1/2
16 QAM 3/4
64 QAM 2/3
64 QAM 3/4

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PTX AND EB/NO

Eb/No [dB] for BER=0
4
6
6
8
10
12
12

Ptx [mW]
<100
<100
<100
<100
200
400
600

[1]
[2]

[3]
[4]
[5]

[6]

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