5G channel sounding

Your 5G test challenges

Initially, mobile network operators, research institutes, universities and other industry players conducted extensive channel measurement campaigns to define 5G channel models for standardization bodies such as 3GPP. Though some channel models have already been defined, 5G channel sounding campaigns are still ongoing since channel characteristics at higher frequencies clearly differentiate from the characteristics at traditional frequencies below 6 GHz:

• Since path loss is significantly higher, highly directional beamforming will be required in the mmWave domain.
• Oxygen and water absorption (e.g. rain or humidity loss) has to be taken into account for specific bands.
• The coherence time of a radio channel is much shorter.
• The attenuation of most obstacles is stronger (e.g. even high foliage loss is present).
• Specular reflections are more common in mmWave.

5G channel sounding measurement based on the pulse compression method

The R&S®SMW200A vector signal generator transmits a band-limited channel sounding signal at the frequency of interest. The radio channel alters this signal due to the surrounding environment, which can include obstacles, reflections, scattering, oxygen absorption and movement. The R&S®FSW signal and spectrum analyzer receives and processes the signal from the channel and forwards the resulting I/Q data to the data analysis software. The software correlates the received I/Q data with the originally transmitted signal in order to estimate the channel impulse response that describes the radio channel.