Path-loss and shadowing measurements at 2.4 GHz in a power plant using a mesh network

Abstract

We proposed the use of the available data of a Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) for determining the static characteristics and studying the dynamic behavior of the propagation channel. Channel path-loss and shadowing parameters were evaluated for two distinct locations, an office environment and a hydroelectric power plant, over different days using only the Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) measurements reported by the nodes of a mesh network. The office environment estimated path-loss coefficient and the shadowing distribution standard deviation were within 4.5–4.6 and 8.1–8.2 dB, respectively, as expected for this kind of environment. Moreover, the power plant indoor-outdoor links presented a path-loss coefficient between 5.2–6.5 and shadowing standard deviation between 3.6–4.3 dB. The inspection of the data obtained from the network over long periods of time also proved invaluable, specially helping to identify and correlate sources of interference, which can lead to improve the design of the network itself in industrial scenarios.