RF System (Link Budget) Calculations

System Variables
Frequency
Speed of Light
Wavelength

Block
PA Power
TX Match Loss

Variable Units
f0
MHz
c
m/s

Variable Units
PPA
dBm
LMatchT
dB
PTX

dBm

TX connector loss

LConT1

dB

TX cable loss

LCabT

dB

TX connector loss (remote antenna)

LConT2

dB

TX power

PT

dBm

TX antenna gain

GT

dBi

EIRP
d
L0

dBm
m

LFS

dB

PChanFS

dB

Flat Earth Loss (Includes Ground Bounce)

LFE

dB

Multipath Loss

LMP

dB

Obstruction Loss

LObs-Total

dB

Power at RX Antenna, Flat Earth Path

PChanFE

dB

GR

dBi

RX connector loss

LConR1

dB

RX cable loss

LCabR

dB

RX connector loss (remote antenna)

LConR2

dB

RX power, Free Space Path

PRFS

dBm

RX power, Flat Earth Path

PRFE

dBm

TX source

Effective (Isotropic) Radiated Power

Distance
Channel Medium Loss Factor
Free Space Loss
Power at RX Antenna, Free Space Path

RX antenna gain

Receiver Sensitivity Calculations

RX Noise Figure
Operating Temperature

dB

Variable Units
NF
dB
T0
K

Effective Noise Temperature

Boltzmann's constant

Te

K
J/K

k
BWRX

MHz

TAnt

Noise Power (at RX)

Pn

dBm

Signal to Noise Ratio

SNRRX

dB

Receive Bandwidth
Antenna Temperature

Equation

Value
315
299792458

= c/f0

0.9517220889

Equation

Value
10
10
-0.57

(from Connector Loss sheet)

(from Cable Loss sheet)
(from Connector Loss sheet)

PT = PTX(C&C Loss)

9.43
-15

EIRP = PT GT

-5.57
175
0

(from Medium Loss sheet)

LFS = (/4d)2

-67.2747552714

PChanFS = LFSL0 EIRP

-72.8447552714

(from Ground Multipath sheet)

-92.734165755
0

PChanFE = LFEL0LMPLObs EIRP

-98.304165755
-15
-0.57

PRFS = PChanFS GR(C&C Loss)

-88.4147552714

PRFE = PChanFE GR(C&C Loss)

-113.874165755

-114
Sensitivity of Rx

Equation

Value
7
290

Te = T0(NF - 1)

1163.442977519
1.38E-23
0.012
300

Pn = k(TAnt + Te)BWRX
SNRRX = PRX/Pn

-126.1556386257
12.1556386257

Link Plot
Device Sensitivity

TX
TX Ant
RX Ant
RX

-114

Signal Path Sensitivity

10
-114
-5.57
-114
-98.304166
-114
-113.87417
-114

20
0
-20

TX

-40
-60
-80
-100
-120
-140
Maxim TX
MAX1472

MAX1479

MAX7030
MAX7031
MAX7032
MAX7044

MAX7049
MAX7057
MAX7058
MAX7060

Supply (V) PA Output

2.1
6
2.7
10.3
3.6
13.7
2.1
5.3
2.7
10
3.6
12.2
2.1
6.7
3.6
13.1
2.1
6.7
3.6
13.1
2.1
6.7
3.6
13.1
2.1
9
2.7
12.5
3.6
15.8
2.1
15
3.6
15
2.1
5.2
3.6
12.6
2.1
5.9
3.6
13.3
2.1
14.5
3.6
14.5

All numbers are based on Datasheet conditions

TX Ant

TX Ant

RX Ant

Maxim RX
MAX1470
MAX1471

MAX1473
MAX7030
MAX7031
MAX7032

MAX7033
MAX7034
MAX7036
MAX7042

Frequency (
315
433.92
315
315
433.92
433.92
315
433.92
315
433.92
315
433.92
315
433.92
315
433.92
315
433.92
315
433.92
315
433.92
315
433.92

RX

Modulation Sensitivity (dBm)

ASK
-109
ASK
-104
ASK
-114
FSK
-108
ASK
-114
FSK
-108
ASK
-114
ASK
ASK
-114
ASK
-113
FSK
-110
FSK
-107
ASK
-114
ASK
-113
FSK
-110
FSK
-107
ASK
-114
ASK
ASK
-114
ASK
-113
ASK
-109
ASK
-107
FSK
-110
FSK
-109

All numbers are based on Datasheet conditions

Ground Multipath Loss

<block diagram>

0
Free S pac e Loss

-10

Est. Flat Earth Loss

Exact Flat Earth Loss

-20

-40
-50
-60
Reference Maxim Application Note AN3586

Path Loss (dB)

-30

-70

Ground Reflection Path Loss

System Variables

Variable

Units

Equation

-80

Value

TX height

hTX

RX height
Distance

hRX

m
m

(from Link Budget sheet)

1
175

d1 = (d2+(hTX-hRX)2)1/2

175

d2 = (d2+(hTX+hRX)2)1/2

175.0114282

-90

Range (meters)

-100
1.0

Direct Path

d
d1

Reflection Path

d2

d
de

d = d2 - d1

0.0114281983

m
m
none

de = 2hTXhRX/d
(from Link Budget sheet)

0.0114285714
0.9517220889
1

0
1
2

2.0 0.8284271247 -28.434594211 -15.051499783 -33.473722259

2.1 0.8027964634 -28.816476411 -15.815264184 -32.326705201
2.2 0.7763802081 -29.21441393 -16.611139221 -31.444108839

Reflection Path
Estimated Reflection Path
Wavelength
Normalized Ground Bounce Amplitude

10.0

Distance Index Distance

Delta d

Free Space
Loss

100.0

Est. Flat Earth

Loss

Exact Flat
Earth Loss

Loss From Ground Bounce Cancellation

a
LGB

dB

LGB =10log10(0.5(1+a2-2acos(2d/)))

-25.459410484

2.3 0.7492653629 -29.628318009 -17.438947379 -30.775044629

Free Space Loss

LFS

dB

LFS = 10log10(/4d)2

-67.274755271

2.4 0.7215515921 -30.058042164

Flat Earth Loss

LFE

dB

LFE = LGB+ LFS

-92.734165755

5
6

2.5 0.6933500628 -30.503384312 -19.189079984 -29.955171855

2.7 0.6647818157 -30.964089646 -20.110490653 -29.765126686

7
8

2.8 0.6359756965 -31.439854196 -21.062019753 -29.703818927

3.0 0.6070659151 -31.930328946 -22.042969253 -29.761484115
3.2 0.5781893316 -32.435124415 -23.052560192

Ground Reflection Path Loss Approximation (for d > 5(hTX+hRX))

System Variables

Variable

Estimated Flat Earth Loss*

LFEe

Estimated Ground Bounce Cancellation Loss

LGBe

* Introduction to RF Propagation, John S. Seybold, p.172

Units

Equation

Value

dB

LFEe = 10log10(hTX2hRX2/2d4)

-92.731821904

dB

= LFEe - LFS

-25.457066633

10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48

3.4
3.6
3.8
4.1
4.3
4.6
5.0
5.3
5.7
6.1
6.6
7.1
7.6
8.2
8.9
9.6
10.4
11.2
12.1
13.1
14.2
15.4
16.7
18.1
19.7
21.3
23.2
25.2
27.3
29.7
32.3
35.1
38.2
41.5
45.1
49.1
53.4
58.2
63.3

0.5494825907
0.5210792433
0.4931069943
0.4656852105
0.4389227967
0.4129165224
0.3877498439
0.3634922335
0.3401989924
0.3179115013
0.2966578396
0.2764536971
0.2573034975
0.2392016559
0.2221339023
0.2060786116
0.1910080942
0.1768898115
0.1636874933
0.1513621432
0.1398729239
0.1291779242
0.1192348105
0.1100013702
0.1014359573
0.0934978478
0.0861475192
0.0793468606
0.0730593259
0.067250037
0.0618858475
0.0569353715
0.0523689865
0.0481588131
0.0442786792
0.04070407
0.0374120692
0.0343812925
0.0315918173

-32.953815567
-33.48594693
-34.031037815
-34.588587504
-35.158080326
-35.738990518
-36.330786811
-36.93293667
-37.544910163
-38.166183421
-38.796241673
-39.434581865
-40.080714873
-40.734167303
-41.394482939
-42.061223828
-42.733971069
-43.412325301
-44.09590696
-44.784356307
-45.477333277
-46.17451717
-46.875606212
-47.580317016
-48.288383955
-48.999558478
-49.713608379
-50.430317044
-51.149482667
-51.870917474
-52.594446946
-53.319909053
-54.047153503
-54.776041016
-55.506442622
-56.238238989
-56.971319774
-57.705583015
-58.440934546

-18.29839569 -30.286334751

-24.089942495
-25.154205221
-26.244386991
-27.359486369
-28.498472013
-29.660292398
-30.843884983
-32.048184701
-33.272131688
-34.514678204
-35.774794706
-37.051475092
-38.343741107
-39.650645968
-40.971277238
-42.304759018
-43.650253499
-45.006961963
-46.374125281
-47.751023974
-49.136977914
-50.5313457
-51.933523786
-53.342945394
-54.759079271
-56.181428316
-57.60952812
-59.04294545
-60.481276695
-61.924146309
-63.371205253
-64.822129467
-66.276618367
-67.734393393
-69.195196606
-70.658789338
-72.124950908
-73.59347739
-75.064180454

-29.93005728
-30.202572694
-30.572767169
-31.03482013
-31.583188556
-32.21250885
-32.917545996
-33.6931755
-34.534387085
-35.436301638
-36.394194937
-37.403523348
-38.459948075
-39.559355763
-40.697874188
-41.871882513
-43.078016169
-44.313166779
-45.574477759
-46.859336384
-48.165363094
-49.490398799
-50.832490863
-52.189878364
-53.560977096
-54.944364727
-56.338766384
-57.743040891
-59.156167804
-60.577235322
-62.005429137
-63.440022203
-64.880365439
-66.325879301
-67.776046196
-69.230403669
-70.68853831
-72.150080321
-73.614698674
-75.082096811

1000.0

49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60

68.9
75.0
81.6
88.9
96.8
105.4
114.8
125.0
136.2
148.3
161.6
175.0

0.029025109
0.0266639468
0.0244923486
0.0224954974
0.0206596695
0.0189721643
0.0174212373
0.0159960352
0.0146865352
0.0134834861
0.0123783539
0.0114281983

-59.177287452
-59.914561542
-60.652682869
-61.39158327
-62.131199936
-62.871475015
-63.612355234
-64.353791552
-65.095738839
-65.838155571
-66.581003552
-67.274755271

-76.536886265
-78.011434444
-79.487677099
-80.965477901
-82.444711234
-83.925261392
-85.407021829
-86.889894466
-88.37378904
-89.858622504
-91.344318466
-92.731821904

-76.552008834
-78.024196118
-79.498444316
-80.97456071
-82.452371859
-83.931721526
-85.412468831
-86.894486629
-88.377660061
-89.861885273
-91.347068281
-92.734165755

Cable Loss
System Variables
Attenuation at 1GHz

Variable
GCab1G

Units

Equation Value

dB/100 ft

-20

Length of Cable

dCab

0.61

Cable Loss Factor

Lcab

dB

-0.400262

Cable Type

@1GHz

Pasternack Enterprisese, Catalog 2008B, p254-256

RG-58C/U

-20

RG-142B/U

-13

RG-174A/U
RG-8X

-31
-13.5
2 ft = 0.6096m

Obstructions Loss
<block diagram>
Block
First Obstruction Loss

Variable
LObs1

Units
dB

Second Obstruction Loss

LObs2

dB

Third Obstruction Loss

LObs3

dB

Fourth Obstruction Loss

LObs4

dB

Fifth Obstruction Loss

LObs5

dB

Total Obstruction Loss

LObs-Total

dB

Obstruction
Interior Wall
Exterior Wall
Window

Loss Figure
3.0
10.0
2.0

dB
dB
dB

Electronic Design - Top 5 Engineering Essentials, Louis E. Frenzel, 2011 Penton, p.5

Light Internal Wall (plaster board), Window

Concrete or Brick Internal Wall
Floor (reinforced concrete <30cm thick)

3.4
6.9
18.3

dB
dB
dB

Indoor Wireless RF Channels , John S. Davis, 1993 1995 1997 www.WirelessCommunication.NL

<25% Forested
25 to <50% Forested
50 to <75% Forested
>=75% Forested
Dense Swamp
Rural Land Development
Town Development
Suburban Development
City Development
Dense Urban Development
Residential and Light Commercial Buildings
Small to Medium Offices, Stores, or Factories
Large Commercial Buildings or Shopping Malls
Typical Automobile

5.0
10.0
15.0
20.0
25.0
0.0
5.0
10.0
15.0
20.0
5.0
10.0
15.0
10.0

800 to 900 MHz Radio Frequency Propagation Characteristics, Chris Fagas, WB2VVV,

dB
dB
dB
dB
dB
dB
dB
dB
dB
dB
dB
dB
dB
dB

Equation

Value
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0