We investigate the relationship between microwave path-loss characteristics and line-of-sight (LOS) blocking in an urban environment with a low base-station antenna using LOS-blocking measurement equipment that we have developed. Changes in path loss, traffic conditions, and LOS-blocking caused by vehicles were measured simultaneously. It was found that path loss exhibits a Rayleigh distribution even in a LOS environment if the amount of traffic is such that LOS- blocking occurs for 80% of the time or more, but the other case path loss exhibits a Nakagami-Rice distribution. It was also found that ratio of coherent wave level to envelope level (c/r) depends heavily on rate of road traffic flow.

The authors have performed a simple computer simulation for a topography that models change in propagation characteristics due to change in traffic volume. The results of this simulation revealed that path loss for a traffic volume of about 2000 vehicles every 30 minutes in a typical urban environment exhibits a Rayleigh distribution. This result agrees well with that of actual measurements demonstrating that even a simple simulation can be a useful tool in system design.