Home // ALLSENSORS 2020, The Fifth International Conference on Advances in Sensors, Actuators, Metering and Sensing // View article

Near-Ground Wireless Coverage Design in Rural Environments

Authors:
Marta Botella-Campos
José Miguel Jiménez
Sandra Sendra
Jaime Lloret

Keywords: Wireless network coverage; IEEE 802.11; Precision agriculture; Propagation Losses; Free-Space Propagation Model; Two-Ray Ground Reflection Model, One-Slope Log-Normal Model.

Abstract:
Due to the broad range of options that wireless systems offer, Wi-Fi products are increasingly being used in agriculture environments to improve farming practices and better control the output of the production. However, the foliage has proven to harm radio-frequency propagation as well as decreasing the coverage area of Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs). Therefore, near-ground channel characterization can help in avoiding high antennas and vegetation. Nevertheless, theoretical models tend to fail when forecasting near-ground path losses. This paper aims at determining how the field components such as soil, grass and, trunks affect radio-links in near-ground scenarios. To do this, we measure the Received Signal Strength (RSSI), the Signal to Interference Ratio (SIR) and the Round-Trip Time (RTT) of a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), at different distances, and the results are compared with 3 prediction models: the Free-Space Propagation Model, Two-Ray Ground Reflection Model and, One-Slope Log-Normal Model. The experiment was carried out by collecting experimental data at two different locations, i.e., an orange tree plantation and a field without vegetation, taking measurements every meter. A comprehensive analysis of the influence of rural environments can help to obtain better near-ground WSN performance and coverage in precision agriculture.

Pages: 84 to 89

Copyright: Copyright (c) IARIA, 2020

Publication date: March 22, 2020

Published in: conference

ISSN: 2519-836X

ISBN: 978-1-61208-766-5

Location: Valencia, Spain

Dates: from November 21, 2020 to November 21, 2020