Channel Measurement for Multiple Frequency Bands in Subway Tunnel Scenario

Abstract

In next-generation radio communication systems, the use of higher frequency bands and the massive multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) systems has turned into hot research topics because they have the potential to increase network capacity significantly by exploiting the available narrowband and broadband spectrums. Therefore, the narrowband channel measurements are executed at the following five potential frequency bands, including 2.6 GHz, 3.5 GHz, 5.6 GHz, 10 GHz, and 28 GHz in the Shanghai subway tunnel environment in order to fulfill the latest standards of fifth generation (5G). Moreover, in the broadband channel measurements, the center frequency is 3.5 GHz and 5.6 GHz and the bandwidth is considered as 160 MHz, respectively. At the transmitter (Tx) side, a uniform rectangular antenna array composed of 32 elements is fixed on the platform near the tunnel walls. The receiver (Rx) is equipped with a uniform cylindrical antenna array consisting of 64 elements, which is set on a trolley along the track. Based on the acquired massive MIMO channel impulse responses, delay spread, angle spread, eigenvalue and channel capacity are analyzed. The results reveal that the multipath delay in the tunnel scenario is quite short, the delay spread and angle spread drop rapidly as the distance between Tx and Rx increases and the channel matrix gradually becomes serious. This research provides a reference for the deployment of future 5G systems in the subway tunnel.