Free Space Path Loss Calculator

Formula

To calculate the free space path loss:

\[ FSPL = \left( \frac{4 \pi d f}{c} \right)^2 \]

Where:

\(FSPL\) is the Free Space Path Loss
\(d\) is the Distance between antennas (m)
\(f\) is the Frequency of the radio wave (Hz)
\(c\) is the Speed of light (299792458 m/s)

What is Free Space Path Loss?

Free space path loss is the attenuation of radio energy between the feed points of two antennas. It is a crucial concept in wireless communication, as it helps in understanding how much signal power is lost during transmission over a given distance and frequency.

Example Calculation 1

Let's assume the following values:

Distance (\(d\)) = 1000 m
Frequency (\(f\)) = 2.4 GHz (2.4 x 10^9 Hz)

Using the formula:

\[ FSPL = \left( \frac{4 \pi \times 1000 \times 2.4 \times 10^9}{299792458} \right)^2 \approx 1.01 \times 10^{11} \]

The Free Space Path Loss is approximately \(1.01 \times 10^{11}\).

Example Calculation 2

Let's assume the following values:

Distance (\(d\)) = 500 m
Frequency (\(f\)) = 5 GHz (5 x 10^9 Hz)

Using the formula:

\[ FSPL = \left( \frac{4 \pi \times 500 \times 5 \times 10^9}{299792458} \right)^2 \approx 2.63 \times 10^{11} \]

The Free Space Path Loss is approximately \(2.63 \times 10^{11}\).