Investigations of Cell Tower Antennas Parameters on Reduction of Radio Frequency Radiation Levels from Radio Base Stations

Authors

• Florence U. Rashidi, Department of Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering, College of Informatics and Virtual Education, The University of Dodoma, Dodoma, Tanzania,Follow

ORCID

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6477-8362

Abstract

The widespread deployment of mobile cellular base stations in populated areas has raised public health concerns due to increased exposure to radio frequency (RF) radiation emissions. Exposure to high levels of RF radiation can have potential thermal and non-thermal biological effects. Optimizing the configuration of cell tower antenna parameters is crucial for mitigating these radiation levels. This study therefore aims at systematically investigating the influence of different cell tower antenna parameters on reducing the RF radiation levels from mobile base stations. Field measurements were conducted at two cell sites shared by multiple mobile operators. Electric field strengths were measured at multiple locations around the cell sites. The impacts of various antenna parameters were analyzed, including the deployment of GSM spectrum within LTE services, number of carrier frequencies, antenna down-tilt, and transmission power. The analysis revealed that deploying the GSM spectrum within LTE services can reduce the overall radiation levels. Additionally, decreasing the number of carrier frequencies, increasing antenna down-tilt, and lowering transmission power were found to contribute to significant reductions in measured radiation levels. However, optimizing these antenna parameters to mitigate radiation can also degrade key mobile network performance indicators, such as coverage and capacity. These findings provide valuable insights into effective strategies for balancing the need to minimize RF radiation exposure from mobile base stations while maintaining acceptable mobile network service quality. Careful optimization of cell tower antenna configurations is essential to address public health concerns without compromising network performance.

Recommended Citation

Rashidi, F. U. (2024). Investigations of Cell Tower Antennas Parameters on Reduction of Radio Frequency Radiation Levels from Radio Base Stations. Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology, 43(2), 223-241. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.52339/tjet.v43i2.1032

Publisher Name

University of Dar es Salaam