Wireless Soil Scout prototype radio signal quality compared to attenuation model

摘要

Wireless underground Soil Scout prototypes are presented for the first time and used for remote soil monitoring during five months in real conditions. Every Soil Scout transmits moisture and temperature data once every 10 minutes. The prototype systemworks well. A signal attenuation model is able to predict long periods of lost signals when soil moisture and on-soil vegetation conditions shift. The model attenuation -98 dB is the threshold level for more probable failure than success, even if the system hardware design would suggest -110 dB. Individual transmission failures do not always correlate to condition shifts. Further work should focus on increasing transmission power and improving knowledge on the vegetation impact.