  Deployment of wireless sensor networks and wireless communication systems
have become indispensable for better real-time data acquisition from ground
monitoring devices, gas sensors, and equipment used in underground mines as
well as in locating the miners, since conventional methods like use of wireline
communication are rendered ineffective in the event of mine hazards such as
roof-falls, fire hazard etc. Before implementation of any wireless system, the
variable path loss indices for different work place should be determined; this
helps in better signal reception and sensor-node localisation. This also
improves the method by which miner carrying the wireless device is tracked.
This paper proposes a novel method for parameter determination of a suitable
radio propagation model with the help of results of a practical experiment
carried out in an underground coal mine of Southern India. The path loss
indices along with other essential parameters for accurate localisation have
been determined using XBee module and ZigBee protocol at 2.4 GHz frequency.
