ocessing. In [PaTB04], in the parameter estimation with the SAGE algorithm of Propagation modelling and channel characterisation CHAPTER 4.7 [Rich05]. The joint estimation of the four complex estimated channel parameters from a field measurement polarisation transmission path weights (the directions of are dependent on the channel sounding system design. In arrival, directions of departure, time delays and Doppler case of the spatial domain the design of the antenna arrays frequencies) of measurements showed the polarisation [TLAP02], [KaKC02] is one parameter which determines dependence of wave propagation in a mobile radio channel. the reliability of the DoA estimates. Due to practical as- An extended data model for high resolution channel pects, e.g. mechanical, electrical construction and im- parameter estimation and parametric channel modelling perfections of the antenna arrays, the performance of real is introduced in [TLRT05b]. This is totally different antenna array differs from the designed and simulated from the well-known ray-optical-based data models, one. Therefore methods for calibration and evaluation which contain only discrete specular propagation paths. were developed [LaRT04a], [LaRT04b]. In this paper, distributed diffuse scattering components The proposed design and the evaluation methods are also included. For these parameters an estimator is of antenna arrays are based on techniques using the developed and their Cramer-Rao Lower Bound (CRLB) CRLB and beamformer optimisation. The CRLB defines is derived. Finally, the integration of this extended variance limits of the DoA estimates independent from channel model into the SAGE algorithm is discussed. any parameter estimator. It results from the calculation of An newly introduced multidimensional maximum the inverse covariance matrix of the matrix of the first- likelihood parameter estimator is described in [ThLR04] order derivatives of the observed data with respect to the and is called the RIMAX algorithm. It estimates jointly channel parame