MICROWAVE TECHNOLOGY:Figure 18-1, which is a logarithmic scale, shows the span of

the radio frequency (RF) spectrum. The range defined as microwave does not have precise limits,
but it is generally considered as the super-high and extremely high frequency bands, which span
the range of 3 to 300 GHz. Table 18-1 lists the RF ranges and their common designations. The
infrared light spectrum borders the upper end of the EHF band and the shorter the radio
wavelength, the more it assumes the characteristics of light. The usable portion of microwave
keeps pushing upward, with so-called “wireless fiber” operating at 38 GHz. Considering that the
frequency spectrum below microwave occupies at most a total of 3 GHz of bandwidth, you can
see that microwave provides at least 100 times the bandwidth that is available below the
microwave bands.
Radio Signal Propagation: When designing microwave systems, engineers take into account
the following conditions that affect signals:
_ Free-space loss, which is the attenuation the signal undergoes as it travels through the
atmosphere.
_ Atmospheric attenuation is closely related to free-space attenuation. Changes in air density and
absorption by atmospheric particles and water density attenuate the signal.
_ Reflections can occur when the signal traverses a body of water or a fog bank. The signal takes
multiple paths, which arrive at the receiving antenna out of phase and cause the signal to fade.
_ Diffraction occurs as a result of the terrain the signal crosses.
_ Rain attenuation occurs when raindrops absorb or scatter the microwave signal. The effect is
greater at higher frequencies and varies with the size of the raindrops. Larger drops are more
detrimental than fine mist.
MICROWAVE SYSTEMS: The primary differences between microwave and lower frequency
radio are the wavelength and behavior of the radio waves. For example, VHF television channel
2 has a wavelength of about 6 m (20 ft). To gain the maximum efficiency, a half-wave antenna
receiving element is about 3 m (10 ft) long. A 4 GHz microwave signal has a wavelength of
about 7.5 cm (3 in.), so an effective antenna at microwave frequencies is small compared to
those at lower frequencies.