Friis Transmission Equation

The Friis Transmission Equation relates the power received to the power
transmitted between two antennas separated by a distance R > 2D2∕λ, where D is
the largest dimension of either antenna. Referring to Fig.2.31, let us assume that
the transmitting antenna is initially isotropic. If the input power at the terminals
of the transmitting antenna is Pt, then its isotropic power density Wo at distance
R from the antenna is

where et is the radiation efficiency of the transmitting antenna. For a

nonisotropic transmitting antenna, the power density of (2-113) in the direction
𝜃t, 𝜙t can be written as

where Gt(𝜃t, 𝜙t) is the gain and Dt(𝜃t, 𝜙t) is the directivity of the transmitting
antenna in the direction 𝜃t, 𝜙t. Since the effective area Ar of the receiving
antenna is related to its efficiency er and directivity Dr by

the amount of power Pr collected by the receiving antenna can be written, using
(2-114) and (2-115), as

or the ratio of the received to the input power as

The Pr based on (2-117) assumes that the transmitting and receiving antennas
are matched to their respective lines or loads (reflection efficiencies are unity)
and the polarization of the receiving antenna is matched to the impinging wave
(polarization efficiency is unity). Then
For reflection and polarization-matched antennas aligned for maximum
directional radiation and reception, (2-118) reduces to

Equations (2-117), (2-118), or (2-119) are known as the Friis Transmission

Equation, and it relates the power Pr (delivered to the receiver load) to the
input power of the transmitting antenna Pt. The term (λ∕4𝜋R)2 is called the free-
space loss factor, and it takes into account the losses due to the spherical
spreading of the energy by the antenna.
Q1] In a long-range microwave communication system operating at 9 GHz, the transmitting
and receiving antennas are identical, and they are separated by 10,000 m. To meet the signal-
to-noise ratio of the receiver, the received power must be at least 10 μW. Assuming the two
antennas are aligned for maximum reception to each other, including being polarization
matched, what should the gains (in dB) of the transmitting and receiving antennas be when
the input power to the transmitting antenna is 10 W?
Q2] A communication system, operating at 100 MHz, uses two identical λ∕2 vertical
lossless dipole antennas as transmitting and receiving elements separated by 10 km. In order
for the signal to be detected by the receiver, the power level at the receiver terminals must be
at least 1 μW. Each antenna is connected to the transmitter and receiver by a lossless 50-Ω
transmission line. Assuming the antennas are polarization-matched and are aligned so that the
maximum intensity of one is directed toward the maximum radiation intensity of the other,
determine the minimum transmitter power so that the signal will be detected by the receiver.