Subject : Antennas and Wave Propagation, 8th sem TCE

Staff : Mrs. Geetha Prakash, Associate Prof., Dept of ECE

Solved Numericals on Unit 5

1. A VHF communication is to be established with a 35W transmitter at 90 MHz. Determine

the distance upto which LOS communication may be possible if the height of the
transmitting and the receiving antenna are 40 mts and 25 mts respectively. Evaluate the
field strength at the receiving point. Radius of the earth=6353 kms
Solution : P=35 W, f= 90 MHz, λ=(10/3)mts, ht=40 mts, hr= 25 mts
d= (2REht)1/2 +(2REhr)1/2
On substitution, d= 40.366 kms.
This is the distance upto which communication is possible.
Electric field =(4πhthr/ λd2) ((Pηo/4π)1/2) . Substitute all values, ηo =377 ohms
E= 63.41 µV/m

2. Assume that the reflection takes place at a height of 400 kms and the maximum density
in the ionosphere corresponds to a 0.9 refractive index at 10 MHz. Assume flat earth
surface and find the critical frequency
Solution : εr = (1-81N/f2)
Refractive Index = (εr)1/2 = 0.9
Substitute and find N as 0.25 x 1012 /cm3
fc = 9√N = 0.45 x 106 Hz = critical frequency

3. Calculate the value of frequency at which an electromagnetic wave must propagate

through the D-region with and index of refraction 0.5 and an electron density of 3.24 x 104
electrons/m3
Solution : n=0.5, N=3.24 x 104 electrons/m3
n = (1-81N/f2)1/2
f = 1.8 kHz
4. Derive an expression for the Maximum Usable Frequency (MUF) in terms of the skip
distance and virtual height
Solution :

1 of 3 Antennas and Wave propagation Staff : Mrs. Geetha Prakash

 hv
cos Φ =
2
D
h + 
2
v
2
2hv
cos Φ =
( 4hv ) 2 + D 2
f c2
But n = sin Φ = 1 −
f m2
f c2
= 1 − sin 2 Φ = cos 2 Φ
f m2
4hv2
=
4hv2 + D 2

f m2 4hv2 + D 2
=
f c2 4hv2
2
 D 
= 1 +  
 2hv 
2
 D 
f m = f c 1 +  
 2hv 
f m is the Maximum usable frequency ( MUF )
D is the skip dis tan ce, f c is the critical frequency
hv is the virtual height

5. A radio communication link is to be established via the ionosphere. The maximum virtual
height of the layer is 100km at the mid point of the path and the critical freq is 2 MHz.
The distance between the stations is 600kms. Determine suitable values for the optimum
working frequency and the angle of elevation for the antenna main beam. Optimum
Working frequency is one which is 15% less than MUF
Solution:MUF = fc {1 + (D/2hv)2}1/2
Substitute and find that MUF= 6.32 MHz
OptimumWorking Frequency = 0.85 x 6.32 = 5.37 MHz

d/2= h/tanΦ ; d=2h/tan Φ

600 = (2 x 100) / tan Φ ; Φ = 16.7o

2 of 3 Antennas and Wave propagation Staff : Mrs. Geetha Prakash

 6. Calculate transmission path distance for an ionospheric transmission that utilize a layer
of height 200 kms. The angle of elevation of the antenna beam is 20o
Solution : d=2h/tan Φ = 1100 kms

7. Calculate the critical frequency F1, F2, E layers for which the maximum ionic densities
are 2.3 x 106, 3.5 x 108, 1.7 x 106 electrons / cm3 respectively
Solution : fc= √ 81N
For the F1 layer, N= 2.3 x 106 / cm3 = 2.3 x 106 x 10-6 /m3
N = 2.3 /m3
fc =(81 x 2.3) ½ = 13.68 MHz
Similarly, for F2 layer , fc = 16.84 MHz, for E layer, fc=11.73 MHz

8. Communication is to be established between two stations 1500 kms apart. Calculate the
maximum frequency which may be chosen for communication using the ionosphere as
reflector if the height and the plasma frequency of the ionosphere at the point of
reflection are respectively 250 kms and 12 MHz .Assume the ionosphere to be thin and the
earth to be flat
Solution :D=1500kms, h=250 kms., fc=12 MHz
fm = fc (1+(D/2h)2)1/2
= 37.92MHz

9. What is the critical frequency for reflection at vertical incidence if the maximum value of
electron density is 1.24 x 106/cm3
Solution : : fc= √ 81N = 10.017MHz
10. In the following cases tell whether the two ray model can be applied and explain why or why
not (i) ht=35 m, hr= 3m, d=250 m (ii) ht=30 m, hr=1.5m, d=450 m
Solution :When d>10(ht+hr), it can be considered as d>>(ht+hr). Thus the two ray model may
be applied
(i)d<10(35+3)= 380 m. So two ray model cannot be applied
(ii)d>10(ht+hr)=315m. The two ray model can be applied

11. In a two ray ground reflected model, assume that the phase difference θ between the two paths
must be kept below 6.261 radians for phase cancellation reasons. Assuming a receiver height of
2m and given a requirement that θ must be less than 5o, what are the minimum allowable values
for the transmitter-receiver separation distance and the height of the transmitter antenna ?
Carrier frequency is 900 MHz
Solution : When d>>(ht+hr),phase difference between the two paths
θ = (4π hthr/λd), from the two ray model
d=(4πhthr/λθ)
Tan θi = (ht+hr)/d < tan 5o
(ht+hr)/ (4πhthr/λθ) <tan5o

{1+(ht/hr)}/(4πhr/λθ)<tan5o

ht>hr/{(4πhrtan5o/ λθ)-1}
For hr=2m, θ=6.261, λ =0.333m,
ht>2/(4π x 2 x tan5o /0.333 x 6.261)-1

htmin = 37.7m

3 of 3 Antennas and Wave propagation Staff : Mrs. Geetha Prakash