Radio-Wave

Propagation

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Upon completing this course, you should be able to do the
following:
State what the electromagnetic field is and what components
make up the electromagnetic field.
State the difference between the induction field and the
radiation field.
State what radio waves are.
List the components of a radio wave and define the terms
cycle, frequency, harmonics, period, wavelength, and velocity
as applied to radio wave propagation.
Compute the wavelength of radio waves.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
State how radio waves are polarized, vertically and horizontally.
State what reflection, refraction, and diffraction are as applied to radio
waves.
State what influence the earth''s atmosphere has on radio waves and
list the different layers of the earth''s atmosphere.
Identify a ground wave and , a sky wave, and state describe the effects
of the ionosphere on the sky wave.
Identify the structure of the ionosphere.
Define density of layer, frequency, angle of incidence, skip distance,
and skip zone.
Describe propagation paths.
Describe fading, multipath fading, and selective fading. Describe
propagation paths.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
State how transmission losses affect radio wave propagation.
State how electromagnetic interference, man-made/natural
interference, and ionospheric disturbances affect radio wave
propagation. State how transmission losses affect radio wave
propagation.
Identify variations in the ionosphere.
Identify the maximum, optimum, and lowest usable
frequencies of radio waves.
State what temperature inversion is, how frequency
predictions are made, and how weather affects frequency.
State what tropospheric scatter is and how it affects radio
wave propagation.

Introduction
Radio waves are one form of electromagnetic radiation
Electromagnetic radiation has a dual nature:
In some cases, it behaves as waves
In other cases, it behaves as particles (photons)

For radio frequencies the wave model is generally

more appropriate
Electromagnetic waves can be generated by many
means, but all them involve the movement of
electrical charges

ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS
The theory of electromagnetic
radiation was propunded by the British
physicist James Clerk Maxwell in 1857
Finalized in 1873
Fundamental mathematical
explanations of the behavior of
electromagnetics waves.

ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS
FREE SPACE
- space does not interfere with the
normal radiation and propagation of
radio waves
- no magnetic or gravitational fields,
- no solid bodies
- no ionized particle

ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS
QUESTION

Why do we use the concept of

FREE SPACE?

POLARIZATION

Right Hand Rule for Propagation

ATMOSPHERIC PROPAGATION

1. REFLECTION

ATMOSPHERIC PROPAGATION
2. REFRACTION

ATMOSPHERIC PROPAGATION
3.
DIFFRACTION
HUYGENS
PRINCIPLE
The Huygens-Fresnel
principle states that every
point on a wavefront is a
source of wavelets. These
wavelets spread out in the
forward direction, at the same
speed as the source wave.
The new wavefront is a line
tangent to all of the wavelets.

INTERFERENCE OF
ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVES
ILLUSTRATION

EFFECT OF THE EARTH''S ATMOSPHERE ON RADIO

WAVES

1. TROPOSPHERE

2. STRATOSPHERE

Glider pilot aims

for the
STRATOSPHERE

3. Ionosphere

3. IONOSPHERE

RADIO WAVE TRANSMISSION

PATHS

Ground Waves
1. SURFACE WAVE

PROPAGATION

Ground Waves

Ground Waves
2. SPACE WAVE PROPAGATION

Sky Wave

Ionization
Ionization occurs when highenergy ultraviolet light waves
from the sun enter the
ionospheric region of the
atmosphere, strike a gas
atom, and literally knock an
electron free from its parent
atom.
is the process by which an
atom or a molecule acquires a
negative or positive charge by
gaining or losing electrons to
form ions,

Recombination

Four Distinct Layers

Four Distinct Layers

Four Distinct Layers

REFRACTION IN THE
IONOSPHERE
The amount of refraction that occurs
depends on three main factors:

(1) the density of ionization of the

layer,
(2) the frequency of the radio wave, and
(3) the angle at which the wave enters

Density of Layer

Frequency

Angle of Incidence

Effects of Frequency on the

Critical Angle

Skip Distance/Skip Zone

Propagation Paths

ABSORPTION IN THE
IONOSPHERE

FREESPACE LOSS

VARIATIONS IN THE
IONOSPHERE
Regular Variations
- Daily

- Seasonal.
- Eleven-year sunspot cycle
- sunspot cycle.
Irregular Variations
- Sporadic E
- Sudden ionospheric disturbances.
- Ionospheric storms

FREQUENCY SELECTION
CONSIDERATIONS
Maximum Usable Frequency
Lowest Usable Frequency
Optimum Working Frequency

EFFECTS OF WEATHER ON
PROPAGATION
Precipitation Attenuation
Rain
Fog
Snow
Hail

Temperature Inversion

TROPOSPHERIC PROPAGATION