Introduction to Wireless Communication and Radio Wave Propagation

Radio Wave Propagation is the behavior of Radio Waves as they travel from one point to another through the
atmosphere

In order to establish a communication link between two points, we need to study the intervening space between the
transmit antenna and receive antenna to understand its characteristics

Factors to consider for Wireless Communications

 Transmit Power
 Frequency
 Distance
 Receiver Sensitivity

Wireless Communication Interferences

 Reflection
 Refraction
 Diffraction
 Absorption
 Attenuation

Radio Waves

Ground Waves
Space Waves
Earth Waves

Direct Waves
Sky Waves Reflected Waves
Point to Point Surface Waves
Waves
Classification Band Initial Frequency Range

Extremely Low Frequency ELF 3 Hz - 30 Hz

Super Low Frequency SLF 30 Hz - 300 Hz

Ultra Low Frequency ULF 300 Hz - 3 kHz

Very Low Frequency VLF 3 kHz - 30 kHz

Low Frequency LF 30 kHz - 300 kHz

Medium Frequency MF 300 kHz - 3 MHz

High Frequency HF 3 MHz - 30 MHz

Very High Frequency VHF 30 MHz - 300 MHz

Ultra High Frequency UHF 300 MHz - 3 GHz

Super High Frequency SHF 3 GHz - 30 GHz

Extremely High Frequency EHF 30 GHz - 300 GHz

Terahertz Frequency THF 300 GHz - 3 THz

Ionosphere

 An atmospheric layer that can start from 48 km above earth (Troposphere) to anywhere at 500 km to 600 km
above the Earth
 It is collectively called the Ionosphere because of the presence of a relatively large amount of electrically
charged atoms and molecules which are called free electrons and ions
 This is because of the X rays and Ultraviolet (UV) rays from the Sun that collides with the atoms and
molecules
 Within the Ionosphere are several regions that have different concentrations of electrons and ions
 These regions change during the day and night cycle and can change in altitude depending on the energy
received from the Sun
 Signals that travel to the Ionosphere usually bend and reflect back to the Earth which is useful in
communications
Ionosphere Layers

D Layer

 Lowest Layer which is closest to the Earth

 48 km to 80 km in altitude which can increase to 90 km
 Absorbs frequencies below 10 MHz because these frequencies cause recombination on electrons and ions
 Not useful for long distance communication
 D Layer disappears at night
 This is the reason why some stations do not transmit at this Layer and some stations do not operate at night

E Layer

 90 km to 120 km which can increase to 150 km

 Below 10 MHz to 50 MHz can bend and reflect in this Layer
 Usually not used for long distance communication
 E Layer may disappear at night
 There are fluctuations that causes the presence of a Sporadic E Layer

Sporadic E Layer ( E s)

 Can happen at some places in the E Layer

 May reflect 50 MHz to 450 MHz but rarely happens
 If available it can increase the distance of communication

F Layer

 Highest Layer
 150 km to 500 km which can increase to 600 km
 Most communications happen in this layer
 F1 Layer and F2 Layer appears during the Day and combines into one (1) F Layer at Night
 Before the discovery of Satellite Communications, the F Layer is the most used Layer for communication

Skip Zone
 This is the zone where there is No Signal
Skip Distance
 This is the distance from the Antenna to the Ionosphere Reflected Signal
Types of Signal Transmission

1. Tropospheric Scattering (Troposcatter)

o Using the Troposphere to send signals
o This is usual at the UHF and SHF Band
o Troposphere is just above the Earth and signals are sometime reflected back to Earth and can be
received by the Receiving Stations
o Signals are Transmitted in Narrow Beam Configuration
o Frequencies near 2 GHz have the best suited outcome

2. Ground Wave Transmission

o Signals are Transmitted with Vertical Polarization (Perpendicular to the Earth)
o They travel on the surface of the Earth
o Groundwave is best used on salt water
o Can propagate a very long distance when the correct conditions are met and best used with LF and
MF Bands
o Used by AM Stations in the Philippines for AM Radio Propagation but requires taller antennas to
propagate well

3. Line of Sight (LoS), Direct Wave, Point to Point Transmission

o Transmission used by most Microwave Antennas
o Known as Free Space Propagation because it transmits through Free Space
o Can Transmit very far with enough power and antenna size but limited by atmospheric conditions,
weather conditions and obstructions

Dahil Microwave ang lecture, Focus muna sa Line-of-Sight Transmission

For Line of Sight (LoS) Transmission, we have these terms and formulas

Radio Horizon
 Maximum Distance between Transmit and Receive Stations

Earth with Radius R

Antenna with Height h
Microwave with Distance d

Using Pythagorean Theory

2 2 2
C =A + B
2 2 2
(R+h) =R + d
Alam natin na ang Radius ng Earth ay 6371 km hanggang 6378 km (para uniform tayo, use 6371 km)
Makukuha mo rin ang Antenna Height na depende sa Design mo (ilagay mo lang sa Meters para same sila ng units)
Edi masosolve mo ang Distance 😊
Kung gawin naman nila na Feet ang Units, convert mo lang yung Meters at KiloMeters into Feet
 Basic

TANDAAN!
 Yung formula na yan assumes na ang mga waves galing sa Transmit Microwave ay travelling in a straight line
 In reality, waves move in a curved line. Slow curve siya kaya hindi sobrang halata sa Short Distances, pero sa
Far Distances, dun mo makikita yung curve niya
 So may variation ang Distance Formula dahil diyan

We assume an EFFECTIVE EARTH RADIUS (k factor) dahil halos sumusunod ang curve ng waves sa curvature ng Earth

k = 4/3
(Factor used in Earth Bulge and Microwave Distances)

Changing the Formula ng Distance, we will have

d ( Km )=4.12 √ h ( Meters )

d ( Miles )=1.41 √ h(Feet )

Nakuha na natin yung Radio Horizon ng Transmit Microwave, kunin naman natin yung Radio Horizon ng Receive
Microwave. Madali lang yun, Multiply mo lang sa 2 kung ang Design ay Dulo ng Radio Transmit at Receive. Pero sa
real world walang ganun

Yan ay dahil
1. Sobrang hina ng power na marereceive kapag dulo connected sa dulo
2. May chance na magbago yung curve ng Radio depende sa Electrons sa Troposphere
3. Engineer ka hindi manghuhula
Power Density (W/m2)

 It is the power per unit area in a transmission

 The longer the range (Distance from Transmission), the larger the area
 With a larger area, the power density becomes smaller
 Let us assume that the Microwave has a circular area

PT G T
Pd = 2
4 π (diameter )

 Kung square ang area ng transmission, edi area ng square ang gagamitin sa denominator
 Kung ang shape ay rectangle, area ng rectangle ang gagamitin
 Basic

Ano po yung PTGT

Effective Isotropic Radiated Power (EIRP), Effective Radiated Power

 Yan yun, ang power na effectively radiated ng isang Transmission Site
 Can be used sa On Air Antenna, sa Satellite at sa Microwave
 Power Transmit (PT) can be any site na nagtatransmit
 Isotropic Radiated Power only means na may reference ka na Isotropic na Antenna
 Pwede ka gumamit ng ibang Antenna as reference, pero mas mabilis maintindihan kapag Isotropic kasi
uniform ang transmission on all sides

EIRP, ERP = PT GT