Electromagnetic wave propagation

Electromagnetic waves traveling within

Earth’s atmosphere are called
Terrestrial Waves
Communications between two or more
points on Earth is called
Terrestrial Radio Communications
 3 Ways of propagating electromagnetic
waves within Earth’s atmosphere:
1. Ground wave
2. Space wave
3. Sky wave
 Ground Waves

A vertically polarized
electromagnetic
wave that
propagates along
the surface of the
Earth.
 Ground Waves
Attenuation of the
surface due to
absorption depends
on the conductivity
of the Earth’s surface
and the frequency of
the electromagnetic
wave. Surface wave
propagates best over
a good conductor.
RELATIVE CONDUCTIVITY OF THE SURFACE

SURFACE RELATIVE CONDUCTIVITY

Seawater Good
Flat,loamy soil Fair
Large bodies of the freshwater Fair
Roky Terrain Poor
Desert Poor
Jungle Unusable
Disadvantages of surface waves
1. It requires a relatively high
transmission power
2. Ground waves are limited to very low,
and medium frequencies (VLF,LF, and
MF) requiring large antennas
3. Ground losses vary considerably with
surface material and composition
 Advantages of surface waves
1. Given enough transmit power,
ground waves can be used to
communicate between any two
locations in the world
2. Ground waves are relatively
unaffected by changing
atmospheric conditions.
 Space Waves

An electromagnetic
wave that
propagates directly
from the
transmitting to the
receiving antenna.
It includes both direct
and
ground-reflected
 Space Waves
1. Direct waves are
commonly called line-of
sight (LOS) transmission.
Therefore, direct space
wave propagation is
limited by the curvature
of the earth.
2. Ground reflected waves
are waves reflected by
Earth’s surface as they
propagate between the
transmit and receive
antennas.
 Space Waves
It can be seen that the field
intensity at the receive
antenna depends on the
distance between the two
antennas.
The curvature of Earth presents a
horizon to space wave
propagation commonly
called the radio horizon.
Because of the atmospheric
refraction, the radio horizon
extends beyond optical
horizon for the common
standard atmosphere.
 Space Waves
The radio horizon can be
lengthened simply by
elevating the
transmit or receive
antennas (or both)
above the Earth’s
surface with towers
or by placing them
on top of mountains
or high buildings.
 The line of sight radio horizon for a
single antenna at sea level is given as

Where d= distance to radio horizon

(miles)
h= antenna height above sea level (feet)
 Therefore, for a transmit and receive antenna, the
distance between the two antennas at sea level is

Where d= total distance (miles)

dt= radio horizon for transmit antenna (miles)
dr= radio horizon for receive antenna (miles)
hr= transmit antenna height (feet)
ht= receive antenna height (feet)
 The maximum distance between a transmitter and
receiver over average terrain can be
approximated in metric units by the following
equation:

Where d= maximum distance between transmitter

and receiver (kilometers)
hr= transmit antenna height above sea level
(meters)
ht= receive antenna height above sea level(meters)
 EXAMPLE
Determine the radio horizon for a transmit
antenna that is 100ft high and a receiving
antenna that is 50ft high.
ANSWER:
 EXAMPLE
Determine the maximum distance between
identical antennas equidistant 40 m above sea
level.
ANSWER:
 Sky Waves
- One of the most
frequently used methods
of long-distance
transmission is by the use
of the sky wave.
- Sky waves are those
waves radiated from the
transmitting antenna in a
direction that produces a
large angle with reference
to the earth.
- The sky wave has the
ability to strike the
ionosphere, be refracted
from it to the ground,
strike the ground, be
reflected back toward the
ionosphere, and so on.
 Sky Waves
IONOSPHERE-the layer of the
earth's atmosphere that
contains a high
concentration of ions
and free electrons and is
able to reflect radio
waves. It lies above the
mesosphere and extends
from about 50 to 600
miles (80 to 1,000 km)
above the earth's
surface
The refracting and reflecting
action of the ionosphere
and the ground is called
 Sky Waves
To understand the
process of the refraction
the composition of the
atmosphere and the
factors that affect it must
be considered. There are
only three layers of the
atmosphere:
Troposphere,
stratosphere and
ionosphere
 Sky Waves
1. Troposphere- extends from
the surface of the earth up to
approximately 6.5 miles.
2. Stratosphere- extends from
the upper limit of the
troposphere to an
approximate elevation of 23
miles.
3. Ionosphere- from the upper
limit of the stratosphere to a
distance of approximately 250
miles lies the region known as
the ionosphere. Beyond the
ionosphere is free space.
 Sky Waves
Ionospheric Layers:
1. D layer
2. E layer
3. F layer (F1 and F2)
 Sky Waves
The presence or absence of
these layers in the ionosphere
and their height above the
earth vary with the position of
the sun.
At high noon, radiation from
the sun in the ionosphere
directly above a given point is
greatest, while at nigh it is
minimum. When the radiation
is removed, many of the ions
which were ionized
recombine. The interval of
time between these conditions
finds the position and number
of the ionized layers within the
ionosphere changing.
 Sky Waves
1. D-layer ranges from
about 25 to 55 mi.
Ionization in the D layer is
low because it is the lowest
region of the ionosphere
(farthest from the sun).
This layer has the ability to
refract signals of low
frequencies. High
frequencies pass right
through it but are partially
attenuated in so doing.
After sunset the D layer
disappears because of the
rapid recombination of its
ions.
 Sky Waves
2. The E layer limits are from
approximately 55 to 90 mi
high. This layer is also known
as the Kennely-Heaviside layer,
because these two men were
the first to propose its
existence. The rate of ionic
recombination in this layer is
rather rapid after sunset and is
almost complete by midnight.
This layer has the ability to
refract signals of a higher
freuqency than were refracted
by the D layer. In fact, the E
layer can refract signals with
frequencies as high as 20MHz.
 Sky Waves
3. The F layer exists from about 90
to 250 miles. During the daylight
hours, the F layer separates into
two layers, the F1 and F2 layers.
The ionization level in these layers
is quite high and varies widely
during the course of a days. At
noon, this portion of the
atmosphere is closest to the sun,
and the degree of ionization is
maximum. Since the atmosphere is
rarefies at these heights, the
recombination of the ions occurs
slowly after sunset. Therefore, a
fairly constant ionized layer is
present at all times. The F layers
are responsible for high-frequency,
long distance transmission due to
refraction for frequencies up to 30
MHz.
 Sky Waves
The ability of the ionosphere to return a radio wave
to the earth depends on the ion density, the
frequency of the radio wave, and the angle of
transmission. The refractive ability of the ionosphere
increases with the degree of ionization. The degree
of ionization is greater in summer than in winter and
is also greater during the day than at night. As
mentioned previously high densities occur during
times of peak sunspot activity.
 Sky Waves
CRITICAL ANGLE- In general, the lower the frequency, the
more easily the signal is refracted; conversely, the higher the
frequency, the more difficult is the refracting or bending
process.
-The angle of radiation plays an important part in determining
whether a particular frequency will be returned to earth by
refraction from the ionosphere. Above a certain frequency,
waves transmitted vertically continue on into space. However
if the angle of propagation is lowered (from the vertical), a
portion of the high frequency will be returned to earth. The
highest angle at which a wave of a specific frequency can be
propagated and still be returned(refracted) from the
ionosphere is called critical angle.
 Sky Waves
CRITICAL FREQUENCY- The highest frequency which
will be returned to earth when transmitted vertically
under given Ionospheric conditions is called the
critical conditions called the critical frequency.
 Sky Waves
MAXIMUM USABLE FREUQENCY(MUF)- There is a
best frequency optimum communication between
any two points at any specific condition of the
ionosphere. The distance between the transmitting
antenna and the point at which the wave returns to
earth depends on the angle of propagation, which in
turn is limited by the frequency. The highest
frequency which is returned to earth at a given
distance is called the maximum usable frequency
(MUF) and has an average monthly value for any
given time of the year.
 Sky Waves
OPTIMUM WORKING FREQUENCY- is the one which
provides the most consistent communication and is
therefore the best one to use. Optimum working
frequency is about 85% of the MUF.
 EXAMPLES
The critical frequency at a particular time is
11.6MHz. What is the MUF for a transmitting
station if the required angle of incidence for
propagation to a desired destination is 70
degrees?
ANSWER
 Sky Waves
SKIP DISTANCE- It is defined as the minimum
distance from a transmit antenna that a sky wave at
a given frequency will be returned to Earth. The
frequency must be less than the MUF and
propagated as its critical angle.
SKIP ZONE- the point where the sky wave returns to
Earth is called quiet, or skip zone because in this area
there is no reception. Skip Zone (Quiet Zone): The
space between the point where the ground wave is
completely dissipated and the point where the sky
wave is received.
 FREE SPACE PATH LOSS
Free space path loss, a more appropriate term
for this phenomena is spreading loss.
Spreading loss occurs simply because of the
inverse square law. The mathematical
expression for free-space path loss is
 FREE SPACE PATH LOSS
Converting to dB yields
 EXAMPLE
A transmitter has a power output of 150W at a
carrier frequency of 325MHz. It is connected to
an antenna with a gain of 12 dBi. The receiving
antenna is 10km away and has a gain of
5dBi.Calculate the free-space path loss.
ANSWER
RECITATION
 SELF-TEST
1. A cellular radio transmitter has a power
output of 3W at 800MHz. It uses an antenna
with a gain of 3dBi. The receiver is 5km away,
with an antenna gain of 12dBi. Calculate the
received signal strength in dBm, ignoring any
losses in transmission lines.
 SELF-TEST
1. Determine the magnetic field intensity for a
radiated power of 1200W at distance of 50km
from an isotropic antenna.
 SELF-TEST
3. For a dielectric ratio of 0.8 and an angle of
incidence of 26 degrees, determine the angle
of refraction
 SELF-TEST
2. Calculate the electric field intensity in
millivolts per meter at 30kW from 5km source.
• Answer: 189.74mV/m
 SELF-TEST
3. Determine the effective radiated power of
20kW TV broadcast transmitter whose
antenna has a field gain of 2.
• Answer: 80kW
 SELF-TEST
4. Determine the distance to the radio horizon
for an antenna located 40ft above sea level.
• Answer: 8.9mi
 THANK YOU!!!

Engr. Jenadel DL. Antipolo

Subject Instructor (ECE EL22)