Quarter 2 – Module 2

Practical Applications
of EM Waves
Applications of Radio
Waves and Microwaves
in Wireless
Communication
 Radio
Communication
 Radio waves have the
longest wavelength in the
electromagnetic spectrum.
They are produced by
making electrons vibrate in
an antenna.
• Medium and high frequency waves are
used for broadcasting by local radio
stations.
• In a radio station, sound is converted
by a microphone into patterns of
electric current variations called audio-
frequency (AF) signals.
• High frequency radio waves called
radio-frequency (RF) carriers can be
modulated to match the electronic
signal.
• In amplitude modulation (AM), the
amplitude of the radio waves (RF
carrier) changes to match that of the
audio-frequency (AF) signal.
• This is used in standard broadcasting because
it can be sent over long distances.
• Very high frequency waves provide a higher
quality broadcasting including stereo sound.
• In this process, instead of the amplitude of the
RF carrier, it is the frequency of the waves that
changes to match that of the signal. This is
called frequency modulation (FM).
• When the radio wave is received by the
antenna of a radio or television, the pattern is
converted back to its original form.
• The sound portions of most television
broadcasts are carried as AM waves while the
picture portions are carried as FM waves.
• They are used to transmit sound and picture
information over long distances.
• Radio waves have a very wide
range of wavelengths.
• The whole region of the radio
waves is divided into smaller
regions of wavebands.
• Each waveband is allocated by
law to a specific radio service.
• Low frequency waves are suitable for
communication over great distance.
• But the curvature of the earths limits the range to
about 80 km.
• To extend the range, a repeater is used. The
repeater receives the signal and re-transmits it to
the receiving station.
• High frequency waves can be reflected by the
ionosphere. This enables the waves to be
transmitted over great distances.
• FM is commonly used at VHF radio frequencies
for high-fidelity broadcasts of music and
speech.
• Analog TV sound is also broadcast using FM.
• Narrowband FM is used for voice
communications in commercial and amateur
radio settings.
• In broadcast services, where audio fidelity is
important, wideband FM is generally used.
 Cable television is a system of
delivering television programming to
consumers via radio frequency (RF)
signals transmitted through coaxial
cables, or in more recent systems,
light pulses through fibre-optic cables.
Did you know…
• Frequency is an important characteristics of radio wave.
• AM broadcast frequency is about 1,000,000 cycles per
second (Hertz).
• For example, when you tune in to your favorite AM radio
station at 630 on the dial, the radio is tuning to the radio
wave with the frequency of 630,000 cycles per second!
• On the other hand, FM radio operates on 100,000,000
cycles per second.
• So, when you turn to 101.1 FM, your radio is tuning to
101,100,000 cycles per second frequency.
Applications of
Microwaves
• Communication satellites travel around the earth
at an altitude of 35, 000 km above the equator.
• They move at a speed of 11,300 km/h and
revolve around the earth every 24 hours, the
same rate as the rotation of the earth.
• This makes them appear stationary when seen
on Earth.
• Antennae are mounted to point in fixed directions
towards these satellites.
• Microwaves can penetrate the atmosphere of the
earth.
• This is the reason why they are used for satellite
communications.
• Microwaves signals re transmitted by an antenna
to a satellite which amplifies and re-transmits the
signal to an antenna in other parts of the world.
• This is how we communicate with the rest of the
world.
Most communication satellites are
used to send and receive radio
signals for telephone services
while the rest are for television
broadcasting, scientific research
and weather forecast.
• Microwaves have short wavelengths
and are reflected by small objects.
• This property is used in radars.
• RADAR is an acronym of Radio
Detection and Ranging.
• A radar system consists of an
antenna, transmitter, and a receiver.
• The antenna whirls around
continuously to scan the surrounding
area.
• The transmitter sends out a narrow
beam of microwaves in short pulses.
• A distant object reflects some of the
signal back to the receiver.
• The direction to which the signal was
received gives the direction of the
object.
• The distance of the object can be
calculated from the time lag between
the transmitted pulse and the
reflected pulse.
Radars today are used to:
• detect and track aircraft, spacecraft, and
ships at sea as well as insects and birds
in the atmosphere
• measure the speed of automobiles
• map the surface of the earth from space
• and measure properties of the
atmosphere and oceans.
• Do you notice that a lot of people now resort to
Cable TV for news, entertainment and
educational programs?
• CATV or cable TV is now used because of its
wide range of channels and clearer sound and
picture.
• Moreover, some cable companies provide
internet access to users.
• How does this amazing CATV work?
• Microwaves are used to transmit television
news coverage from mobile broadcast
vehicles back to the station.
• The news crew can also set up a small
antenna to send signals to a
communication satellite.
• This is how news are broadcasted and
watched live around the world.
• A cell phone is a radio transmitter and receiver that
uses microwaves.
• Cellular phone is a very sophisticated radio, but still
a radio nonetheless.
• It is today’s answer to the emerging demand for
mobile communication.
• Cellular phones depend on overlapping network of
cells or areas of land several kilometers in diameter.
• Each cell has its tower that receives and sends
microwaves signals.
Other Application of
Microwaves
Microwave Oven
• In a microwave oven, foods absorb certain
microwave frequencies very strongly.
• The microwaves penetrate the food being
heated.
• It will agitate the water molecules within the
food, thus creating molecular friction which
then produces heat that will cook it.
 Radio waves are used for wireless
transmission of sound messages, or
information, for communication, as well as
for maritime and aircraft navigation. The
information is imposed on the electromagnetic
carrier wave as amplitude modulation (AM) or
as frequency modulation (FM) or in digital form
(pulse modulation)
 A communication satellite is a microwave
repeater station in a space that is used for
telecommunication, radio and television
signals. A communication satellite
processes the data coming from
one earth station and it converts the
data into another form and send it to the
second earth station.