Radio wave

Propagation in
Wireless Medium

EC 503
Transmission Media & Antenna System

SAMUEL. S. SABILE, PECE

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 Elements of Communication system
The two main categories of channel commonly
used are:

– Line (conducted media)

• The channel is made up metallic cable (such as coaxial
cable, twisted pair, parallel wires, and others) or fiber
optic cable.

– Free space or radiated media

• This is the medium where the transmission of signal is
carried out by the propagation of electromagnet wave.
• The main applications are in radio broadcasting,
microwaves and satellites transmission systems.

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 Requirements
• Rate of information transfer
– The rate of information transfer is defined as the amount of
information that must be communicated from source to
destination.
– It determines the physical form and technique to be used to
transmit and receive information and therefore determines
the way system is designed and constructed

• Purity of signal received

– The received signal must be the same as the transmitted
signal

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 Requirements
• Simplicity of the system
– Any communication system must be convenient in order to be
effective and efficient and easy to use

• Reliability
– Users must be able to depend on a communication system. It must
work when needed and transmit and receive information without
errors or with an acceptable error.

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 Losses in Communication System
Various unwanted undesirable effect crop up in transmissions

 Attenuation
◦ Reduces signal strength at the receiver

 Distortion
◦ Waveform perturbation caused by imperfect response of the
system to the desired signal itself
◦ Equalizer can be used to reduce the effect

 Interference
◦ Contamination by extraneous signals from human sources

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 Losses in Communication System
• Noise
– Random and unpredictable electrical signals from internal or external
to the system
– The term SNR (signal to noise ratio) is used to measure performance
(noise) relative to an information analog signal
– The term BER (Bit Error Rate) is used in digital system to measure the
deterioration of the signal

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ELECTOMAGNETIC
WAVES
ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVES
Electromagnetic waves can be imagined as a
self-propagating transverse oscillating wave of
electric and magnetic fields.

Electromagnetic waves were first postulated by James

Clerk Maxwell and subsequently confirmed by Heinrich
Hertz. Maxwell derived a wave form of the electric and
magnetic equations, revealing the wave-like nature of
electric and magnetic fields, and their symmetry.
EMW - Direction of Propagation

If you know the directions of the E and H

components, you can use the "right-hand
rule" to determine the direction of wave
propagation.
ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVES
•The Radio Frequency (RF) energy is
transmitted into space in the form of an
electromagnetic field.

•As the traveling electromagnetic field arrives

at the receiving antenna, a voltage is induced
into the antenna (a conductor).

•The RF voltages induced into the receiving

antenna are then passed into the receiver
and converted back into the transmitted RF
information.
PROPERTIES OF ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVES

• EMW oscillations propagate through free

space with the velocity of light (i.e.3 x108 m/s)

•EMW are transverse waves (oscillations

perpendicular to direction of propagation)

•It has electric field and magnetic field which

are hence perpendicular to direction of
propagation and also mutually perpendicular.
 Electromagnetic Waves
• Waves are characterized by
frequency and wavelength:

Speed of electromagnetic wave =

speed of light

c or v = 3.0x108 m/s

v  f c  f
 Electric and Magnetic Fields
• An electromagnetic wave propagating through
space consists of electric (E)and magnetic (H)
fields, mutually perpendicular to each other
and to the direction of travel of the wave

• The relationship between electric and

magnetic field intensities is analogous to the
relation between voltage and current in
circuits
E
• This relationship is expressed by: Z 
H
 FREE SPACE CHARACTERISTIC IMPEDANCE

• The impedance of free space, (Z0 or Zs ), is a physical

constant relating the magnitudes of the electric and
magnetic fields of electromagnetic radiation travelling
through free space.

That is, Z0 = |E|/|H|, where |E| is the electric field

strength and |H| magnetic field strength.

• The Z0 equals the product of the vacuum

permeability or magnetic constant μ0 and the
speed of light in a vacuum c
• Z0 =376.73031 Ω or approximately 377 Ω
 FREE SPACE CHARACTERISTIC IMPEDANCE
Zs – for a lossless transmission medium is equal to the square root of the ratio of
its magnetic permeability to its electric permittivity.

Using Ohms Law (ohms):

= rms electric field intensity (V/m)
= rms magnetic field intensity
(ampere turns/m or At/m)
= power density (watt per meter squared
RADIO WAVE PROPAGATION

PART 3
 Radio Propagation
Radio propagation is a term used to explain how radio waves
behave when they are transmitted, or are propagated from one
point on the Earth to another.

Like light waves, radio waves are affected by the phenomena of

1. Reflection
2. Refraction
3. Diffraction
4. Absorption
5. Scattering
Radio propagation in the Earth's atmosphere is affected by the
daily changes of ionization in upper atmosphere layers due to the
Sun.
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
Power escaping into space is said to be radiated & is
governed by the characteristics of free space.

FREE SPACE
•Space that does not interfere with the normal radiation
& propagation of radio waves.
•Does not have magnetic or gravitational fields, solid
bodies or ionized particles.
 RADIO WAVES
Two types of waves:
Transverse waves and Longitudinal

Transverse waves:
vibration is from side to side; that is, at
right angles to the direction in which they travel

Guitar string vibrates with

transverse motion.
EM waves are always
transverse.
 RADIO WAVES
Longitudinal waves:
• Vibration is parallel to the direction of
propagation. Sound waves, Pressure waves are
longitudinal.Oscillate back and forth,
vibrations along or parallel to their direction of
travel

A wave in a "slinky" is a good visualization.

WAVES IN FREE SPACE
 Plane and Spherical Waves
• Isotropic Radiator - the simplest source of
electromagnetic waves which would be a point in
space, with waves radiating equally in all
directions.

• Wavefront - is a surface on which all the waves are

of the same phase, which would be a sphere.

• Power density (or volume power density or

volume specific power)- is the amount of power
(time rate of energy transfer) per unit volume.
Radiation pattern
WAVES IN FREE SPACE

Wave front Wave front ‘P’

P
‘Q’

P & Q are the two wave fronts. The power ‘Pt’ at point ‘O’ is
transmitted in all directions and is called isotropic radiation.

The Power Density of a wave front ‘P’ is different from the power
density of the wave front ‘Q’
POWER DENSITY

Ratio of radiated power per unit area is inversely

proportional to the square of distance from source.
(Inverse square law)

WHERE: = power density at a distance ‘R’ from

an isotropic source ; power per unit area.

Pt or Prad = transmitted power (watt)

Inverse Square Law
 Any point source which transmits equally in all
directions without a limit to its range will obey the
inverse square law.

 In physics, an INVERSE-SQUARE LAW is any

physical law stating that a specified physical quantity
or intensity is inversely proportional to the square of
the distance from the source of that physical quantity.
Inverse Square Law
Inverse Square Law
Inverse Square Law
 Power Density
• Since the surface area of a sphere (which is
4πr2) is proportional to the square of the
radius, as the emitted radiation gets farther
from the source, it is spread out over an area
that is increasing in proportion to the square of
the distance from the source.

• Hence, the intensity of radiation passing

through any unit area (directly facing the point
source) is inversely proportional to the square
of the distance from the point source.
SPHERICAL WAVEFRONT & THE INVERSE SQUARE LAW

Power Density at any point on the

surface of the outer sphere is:

Where: Prad = total radiated

power (watt)
R= radius of sphere (distance
from any point on the
surface of the sphere to
the source)

= area of the sphere

THE INVERSE SQUARE LAW: states that the power density is
inversely proportional to the square of the distance from the
source.

Power Density at any point on the

surface of the outer sphere is:

Power Density at any point on the

surface of the outer sphere is:

Therefore:
Example:
 ELECTRIC FIELD INTENSITY
• An ELECTRIC FIELD is the region of space surrounding
electrically charged particles and time-varying
magnetic fields.

• The electric field depicts the force exerted on other

electrically charged objects by the electrically charged
particle the field is surrounding.

• The concept of an electric field was introduced by

Michael Faraday.
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ELECTRIC FIELD
INTENSITY & POWER DENSITY
Power Density at a distance Ra:

Therefore:

Where: = electric field intensity at the

distance R from the source.
 ELECTRIC FIELD : the square root of intensity
of the power density of the EM wave at that
point.
(SIMILAR TO: VOLTAGE  SQUARE ROOT OF POWER)

 may be shown as:

 √30 Pt Volt /m

R
Where: Pt – transmit power (w)
R – distance from the source or transmitter (meter)
Z
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
OF RADIO WAVE
PROPERTIES OF RADIO WAVE AND LIGHT WAVE

• Three properties are shared by light

and radio waves:
1. Reflection
2. Refraction, and
3. Diffraction
For both reflection and refraction, it is assumed that
the surfaces involved are much larger than the
wavelength; if not, diffraction will occur
 1. Reflection
 The return or change in direction of light, sound,
radiowaves striking a surface or travelling from one
medium to another.
 Reflection of waves from a smooth surface (specular
reflection) results in the angle of reflection being equal to
the angle of incidence
REFLECTION
 Occurs when signal encounters a surface that is large relative to the
wavelength of the signal.

 The amount of reflection depends on the reflecting material.

 Smooth metal surfaces of good electrical
conductivity are efficient reflectors of radio waves.
 The surface of the Earth itself is a fairly good reflector.

 The radio wave is not reflected from a single point on the reflector but rather
from an area on its surface. The size of the area required for reflection to take
place depends on the wavelength of the radio wave and the angle at which
the wave strikes the reflecting substance.

 When radio waves are reflected from flat surfaces, a phase shift in the
alternations of the wave occurs . The shifting in the phase relationships of
reflected radio waves is one of the major reasons for fading.
 Other Types of Reflection

Corner reflector Parabolic reflector Diffuse Reflection

 2. Refraction
• A transition from one
medium to another results
in the bending of radio
waves, just as it does with
light
• Snell’s Law governs the
behavior of
electromagnetic waves
being refracted:

n1 sin 1  n2 sin 2
Refraction is the change in
direction of a wave due to
a change in its speed

Reflection is the
change in direction
of a wave front at an
interface between
two different media
Refraction

•Refraction it is the bending of the waves as they

move from one medium into another in which the
velocity of propagation is different.

•This bending, or change of direction, is always

toward the medium that has the lower velocity of
propagation.

Reflection is the
change in direction
of a wave front at an
interface between
two different media
 PROPERTIES OF RADIO WAVES (OPTICAL)
Refractive Index:

2. REFRACTION

Mathematical Expression of Refractive

Index:
 Snell’s Law on Refraction:
The refractive index is a function of frequency. How an electromagnetic wave
reacts when it meets the interface of 2 transmissive materials that have different
indexes of refraction can be explained with Snell’s law which states that:

Refractive index of a material is equal to the square root of its

dielectric constant:
 3. Diffraction
• As a result of diffraction,
electromagnetic waves
can appear to “go around
corners”
• Diffraction is more
apparent when the object
has sharp edges, that is
when the dimensions are
small in comparison to the
wavelength
DIFRACTION
 Diffraction is the name given to the mechanism by which waves enter into
the shadow of an obstacle.

 Diffraction occurs at the edge of an impenetrable body that is large

compared to wavelength of radio wave.

 A radio wave that meets an obstacle has a natural tendency to bend

around the obstacle. The bending, called diffraction, results in a change
of direction of part of the wave energy from the normal line-of-sight path.
This change makes it possible to receive energy around the edges of an
obstacle.

 The ratio of the signal strengths without and with the obstacle is referred
to as the diffraction loss. The diffraction loss is affected by the path
geometry and the frequency of operation. The signal strength will fall by
6 dB as the receiver approaches the shadow boundary, but before it
enters into the shadow region.

Attenuation is the reduction in amplitude
and intensity of a signal. Can also be
understood to be the opposite of
amplification. Attenuation is important in
determining signal strength as a function
of distance.
Diffraction refers to various
phenomena associated with wave
propagation, such as the bending,
spreading and interference of waves
passing by an object or aperture that
disrupts the wave
FACTORS INFLUENCING EM
WAVE PROPAGATION
 FACTORS INFLUENCING EM WAVE PROPAGATION
1. Earth’s Curvature In Terms of Conductivity, Permittivity and
Permeability.
2. Frequency Of Operation.
3. Polarization of Transmitting Antenna.
4. Height of Transmitting Antenna.
5. Transmitter Power.
6. Curvature of the Earth.
7. Obstacles Between Transmitter and Receiver.
8. Electrical Characteristics of the Atmosphere in the Tropospheric
Region.
9. Moisture Content In The Troposphere.
10. Characteristics of the Ionosphere.
11.Earth’s Magnetic Field.
12.Refactive Index of Troposphere and Ionosphere.
13.Distance Between Transmitter and Receiver.
14.Roughness and Type (Hilly, Forest, Sea Or River) of the Earth.
POLARISATION OF A WAVE
Direction of Propagation
Vertically polarized omnidirectional Horizontally polarized
dipole antenna directional yagi antenna
SUMMARY:
•For horizontally polarized wave, the electric field lies in a
plane parallel to earth’s surface.
•All the electric intensity vectors are vertical for a
vertically polarized wave.
•The direction of polarization is same as the direction of
antenna.
•Thus, vertically polarized wave is radiated by vertical
antenna.
•Horizontally polarized wave is radiated by horizontal
antenna.
PROBLEMS:
1. Determine the power density for a radiated power of 1000 W at a
distance 20 km from an isotropic antenna.
2. For a radiated power Prad = 10 kW, determine the voltage
intensity at a distance 20km from the source.
3. Describe the effects on power density if the distance from a
transmit antenna is tripled.
4. Determine the radio horizon for a transmit antenna that is 100 ft
high and a receiving antenna that is 50 ft high and for antennas
at 100 m and 50 m.
5. The power density at a point from a source is 0.001 µW, and the
power density at another point is 0.00001µW; determine the
attenuation in decibels.

Hint:

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PROBLEMS:

6. An isotropic source radiates 100 W of power in free space.

a) Calculate the power density and the electric field intensity
at a distance of 15 km from the source.
b) What power density is required to produce electric field
strength of 100 V/m in air?
c) A signal has a power density of 50 mW / m2 in free space.
d) Calculate its electric and magnetic field strength.

7. A 200 feet high transmitting antenna has a gain of 12 dB over a

dipole. The receiving antenna, which is 150 ft. high, has a gain of
3 dB. The transmitter power is 10 W at 224 MHz Calculate a)
the maximum transmitting distance and b) the received power at
the distance calculated in part a. Note there is 1.61 km/mi.

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