Objective Questions on Radio Wave Propagation
Part 1: Sky Wave Propagation (25 Questions)
1. Sky wave propagation is primarily useful for frequencies in the range of:
A) 300 kHz – 3 MHz
B) 3 MHz – 30 MHz
C) 30 MHz – 300 MHz
D) 300 MHz – 3 GHz
Answer: B
2. The layer of the ionosphere most responsible for long-distance HF communication during
the night is:
A) D-layer
B) E-layer
C) F1-layer
D) F2-layer
Answer: D
3. Which layer of the ionosphere disappears during nighttime?
A) D-layer
B) E-layer
C) F-layer
D) F2-layer
Answer: A
4. The ability of the ionosphere to reflect radio waves is primarily due to:
A) Molecular absorption
B) Temperature differences
C) Electron density
D) Atmospheric pressure
Answer: C
5. Critical frequency is defined as:
A) Frequency below which waves are absorbed
B) Maximum frequency reflected vertically by ionosphere
C) Frequency that penetrates the F-layer
D) Minimum frequency for total internal reflection
Answer: B
6. MUF (Maximum Usable Frequency) increases with:
A) Decreasing angle of incidence
B) Increasing solar activity
C) Increasing altitude of the D-layer
D) Increasing ground conductivity
Answer: B
7. Skip distance in sky wave propagation is:
A) Distance from transmitter to first reflected point
B) Minimum distance from transmitter where a sky wave returns
C) Distance to the horizon
D) Distance between two sky wave reflections
Answer: B
8. Lower frequencies in the HF range are used at night due to:
A) Higher absorption in D-layer
B) Higher critical frequency at night
C) Increased atmospheric pressure
D) Collapse of E and D layers
Answer: D
9. Fading in sky wave propagation is due to:
A) Solar flares only
B) Ground conductivity variations
C) Multiple signal paths and interference
D) Equipment malfunction
Answer: C
10. For a given ionospheric condition, MUF depends on:
A) Ground permittivity
B) Antenna polarization
C) Angle of incidence
D) Time of day
Answer: C
11. Sporadic E-layer affects communication by:
A) Improving LF communication
B) Blocking VHF signals
C) Creating unpredictable reflections
D) Absorbing sky waves
Answer: C
12. What is the typical range for critical frequency in the F2-layer during the day?
A) 1–3 MHz
B) 3–6 MHz
C) 6–10 MHz
D) 10–15 MHz
Answer: D
13. The ionosphere reflects radio waves because it behaves like a:
A) Magnetic mirror
B) Dielectric barrier
C) Plasma medium
D) Conductor
Answer: C
14. The term “ionization level” in the ionosphere refers to:
A) Number of atoms per unit area
B) Electric field strength
C) Density of free electrons
D) Atmospheric pressure
Answer: C
15. Solar storms affect sky wave propagation by:
A) Increasing ground wave range
B) Enhancing MUF
C) Disrupting ionospheric layers
D) Cooling the atmosphere
Answer: C
16. Which propagation mechanism is most responsible for international shortwave
broadcasts?
A) Ground wave
B) Line of sight
C) Sky wave
D) Tropospheric ducting
Answer: C
17. What is the effect of sunrise on sky wave propagation?
A) Improves VHF reflection
B) Reduces absorption in D-layer
C) Creates rapid changes in ionization
D) Enhances F-layer ionization instantly
Answer: C
18. The term “hop” in sky wave propagation means:
A) Single ground reflection
B) Single ionospheric reflection
C) Reflection at the troposphere
D) Skip over obstacles
Answer: B
19. Which factor most significantly affects the ionospheric refractive index?
A) Temperature
B) Humidity
C) Free electron density
D) Altitude
Answer: C
20. The MUF can be calculated using:
A) MUF = Critical Frequency / cos(θ)
B) MUF = Critical Frequency × sec(θ)
C) MUF = 2 × Critical Frequency
D) MUF = Critical Frequency × sin(θ)
Answer: B
21. Multi-hop sky wave communication can cover distances up to:
A) 500 km
B) 1000 km
C) 4000 km
D) 20,000 km
Answer: D
22. Which frequency is most likely to be absorbed in the D-layer during the day?
A) 2 MHz
B) 5 MHz
C) 10 MHz
D) 20 MHz
Answer: A
23. For sky wave communication to occur, the transmitted frequency must be:
A) Below critical frequency
B) Equal to MUF
C) Between critical frequency and MUF
D) Greater than MUF
Answer: C
24. The E-layer typically supports radio propagation over distances of:
A) 10–50 km
B) 50–200 km
C) 200–1000 km
D) 1000–3000 km
Answer: C
25. Which one of the following best describes the “dead zone” in sky wave propagation?
A) Area of ground wave reception
B) Region between end of ground wave and start of sky wave
C) Place where MUF equals LUF
D) Area under ionospheric shadow
Answer: B
Part 2: Space Wave Propagation (25 Questions)
26. Space wave propagation is suitable for frequencies:
A) Below 2 MHz
B) 3–30 MHz
C) Above 30 MHz
D) 300–3000 Hz
Answer: C
27. Which condition is essential for effective space wave propagation?
A) High ground conductivity
B) Tall transmitting and receiving antennas
C) Ionospheric reflection
D) Low frequency
Answer: B
28. Which wave component travels in straight lines and is unaffected by Earth's surface?
A) Ground wave
B) Sky wave
C) Space wave
D) Surface wave
Answer: C
29. What limits the range of space wave propagation?
A) Absorption in the ionosphere
B) Reflection by the ionosphere
C) Line-of-sight distance
D) Polarization mismatch
Answer: C
30. Space waves are commonly used in:
A) AM radio
B) VHF and UHF TV
C) HF communication
D) Longwave navigation
Answer: B
31. Tropospheric scattering occurs mainly due to:
A) Temperature inversion
B) High ionization
C) Magnetic storms
D) Antenna tuning
Answer: A
32. The radio horizon can be extended by:
A) Using parabolic antennas
B) Increasing transmitter power
C) Raising antenna height
D) Using dipole antennas
Answer: C
33. Space wave propagation is less effective when:
A) Transmitting frequency is high
B) Antennas are aligned
C) Obstructions block the line-of-sight
D) Polarization is matched
Answer: C
34. Which atmospheric layer affects space wave the most?
A) Troposphere
B) Stratosphere
C) Ionosphere
D) Mesosphere
Answer: A
35. What is the dominant loss in space wave propagation?
A) Ground absorption
B) Diffraction
C) Free space path loss
D) Reflection
Answer: C
36. Radio waves in space wave propagation travel:
A) Along Earth’s surface
B) Through ionosphere
C) In straight line paths
D) In closed loops
Answer: C
37. Which frequency band uses space wave propagation predominantly?
A) VLF
B) HF
C) VHF
D) LF
Answer: C
38. Tropospheric ducting allows:
A) Extended sky wave range
B) Extended ground wave
C) Beyond-line-of-sight space wave propagation
D) Ionospheric hopping
Answer: C
39. Space waves suffer less attenuation in:
A) Mountains
B) Dry air
C) Dense vegetation
D) Wet ground
Answer: B
40. What is the typical range of VHF space wave propagation for broadcast?
A) 5–20 km
B) 30–50 km
C) 50–100 km
D) 100–200 km
Answer: C
41. Which type of antenna is commonly used in space wave propagation?
A) Loop antenna
B) Dipole antenna
C) Whip antenna
D) Helical antenna
Answer: B
42. Fresnel zones are considered in space wave propagation to:
A) Improve antenna matching
B) Reduce path loss
C) Avoid interference from obstacles
D) Enhance polarization
Answer: C
43. What causes fading in space wave signals?
A) Antenna orientation
B) Multipath interference
C) Low transmission power
D) Noise floor
Answer: B
44. Space wave is not suitable for:
A) Radar
B) FM broadcasting
C) Satellite communication
D) Submarine communication
Answer: D
45. Free space path loss increases with:
A) Decreasing frequency
B) Increasing humidity
C) Increasing distance and frequency
D) Ground roughness
Answer: C
46. Which condition reduces space wave efficiency?
A) High antenna gain
B) High obstacle clearance
C) Low antenna height
D) Short wavelength
Answer: C
47. Space wave communication is typically used for distances up to:
A) 10 km
B) 20 km
C) 100 km
D) 200 km
Answer: D
48. Antenna polarization mismatch in space wave leads to:
A) Reduced ionization
B) Phase distortion
C) Signal attenuation
D) Frequency shift
Answer: C
49. Increased frequency in space wave leads to:
A) Increased absorption
B) Decreased range
C) Improved resolution
D) Reflection
Answer: C
50. Space wave signals can be blocked by:
A) Curvature of Earth
B) High frequency
C) Moist air
D) Low antenna gain
Answer: A
Part 3: Ground Wave Propagation (25 Questions)
51. Ground wave propagation is most effective at frequencies:
A) Above 30 MHz
B) Between 3–30 MHz
C) Below 2 MHz
D) 300–3000 MHz
Answer: C
52. Which factor primarily limits the range of ground wave propagation?
A) Line-of-sight
B) Ionospheric conditions
C) Surface conductivity
D) Frequency stability
Answer: C
53. The wave that travels along the surface of the Earth is called:
A) Space wave
B) Sky wave
C) Ground wave
D) Surface reflected wave
Answer: C
54. The attenuation of ground waves increases with:
A) Lowering frequency
B) Higher antenna height
C) Increasing frequency
D) Polarization
Answer: C
55. Which surface condition supports better ground wave propagation?
A) Rocky terrain
B) Dry sand
C) Sea water
D) Dense forest
Answer: C
56. Ground wave propagation is used in:
A) FM broadcasting
B) TV transmission
C) AM broadcasting
D) Satellite communication
Answer: C
57. Which frequency band is typically used for ground wave communication?
A) VHF
B) HF
C) MF and LF
D) UHF
Answer: C
58. Ground wave suffers from:
A) Diffraction only
B) Reflection only
C) Attenuation due to Earth’s conductivity
D) No loss
Answer: C
59. Ground wave propagation is best suited for distances up to:
A) 2 km
B) 10 km
C) 200 km
D) 2000 km
Answer: C
60. What helps in reducing the ground wave loss?
A) Increasing antenna height
B) Using higher frequencies
C) Using sea paths
D) Adding polarization
Answer: C
61. Surface waves follow the curvature of the Earth due to:
A) Reflection
B) Diffraction
C) Refraction
D) Bending by ionosphere
Answer: B
62. As frequency increases, ground wave propagation becomes:
A) More efficient
B) Less efficient
C) Independent of frequency
D) Enhanced
Answer: B
63. The efficiency of ground wave transmission depends on:
A) Earth’s magnetic field
B) Atmospheric pressure
C) Earth’s conductivity and permittivity
D) Humidity only
Answer: C
64. Ground wave communication is largely unaffected by:
A) Surface absorption
B) Atmospheric conditions
C) Antenna gain
D) Ionospheric storms
Answer: D
65. Which type of wave dominates in longwave navigation systems?
A) Sky wave
B) Space wave
C) Ground wave
D) Tropospheric wave
Answer: C
66. Which property of sea water makes it an excellent ground wave medium?
A) High resistivity
B) High dielectric constant
C) Low permeability
D) High conductivity
Answer: D
67. Ground wave signals are typically polarized:
A) Horizontally
B) Circularly
C) Vertically
D) Radially
Answer: C
68. In ground wave propagation, maximum range increases with:
A) Decreasing frequency
B) Increased antenna height
C) Daytime ionization
D) Use of repeaters
Answer: A
69. Which type of terrain would cause maximum attenuation to ground waves?
A) Ocean
B) Grassland
C) Rocky desert
D) Swamp
Answer: C
70. For maximum ground wave coverage, which antenna orientation is ideal?
A) Horizontal
B) Vertical
C) Slanted
D) Circular
Answer: B
71. A key limitation of ground wave is:
A) Line-of-sight requirement
B) Susceptibility to ionospheric distortion
C) Severe attenuation with frequency
D) High reflection loss
Answer: C
72. Ground wave signal strength decays with:
A) Inverse square law
B) Logarithm of distance
C) Frequency
D) Inverse linear distance
Answer: A
73. The dominant mode of propagation used in submarine communication is:
A) Space wave
B) Sky wave
C) Ground wave
D) Surface wave
Answer: C
74. What is the primary cause of energy loss in ground wave propagation?
A) Atmospheric scattering
B) Reflection from obstacles
C) Dielectric heating of the ground
D) Ionospheric reflection
Answer: C
75. Which is not a typical use of ground wave propagation?
A) AM broadcast
B) Maritime communication
C) Mobile phone towers
D) Longwave navigation
Answer: C
Part 4: Maritime and Naval Communication using Radio Waves (25 Questions)
76. Which frequency band is primarily used for long-distance maritime communication?
A) VHF
B) MF/HF
C) UHF
D) EHF
Answer: B
77. Which international system uses HF for global maritime distress and safety
communication?
A) SSB
B) GMDSS
C) AIS
D) LORAN
Answer: B
78. Naval vessels use which communication method for over-the-horizon operations?
A) Line-of-sight radio
B) Laser communication
C) Sky wave propagation
D) VLF beacon
Answer: C
79. Which system provides automatic tracking of vessel positions?
A) GMDSS
B) NAVTEX
C) AIS
D) INMARSAT
Answer: C
80. What is the typical VHF marine band range?
A) 0.3–3 MHz
B) 3–30 MHz
C) 30–88 MHz
D) 156–174 MHz
Answer: D
81. Which mode is used in HF naval voice communication?
A) AM
B) FM
C) SSB
D) PSK
Answer: C
82. Which system is used by submarines for underwater communication?
A) HF
B) UHF
C) VLF
D) SHF
Answer: C
83. The purpose of NAVTEX in maritime communication is to transmit:
A) Navigation commands
B) Voice messages
C) Maritime safety info
D) Satellite telemetry
Answer: C
84. What is the role of INMARSAT in naval operations?
A) Underwater tracking
B) Satellite navigation
C) Global satellite communication
D) VHF radio monitoring
Answer: C
85. Which communication mode is used by ships during distress calls on MF band?
A) SSB
B) Morse Code
C) DSC
D) AM
Answer: C
86. Why is VHF preferred for ship-to-ship communication?
A) Long range
B) Simple modulation
C) High reliability and line-of-sight clarity
D) Skip effect
Answer: C
87. In maritime HF communication, which problem is common?
A) Doppler shift
B) Multipath fading
C) Free-space loss
D) Tropospheric delay
Answer: B
88. Which maritime system uses digital signal processing for channel management?
A) NAVTEX
B) AIS
C) DSC
D) SSB
Answer: C
89. Which type of antenna is common on naval ships?
A) Whip antenna
B) Parabolic dish
C) Loop antenna
D) Patch antenna
Answer: A
90. VLF communication for submarines is preferred because:
A) High bandwidth
B) Low attenuation underwater
C) Global coverage
D) Ease of modulation
Answer: B
91. What is the benefit of using MF for ship-to-shore communication?
A) Satellite relay
B) Long-range during day
C) Good nighttime range
D) High fidelity
Answer: C
92. DSC in maritime communication stands for:
A) Digital Signal Carrier
B) Distress Signal Channel
C) Digital Selective Calling
D) Dynamic Ship Control
Answer: C
93. Which naval communication method is most secure?
A) HF SSB
B) Satellite communication
C) VLF with encryption
D) VHF simplex
Answer: C
94. Sky wave communication in naval context allows:
A) Short range secure communication
B) Global communication using HF
C) High-speed data only
D) Underwater sonar linkage
Answer: B
95. VHF communication range is limited by:
A) Power
B) Frequency
C) Line-of-sight
D) Ground wave
Answer: C
96. Maritime communication using UHF is limited because of:
A) Poor ionospheric reflection
B) High attenuation
C) Surface interference
D) Submarine reflection
Answer: B
97. Which of the following is NOT a maritime HF band?
A) 2 MHz
B) 4 MHz
C) 6 MHz
D) 12 GHz
Answer: D
98. In naval fleet coordination, secure HF communication is ensured by:
A) AIS monitoring
B) Frequency hopping
C) Line-of-sight sync
D) Pulse modulation
Answer: B
99. Which frequency band is preferred for emergency satellite communication at sea?
A) VHF
B) L-band
C) MF
D) EHF
Answer: B
100. Which of the following uses HF and satellite both for ship communication?
A) NAVTEX
B) GMDSS
C) DSC
D) AIS
Answer: B
