RADIO WAVES

It was invented by MAXWELL(1867)

• This is an electromagnetic wave, when AC current travels through

the wire, perpendicular to that current there is a magnetic eld
and perpendicular to both( AC CURRENT & MAGNETIC FEILD)
there is an ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELD called RADIO WAVE.
• Speed of EM WAVE is same as speed of light.

DEFINITIONS:
• FREQUENCY: It is the number of cycles completed per
second and the unit is hertz.
• WAVELENGTH: Distance travelled by radio wave in one cycle
or the distance b/w two consecutive CREST and
TROUGH.Unit is meter(m).
• AMPLITUDE: It is the max. Displacement from the mean
position.
• C=F x λ { speed of light = frequency x wavelength.
• Frequency is inversly proportional to wavelength.

PROPERTIES OF RADIO WAVES:

• Radio wave travels with the speed of light ie; 3 x 10^8m/s or
16200nm/s.
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 • Radio wave gets transmitted in every direction { omnidirectional}
• Radio waves travelling from land{ denser} to sea {rarer} medium
will accelrate and bend away from the normal and vice versa
because C increases but F remains constant so WAVELENGTH
changes.
1KHZ = 103 HZ
1MHZ = 106
1GHZ = 109
POLARISATION:
- The orientation of the electric eld of a radio wave as it
travels through space.Electric component decides
polarisation.

1. VERTICAL POLARISATION: A wave is vertically

polarised when the electric component E travels in the
vertical plane and its assosiated magnetic component H
in the horizontal plane. It has more range eg; NDB.
2. HORIZONTAL POLARISATION: A wave is horizontally
polarised when the ELECTRIC component travels in the
horizontal plane and the magnetic component in the
vertical plane. Eg; VOR.

MODULATION
Process of impressing intelligence on a radio wave is called modulation. In
this the radio wave is called the carrier wave and the information impressed
on the radio wave is called the modulating wave.

Types of Modulation:

1. KEYING: On and o or dots and dashes. Like in telegraphy.

2. AMPLITUDE MODULATION: When amplitude of the carrier is varied in
con rmation with the amplitude of the audio modulating signal,
keeping the FREQUENCY constant. (VHF)
3. FREQUENCY MODULATION: When frequency of the carrier is varied in
con rmation with the amplitude of the radio modulating signal, keeping
the AMPLITUDE constant. (Data link)
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 4. PULSE MODULATION: The modulating pulse amplitude modulates the
carrier, giving it shape of a pulse. Used in radar.
5. PHASE MODULATION: (VOR/ILS, VOICE)

Side Bands:
These are additional frequencies when a carrier wave is modulated by a freq
lower than itself (normally done). So, there are always 3 freq as a result of
modulation (FC+FM)

• Carrier freq (FC)

• Carrier freq + audio freq (FC+FM)
• Carrier freq – audio freq (FC-FM)
Designation and Classi cation of Emissions:

3 symbols are used:

Some Examples: DGCA

Tricks to Remember:
• HF - J3E
• VHF - A3E
• VDF - A3E
• ILS - A8W
• VOR - A9W
• DME - PON

Attenuation:
• The reduction in signal strenth as the radio waves travel
through a medium or channel.
• Factors like distance,obstructions(like buildings and
trees),weather,type of polarisation etc contribute to this
phenomenon.
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 TYPES OF PROPAGATION
Types of Propagation

• Ionospheric Propagation
◦ Skywave
◦ GPS, GNSS
• Non-ionospheric Propagation:
◦ Surface wave / Ground wave
◦ Space wave
◦ Line of Sight

⭐ Non-Ionospheric Propagation:

1. Surface wave:
◦ Follows earth's curvature.
◦ Horizontally polarized wave.
◦ Attenuation:
▪ Range ↓, Loss of signal strength.
▪ Di raction.
▪ Bending = because of di raction.
◦ Range = 2√p for land. And 3 √p for water.
◦ Reach reciever by travelling along surface of earth & bent
around surface of earth.
◦ Surface wave have more attenuation by the land than by
sea.
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 ◦ On sea, range will increase because of good electrical
conductivity.
◦ USE → LF.
2. Space wave:
◦ USE: VHF
◦ It is a combination of direct wave & ground re ected
wave.
◦ Space wave have frequency more than 50MHz, That's
why it propagates in "line of sight" because frequency
above VHF, radio wave start to behave more like visible
light.
◦ Direct + ground re ected:
▪ f > 50Hz.
▪ LOS or VHF.
▪ Range = 1.25 (√HT + √Hr).
▪ HT Height of transmitter.
▪ He Height of Receiver.

SKYWAVE PROPAGATION

THE IONOSPHERE:
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• THE IONOSPHERE:rays from sun impacting the
upper layers of form atmosphere cause electrons to
be emitted. These free electrons form the
ionosphere. Because the absorption of solar
radiation is uneven, the ionosphere exists in 3
layers
•
D layer: 50-100 km (avg 75 kms) disappears @ Night
•
E layer: 100-150 kms (avg 125 kms) also called Kennelly
Heaviside layer.
•
F layer: 150-350kms (avg 225 kms) also called Appleton layer.
This often exists as F1 and F2 layer. Has max variations.
•
VARIATION OF DENSITY (OF ELECTRON) depends upon
•
Diurnal activity: daytime more ionic density. At night D layer
vanishes. E layer intensity reduces and it rises.. F1 and F2
merge to form one layer and height increases.
•
b. Seasonal activity: max activity when sun closest.

Attenuation of radio wave in IONOSPHERE depends on:

• DENSITY OF LAYER: More density= More attenuation

• FREQUENCY IN USE: Lower the frequency = greater the
attenuation.
 SKYWAVE PROPAGATION

• CRITICAL ANGLE: A signal entering ionosphere will

undergo refraction and may bend enough to return back to
earth. Angle that this wave makes with the normal at the
transmission point is called critical angle and the returned
wave is called critical ray or rst sky return.
• SKIP DISTANCE: Distance between transmittor and the point
on the surface where the rst sky wave returns.
• DEAD SPACE: the area between the limit of the surface wave
and the point of reception of rst sky wave.
• MULTI HOP REFRACTION: if returning signal is strong, it will
be re ected back to ionosphere again, this may happen
several times.
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• FADING( uctuation): two signals from same transmitter
arriving at same reciever following di erent path may be out
of phase causing fading. THIS IS VERY COMMON DURING
NIGHT.
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 COMMUNICATIONS
HF: LONG RANGE
VHF: SHORT RANGE

1. CHOICE OF FREQ FOR LONG RANGE COMM. From the given

freq band only HF and VHF can be considered. Of this VHF being LOS,
HF is a better option. At freq bands lower than HF there are problems
of aerial size and high static noise.
2. HF COMMUNICATION
◦ CRITICAL FREQUENCY: the critical freq is that freq at which IT
just starts to escape vertically to the ionosphere.
3. NIGHT COMM USING HF: at night the following happens to the sky
wave
◦ Ionosphere goes up increasing refraction ht. So skip distance
increases.
◦ Due to reconstruction of electrons, the electron density reduces.
So same wave has to travel deeper (higher) to be refracted
enough to return.
◦ For these reasons the night freq is lowered (generally to half of
day), as this adjusts skip distance because longer wavelengths.
◦ Lower freq refract from lower layers
◦ Lower freq require a smaller critical angle.
4. OTHER POINTS ABOUT HF COMM.:
◦ a. Freq band 2-22 Mhz (practically upto 18 Mhz)
◦ b. Transmission is AM
5. FACTORS AFFECTING HF RANGE:
◦ a. Transmission power → More Power → More Range
◦ b. Time of day → At Night → Less Range
◦ c. Season of the year → Summers → More Range
◦ d. Geographic location → Equator → More Range
◦ e. Freq in use → Low Freq → More Range (Always remember
rst signal comes at lowest wavelengths)
6. CHOICE OF FREQ FOR SHORT RANGE COMM. VHF as it is free of
static.
◦ a. "This provides range of about 80 nm at 5000 ft and 200 nm at
20,000 ft
◦ b. Freq band is from 117.975 Mhz to 137 Mhz
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 ◦ c. Transmission is AM (Amplitude Modulated)
◦ d. Type emission is A3E
7. FACTORS AFFECTING VHF RANGE:
◦ a. Ht of transmitter
◦ b. Ht of receiver
◦ c. Transmission power
◦ d. Obstacle near the transmission site a ecting propagation
◦ e. Fading caused as aircraft may receive direct and ground
re ected waves.
8. SELCAL (SELECTIVE CALLING SYSTEM): relieves pilot of the tiresome
task of maintaining a continuous listening watch. When the ground
station wants to contact an aircraft maintaining SELCAL, it transmits
two coded tone pulses. This activates a cockpit call system by ashing
a lamp or ringing a bell.
9. ACARS (AIRCRAFT COMM ADDRESSING AND REPORTING
SYSTEM): it is a common data link between the airline ground
operations base and the aircraft. (DGCA)
10. SATCOM: satellite communication through INMARSAT. These are a
group of geostationary satellites provided by international maritime
satellite organisation. Provides comm. Between 80 deg N and 80 deg
S. Transmission is in L band. (1 to 2 GHZ)

Q Codes

DELHI VDE STATION.

• QTE: True bearing 105° from station

• QDR: Magnetic bearing 110° from station (Radial)
• GDM: Magnetic Bearing 290° to station from A/C (Usually GDM you
will reach Delhi)
• GUJ: True bearing to Station from A/C
TRICK TO REMEMBER

• QDR → Get Prescription FROM Doctor station

• QTE → Get Medicine FROM cutie lady station
• Not asks → Where Am I?
• GDM → Drive To District Magistrates House (A/c To Station)
• GUJ → Drive To Judges House (A/c To Station)
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