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Radio Wave Propagation types

Propagation or radio waves from the radiating antenna to the receiving antenna may take place in the following ways :

1. Ground Wave Propagation
   • Surface Wave Propagation
   • Space Wave Propagation
2. Sky wave propagation

Ground wave propagation is the radio wave which results because of the presence of the ground or earth. The ground wave may be classified further into two categories :

1. Surface wave
2. Space wave ( Tropospheric)

Surface Wave:

In free space, waves travels in straight line, but in the presence of earth and its atmosphere, the path of the wave gets altered. Frequencies below high frequency region travel along curvature of the earth. This due to the diffraction effect and wave guide effect which uses earth surface and lowest ionised surface of atmosphere. This type wave are called as ground waves or surface waves.

The surface waves is that part of the radio wave which travels along the surface of the earth. It is electromagnetic wave is vertical. The wave is supported at the lower edge by the ground. Such propagation take place when the transmitting and receiving antenna’s are close to the surface on the earth.

Surface wave propagation is of importance only for medium and long waves signals. All the medium wave signals receive during day time use surface wave propagation. Surface waves are utilized for broadcasting purpose.

Space wave:

Above HF region, waves travel in straight lines. This type of waves are called as “space waves” or “tropospheric waves”. In other words, the space wave on the other hand, is that part of the radio waves which travel from transmitting antenna to the receiving antenna through the space i.e. the earth’s troposphere. This region of atmosphere extents from the earth’s surface about 15km.

Sky wave propagation:

Waves in the HF range and some times frequencies just above or below it are reflected by the ionized layers of the atmosphere and therefore known as sky wave propagation. Sky wave comes down to the earth due to reflection at some distant point will beyond horizon. Sky waves can reached the receiver on the opposite side of globe, when sky waves are reflected by ground and ionosphere several times.

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