Wave propagation

• Propagation of waves from one point to another point

 They generally do this in four
ways:
• Directly from one point to
How radio another
• Follow the curvature of the
waves travel earth
between two • Become trapped in the
points? atmosphere and travelling
longer distance
• Refracting from the
ionosphere back to earth
Propagation modes
 Ground wave propagation
• Radio wave follow the earth surface
• Exist when the Transmitting & Receiving antennas
are close to the surface of earth
• Frequencies upto 3MHz
• Propagation along the surface of earth induce
charges in the earth, which travel with the wave
and hence constitute current
• While carrying this induce current the earth
behaves just as a leaky capacitor
 Ground wave propagation

• When surface wave glides over the surface of

the earth, energy is extracted from the surface
wave to supply the losses in the earth
• Surface wave looses some of its energy by
absorption; ground wave suffers varying amount
of attenuation
• Wave attenuation by ground is much more in
high frequency than at lower frequency
• So this propagation mode is suitable upto 3 MHz