RADIO THEORY

Air Waves in Aviation

DEFINITIONS
• Radio transmission is an electromagnetic wave
with the same characteristics as light or heat.
• Wavelength is the linear measurement of the
wave.
• Cycle is the interval in which the wave rises and
falls between its crest and trough.
• Frequency is the number of cycles/second.
• Amplitude is the strength of the signal.
RADIO BANDS

• Low and Medium Frequency: Non

Directional Beacons and Marker Beacons
transmit signals on the LF/MF bands of
200 to 415KHz and 510 to 535KHz.
• High Frequency: used for air/ground
communication in remote northern areas
and on transoceanic flights. (longer range
than VHF) 2,500KHz to 30,000KHz
• Very High Frequency: the most common
frequency range in aviation, used for voice
communication, VOR, and ILS. 30MHz to
300MHz
• Ultra High Frequency: allocated for
military use, DME, and glide slope.
300MHz to 3,000MHZ
 3 kHz to 30 kHz Very Low Frequencies (VLF)
30 kHz to 300 kHz Low Frequencies (LF)
300 kHz to 3,000 kHz Medium Frequencies (MF)
3,000 kHz to 30,000 kHz High Frequencies (HF)
30,000 kHz to 300,000 kHz Very High Frequencies (VHF)
300,000 kHz to 3,000,000 kHz Ultra High Frequencies (UHF)
PROPERTIES OF RADIO
WAVES
• Reflection: change of direction occurring at a
surface separating two different media.
• Refraction: bending of wave as it passes from
one medium to another.
• Diffraction: bending of wave as it passes
beside a non-conductive object.
• Attenuation: weakening of wave as it travels
through a medium.
PROPAGATION
• LF, MF, and HF transmit in two ways.
• Ground Waves: follow the surface of the earth
as an effect of diffraction and surface
attenuation.
• Sky Waves: travel into the atmosphere and are
reflected back to earth by the ionosphere.
• A skip zone exists between the points where
the ground waves end, and the sky waves strike
the earth. (erratic or non-existent signals)
• VHF waves are not affected by the same
propagation characteristics.
• These waves do not reflect off the ionosphere
but continue into space.
• They do not follow the curvature of the earth.
• This line-of-sight (space waves) characteristic
means reception is dependant on altitude.
1.23√AGL=range(nm)
ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS
• LF, MF, HF are affected by the changing height
of the ionosphere from day to night.
• At night sky waves travel are reflected by the
ionosphere which allows for reception at greater
distances.
• Sunspots and electromagnetic disturbances
affect the reflectivity of the ionosphere causing
signal fade out.
• Electrical fields associated with clouds (notably
thunderstorms) create precipitation static.
• VHF is virtually free from atmospheric and
precipitation static.
The ionosphere is a collection of ionized particles and electrons in the earths
atmosphere. It is responsible for reflecting LF, MF, and HF radio waves. The D-
layer which develops shortly after sunrise and disappears shortly after sunset
absorbs this radio energy minimizing the reflection of sky waves. When the D-
layer fades at night the radio waves are reflected back to earth as sky waves by
the E and F-layers.
HF COMMUNICATION
• Because of HF radios propagation
characteristics it is very useful for long range
communications.
• It is used in remote areas such as Northern
Canada and during transoceanic flights.
• The higher range of HF travels farther in the day
while the lower HF signals travel farther at night
due to the changing ionosphere.

– Sun up, frequency up

– Sun down, frequency down
ANTENNAS

• Radio antennas operate on the principle of

resonance: when a tuning fork is struck it
will vibrate at its natural frequency; when
two tuning forks are tuned to the same
frequency the first tuning fork will induce
vibration in the second.
• Radio antennas are tuned to the frequency
to be received.
• The ideal antenna length is one wavelength
long. That means a standard VHF antenna
would be 6-30 feet long. Antennas this length
are impractical, so sub-multiples are used.
• LF,MF,HF: long wave=long antenna (wire or
Pod)
• VHF: short wave=short antenna (mast)
• UHF: very short wave=very short antenna
(blade)
DATA LINK COMMUNICATIONS

• VHF data link: used for limited data transfer on

the ground such as ATIS, taxi instructions,
clearances, and graphical weather services. The
information is displayed on a display unit on the
flight deck.
• Satellite Communications (SATCOM): used
for communications in oceanic and remote
environments. Allows virtual global coverage
and high quality communications. Not subject to
typical radio reception problems.