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All radio waves propagated over ionospheric paths undergo energy losses before arriving at the receiving site. As we discussed earlier, absorption in the ionosphere and lower atmospheric levels account for a large part of these energy losses. There are two other types of losses that also significantly affect the ionospheric propagation of radio waves. These losses are known as ground reflection loss and freespace loss. The combined effects of absorption, ground reflection loss, and freespace loss account for most of the energy losses of radio transmissions propagated by the ionosphere. When propagation is accomplished via multihop refraction, rf energy is lost each time the radio wave is reflected from the Earth's surface. The amount of energy lost depends on the frequency of the wave, the angle of incidence, ground irregularities, and the electrical conductivity of the point of reflection. Freespace Loss Normally, the major loss of energy is because of the spreading out of the wavefront as it travels away from the transmitter. As the distance increases, the area of the wavefront spreads out, much like the beam of a flashlight. This means the amount of energy contained within any unit of area on the wavefront will decrease as distance increases. By the time the energy arrives at the receiving antenna, the wavefront is so spread out that the receiving antenna extends into only a very small fraction of the wavefront. This is illustrated in figure 2-22. Figure 2-22. - Freespace loss principle.
ELECTROMAGNETIC INTERFERENCE (EMI) The transmission losses just discussed are not the only factors that interfere with communications. An additional factor that can interfere with radio communications is the presence of ELECTROMAGNETIC INTERFERENCE (EMI). This interference can result in annoying or impossible operating conditions. Sources of emi are both man-made and natural. Man-Made Interference Man-made interference may come from several sources. Some of these sources, such as oscillators, communications transmitters, and radio transmitters, may be specifically designed to generate radio frequency energy. Some electrical devices also generate radio frequency energy, although they are not specifically designed for this purpose. Examples are ignition systems, generators, motors, switches, relays, and voltage regulators. The intensity of man-made interference may vary throughout the day and drop off to a low level at night when many of these sources are not being used. Man-made interference may be a critical limiting factor at radio receiving sites located near industrial areas. Natural Interference Natural interference refers to the static that you often hear when listening to a radio. This interference is generated by natural phenomena, such as thunderstorms, snowstorms, cosmic sources, and the sun. The energy released by these sources is transmitted to the receiving site in roughly the same manner as radio waves. As a result, when ionospheric conditions are favorable for the long distance propagation of radio waves, they are likewise favorable for the propagation of natural interference. Natural interference is very erratic, particularly in the hf band, but generally will decrease as the operating frequency is increased and wider bandwidths are used. There is little natural interference above 30 megahertz. Electromagnetic interference can be reduced or eliminated by using various suppression techniques. The amount of emi that is produced by a radio transmitter can be controlled by cutting transmitting antennas to the correct frequency, limiting bandwidth, and using electronic filtering networks and metallic shielding. Radiated emi during transmission can be controlled by the physical separation of the transmitting and receiving antennas, the use of directional antennas, and limiting antenna bandwidth. Q.27 What are the two main sources of emi with which radio waves must compete? |
 
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