Basic Characteristics of Radio Waves
2026-03-11
I. Basic Characteristics of Radio Waves WWW.WHWIRELESS.COM Estimated reading time: 15 minutes 1.1 Definition of Radio Waves Radio waves serve as the carrier of signals and energy, generated by the mutual coupling of oscillating electric and magnetic fields, adhering to the alternating coupling law of "electricity generates magnetism and magnetism generates electricity". During propagation, the electric and magnetic fields are always perpendicular to each other and both perpendicular to the propagation direction of the wave, making them **Transverse Electromagnetic Waves (TEM waves)**. Their generation originates from high-frequency oscillating circuits: when the current in a circuit changes rapidly over time, an alternating electromagnetic field is excited in the surrounding space. Once this electromagnetic field detaches from the wave source, it propagates through space in the form of radio waves, without relying on any medium—they can even transmit in a vacuum. 1.2 Relationship between Wavelength, Frequency and Propagation Speed The core formula governing the relationship between the wavelength (λ), frequency (f) of radio waves and their propagation speed (speed of light \( C \) in a vacuum, approximately \( 3×10^8 \, \text{m/s} \)) is: \[ \lambda = \frac{C}{f} \] **Key Conclusion**: In the same medium, frequency and wavelength are strictly inversely proportional—the higher the frequency, the shorter the wavelength. This relationship directly dictates the design dimensions of antennas: for example, the wavelength of a 2.4GHz WiFi signal is approximately 12.5 cm, corresponding to a half-wave dipole antenna length of about 6.25 cm; for a 700MHz low-frequency communication signal, the wavelength is approximately 42.8 cm, requiring a half-wave dipole length of 21.4 cm. Additionally, the electrical performance of an antenna (such as radiation efficiency, gain, and impedance) is directly related to its **electrical length** (the ratio of physical length to wavelength). In practical engineering, the required electrical length must be converted to the specific physical length to ensure the antenna operates properly. 1.3 Polarization of Radio Waves Polarization refers to the variation law of the electric field direction as a radio wave propagates, determined by the spatial motion trajectory of the electric field vector, forming a complete spectrum: **Circular Polarization ← Elliptical Polarization → Linear Polarization**. The core characteristics and application scenarios of the three are as follows: - **Linear Polarization**: The electric field direction remains fixed, the most commonly used polarization form. A wave with an electric field perpendicular to the ground is a **vertically polarized wave**, which has strong resistance to ground reflection interference and is suitable for terrestrial mobile communications (e.g., traditional 2G/3G base stations); a wave with an electric field parallel to the ground is a **horizontally pol...
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