How to calculate wide range?

Thread Starter

cpleng7

Joined Dec 18, 2008
120
Wide range is of the advantage of the AM circuit, can someone tell me how to calculate the range that AM wave can archive?

Beside wide range what else is advantage of the AM transmitter?
 

wr8y

Joined Sep 16, 2008
232
What everyone is trying to say is that radio wave propagation has more to do with range than modulation method.

That means that the frequency you are on and power you are running determine range, not so much the method of modulation. Sure, CW or SSB are readable a LITTLE farther than AM or FM - but not much!
 

wr8y

Joined Sep 16, 2008
232
There are many variables that will determine the outcome distance. Such as weather, propogation, and especially your enviorment.
I can see propagation, antenna configuration, weather and power - but ENVIRONMENT? What do you mean?

How are you using the term "environment"?
 

beenthere

Joined Apr 20, 2004
15,819
In a situation where you ignore any other effect, use the transmitter output power. It attenuates with the square of the distance, but that can be calculated quite easily.

Assume some level of sensitivity at your receiver. When the antenna it is attached to receives that minimum level of power from the transmitter, then you are at the maximum range.

As you can see, the transmitter power out and the receiver sensitivity plus receive antenna gain all affect your calculation. Amateur radio groups have managed to get a signal transmitted at a 1 watt level and bounced off the moon - about 500,000 miles for that signal path.
 
Top