Wireless Transmission

Wireless communication technology has developed significantly over the past few decades and has
become one of the most important types of media transmission from one device to another. Without
the use of wires or electronic conductors, information can be transmitted by using electromagnetic
waves. The various types of wireless communication include radio broadcast (RF), Infrared (IR),
satellite, microwave, and Bluetooth. Mobile phones, GPS, Wi-Fi, and cordless telephones are
devices that use wireless transmission to exchange data and information.

Wireless Transmission

Frequency Ranges
Have you ever wondered how your television and mobile phone can work at the same time? Both
receive signals via antenna in the form of electromagnetic waves but don't interfere with each other.
The reason is that all wireless devices operate in their own frequency bands within which they
transmit and receive signals. For example, television broadcast operates between 54-216 MHz, FM
radio operates between 87.5-108 MHz and cell phones operate either between 824-894 MHz or
1850-1990 MHz.

Frequency Band Name Frequency Range Application

Extremely Low Frequency (ELF) 3-30 Hz Underwater Communication
Super Low Frequency (SLF) 30-300 Hz AC Power
Very Low Frequency (VLF) 3-30 kHz For Navigation Alarms
Low Frequency (LF) 30-300 kHz AM Radio
Medium Frequency (MF) 300-3000 kHz Aviation
High Frequency (HF) 3-30 MHz Shortwave Radio
Very High Frequency (VHF) 30-300 MHz FM Radio
Ultra High Frequency (UHF) 300-3000 MHz Television, mobile phones, GPS
Super High Frequency (SHF) 3-30 GHz Satellite, Wireless Communication
Extremely High Frequency (EHF) 30-300 GHz Remote Sensing, Astronomy

Components
The main components of wireless transmission are discussed below.

Antennas
An antenna is a group of metal conductors or elements which are connected to a transmitter or
receiver. These are important components of wireless equipment that convert the electrical current
moving in metal conductors to electromagnetic waves or radio waves. This radio equipment is
mainly used for broadcasting television, cell phones, satellite communication, and radio
broadcasting.
At the transmitter end, the radio transmitter passes the electric current to the antenna's terminals,
and the antenna transmits radio waves. At the receiver end, the antenna converts radio waves into
the electric current at its terminals where the electrical signal is amplified.

Signal Strength
The strength of a radio signal is defined as the transmitted power output received by an antenna
receiver after transmitting from a wireless device. The signal strength for broadcast transmission is
measured in dB-millivolts per meter. For low powered systems like mobile phones, it is measured in
dB-microvolts per meter.
The amount of power present in a received radio signal is often measured in receiver signal
strength indicator (RSSI). In wireless networking, IEEE 802.11 devices usually share this RSSI
value with consumers due to variations in signal strength.

Signal Degradation
All types of signal data in wireless transmission have to deal with degradation. One form of
degradation is called fading which results in weakened signal strength. A repeater or an amplifier is
required to improve the strength of a signal over the transmission.