Abstract: The purpose of this Handbook is to provide a radio operator or a radio communications officer with a working knowledge of the principles underlying the propagation of radio waves from a transmitting antenna to a receiving antenna. This Handbook explains how the radio waves travel from the transmitting antenna to the receiving antenna, and how they can be effectively utilized in spite of varying conditions that occur in their travel. The purpose is also to give an outline of method for calculating the field intensity to be expected, at any place in the world, produced by a transmitter in any other part of the world, and for evaluating the results in terms of whether the received intensity is great enough to be useful. In general, radio wave propagation varies with time of day, season, phase of the sunspot cycle, and geographical location of the transmitter and receiver. On some frequencies, propagation is less variable than on others, and data may be given which are valid, within limits, for a long period of time. On other frequencies, however, propagation may vary widely with time, and so for these frequencies only the general principles of calculation can be given here, quantitative data being included in monthly supplements of predictions of radio transmission conditions. A basic knowledge of the fundamentals of radio is assumed. Thus it is presumed that the reader has some idea of what a radio wave is and how it is generated, and that he is familiar with such terms as frequency, wavelength, power, field intensity, and polarization of the wave.

Keywords: ionosphere; telecommunications; antenna; receiver; transmitter; radio wave propagation; Interservice Radio Propagation Laboratory; National Bureau of Standards; IRPL; NBS; field intensity; sky wave; ground wave; frequency

Disclaimer: Certain commercial equipment, components, and software may be identified in this report to specify adequately the technical aspects of the reported results. In no case does such identification imply recommendation or endorsement by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, nor does it imply that the equipment or software identified is necessarily the best available for the particular application or uses.

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