ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the basics of energy transmission for radio links, how antennas are used, and the major concerns involved in radio link design. It describes basic parameters for antenna usage and provides system noise temperature for a cascaded string of modules using module gain or loss, noise figure, and noise temperature. The chapter presents other sources of disturbances found in the atmosphere and their effects on propagation through the link. It proposes the basic structure of the microwave spectrum and the characteristics of the Earth’s atmosphere that affect radio propagation. While radio transmission can be accomplished in a vacuum, the atmosphere greatly influences transmission quality. Data transmission can be accomplished with a variety of antenna types, depending upon the needs of the overall system. The antenna picks up additional microwave energy from the storm because the storm generally appears warmer than the clear sky temperature.
