Text 2 (B) Radio Waves

Radio waves are electromagnetic waves used for radio-communication. According to their frequencies electromagnetic waves produce different effects and are generated and detected by different methods. The waves of highest frequency so far discovered are cosmic rays, which appear in interstellar space and reach the earth from all directions. Next in order down the frequency spectrum come X-rays, ultra-violet rays and ordinary light space, to be followed by infrared rays and radio waves. The frequencies of radio waves are too low to be perceived¹ by the eye, although they are of exactly the same type as light waves, which operate on higher frequencies. Because of their low frequency, radio waves have to be collected on an aerial system and made perceptible by converting them to sound or vision. They have a great advantage over other forms of communication in that they follow the curvatures² of the earth and so are suitable³ for communication over great distances.

NOTES: ¹ to perceive – воспринимать; ² curvature –искривление; ³ suitable –подходящий, соответствующий

Text 2 (C) Basic Receivers and Transmitters

A much simplified transmitter block-diagram is shown in Fig. 1. This could be called the all-purpose block-diagram since it could be easily converted to a low-level or high-level amplitude modulation transmitter, a single sideband transmitter, or a frequency modulation transmitter. Obviously in the example, the circuit details would vary greatly, particularly in the modulators, and if detailed block diagrams were drawn the underlying similarities in structure would be less obvious.

ARIAL

		R.F. OSCILLATOR			MODULATOR

The basic туре of a receiver is a tuned radio frequency, however, this is rarely used. The standard receiver configuration is the superheterodyne (superhet) shown in Fig.2.

MIXER

DETECTOR

OUTPUT

LOCAL OSCILLATOR

Fig.2. Basic superheterodyne receiver block-diagram

The desired radio frequency (r.f.) is converted to a constant intermediate frequency by taking the difference frequency after mixing the received signal with the output from a local oscillator. Since most of the amplification and selectivity is provided by constant frequency and bandwidth stages, the design problem is eased.

In both the transmitter and the receiver, r.f. oscillators have to be tuned to different frequencies. In the transmitter it is the master oscillator, while in the receiver it is the local oscillator. Modern practice is to use a frequency synthesizer with a single crystal to provide stability and accuracy.

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