Range

Communication is the process of encoding and decoding information to transmit it from one entity to another. This is accomplished using different modalities or channels, such as sight, sound, touch, and smell. Each channel has a unique set of physical characteristics that allow information to be transmitted over a limited distance or through a medium. The combination of these characteristics results in the unique modalities that are used for human communication. The range of communication is the distance over which signals can be transmitted. The greater the range, the farther two people can communicate. This range can vary depending on the type of communication system used. The three main types of communication systems are vernacular, visual and written.

Terms used in a communication system

Various terms are used in a communication system, like, voice over IP (VoIP), video conference, broadcasting, telephone system, telephone line, telephone conversation, cordless phone, portable phone, internet phone, mobile phone, satellite phone, radio, radio broadcast, stereo, speaker system, intercom, speakerphone, messaging service, paging, radio station, television, television broadcast, digital television, digital television broadcast, television satellite, television cable, television network, TV studio, radio studio, film studio, webcasting, sound recording, sound broadcasting, digital sound recording, digital sound broadcasting, audio system, public address system, alarm system, digital alarm system, fire alarm system, wind alarm system, fire alarm system, digital fire alarm system.

Now let’s see the technical terminology used in the communications system:

1. Amplitude

2. Wavelength

3. Frequency

4. Bandwidth

5. Modulation

6. De-modulation

7. Attenuation

8. Signal

Range in a communication system

In electronic communication systems, the signal is transmitted from one source to another. The distance in which the signal travels from the transmitter to receiver is considered the range of the system. The main elements which play a vital role in communication are the transmitter, channel/medium, receiver.

Types Of Communication Systems:

Communication systems are divided into two categories: Analog and digital.

1. Analogue: Analogue technologies transmit data between people or machines as electronic signals of various frequencies or amplitudes. Telephone and radio transmissions are the most common examples of analogue technology.

2. Digital: Digital technology generates and processes information in two states: high and low. Digital technology stores and transmits the data in the form of 0s and 1s.

There are two types of communication channels:

1. Wired: Wired communication is further divided into four types:

Parallel wire communication,

Twisted wire communication,

Coaxial cable communication,

Optical fibre communication.

Wired communication is also known as line communication.

2. Wireless: In this, there are four types of communication:

Ground wave communication

Skywave communication

Space wave communication

Satellite communication

Wireless communication is also known as space communication.

Communication system examples

1. Internet

2. Public Switched Telephone network

3. Intranet and Extranet

4. Television

Various elements of communication system

Signal: The single-valued function of time that carries various information, which is then converted into electrical form to be transmitted.

Amplifier: The electronic device or circuit that increases the strength or amplitude of signals received by a device. It can be done anywhere from the transmitter to the receiver. 

Transmitter: The transmitter is the electronic component that converts a digital signal from the encoder into an analogue signal that can travel through the wire and be heard by the receiver. The transmitter is sometimes referred to as the modulator. The range, or distance, that the signal can travel through the wire is limited by the audio properties of the wire. The transmitter also adds additional information to the signal, such as channelisation codes, to allow the receiver to identify which channel it is receiving correctly.

Receiver: An arrangement that extracts the information or message from the input signal through the receiving system and reproduces it in a suitable form as the original input signal is called a receiver.

Distortion: Channel-constrained problems are often caused by various types of noise or distortion on the channel. A distorted signal may have different frequencies compared to the signal being sent. The variation in the frequency can be linear or nonlinear.

There are many more elements in communication systems like Modulator, Antenna, channel, noise and Transducer.

Range formula

When it comes to a communication system, the coverage range depends on the channel, transmitted power, and location of obstacles. So, if both the transmitter and the receiver are in line where no obstacles are present, only then can we apply this Free-Space Loss equation.

The free-space path loss equation is directly proportional to the square of the distance between the transmitter and the receiver. It is also proportional to the square of the radio signal’s frequency.

              Free-space path loss equation = (4𝜋df)/c2

                f: signal frequency

               d: distance from the transmitter

Conclusion

The range of a communication system is the maximum distance at which information can be delivered. In telecommunications, the range of a system is the maximum distance at which signals can be sent in a given medium, such as air, water, or electromagnetic waves. In radio communication, the range is the maximum distance that radio waves can travel through space. In optical communication, the range is the maximum distance at which light can travel through space. There are two types of