Propagation of Radiowaves

International Journal of Electrical Engineering Education, Jan 1998 by Gott, Geoffrey F

Propagation of Radiowaves: Ed M. P. M. HALL, L. W. BARCLAY and

M. T. HEWITT

(IEE, 1996, 446 pp., L55)

This outstanding book is based on nineteen lectures given at the fifth IEE Vacation School on Radiowave Propagation, and covers a wide range of subject material on different aspects of radio propagation and different service requirements. Each chapter has been written by acknowledged authorities in the field. The content thus reflects the wide experience of an exceptional group of authors, and the reader may have total confidence in the explanations and relevance of the work. The work is presented with a clear engineering emphasis, and is essentially comprehensible without undue difficulty.

The book begins with an overview of radiowave propagation, outlining basic properties of wavebands from ELF to infrared and optical waves, together with brief descriptions of radio services. This is followed by tutorial chapters on electromagnetic wave propagation, on radio system parameters, and on diffraction, reflection and scattering. Subsequent chapters deal in detail with propagation properties of the troposphere and of the ionosphere (in both cases with appropriate emphasis on the prediction of communication reliability), and with propagation for frequencies from below 2 MHz to greater than 1 GHz, including VHF and UHF coverage. Wideband propagation is comprehensively included, with application to terrestrial trunk routes, to mobile cellular networks, and to earth-space paths. Finally, there is a brief review on applications of millimetric waves. Considerable emphasis is given to texts of the Radiocommunication Sector of the International Telecommunication Union. Such texts generally cover material widely accepted in the discipline after extensive professional study reaching international concurrence.

The book is an updated version of Radiowave Propagation, edited by M. P. M. Hall and L. W. Barclay, published by the IEE in 1989. The authorship is slightly changed, and the new version includes very extensive additions. I am pleased to have copies of both books. It is intended for a wide readership; for those engaged in postgraduate studies or research, for those in industry or in operating organisations who are concerned with the design and planning of radio systems, and for others wishing to improve their familiarity with radio propagation. Radio communication is a continuously developing subject, and an understanding of propagation is fundamental to the design of communication, radar and broadcasting systems.

GEOFFREY F. GOTT Professor of Digital Communication Engineering UMIST