Radio, Stereo, and Compact Disc: Description and Operation

SYSTEM DESCRIPTION

1. RADIO WAVE BAND
The radio wave bands used in radio broadcasting are as shown





2. SERVICE AREA
There are great differences in the size of the service area for AM. FM monaural, and FM stereo broadcasts cannot be received even though AM comes in very clearly.
Not only does FM stereo have the smallest service area. but it also picks up static and other types of interference ("noise") easily.

3. RECEPTION PROBLEMS
Besides the problem of static, there are also the problems called "fading","multipath" and "fade out". These problems are caused not by electrical noise but by the nature of the radio waves themselves.





Fading
Besides electrical interference, AM broadcasts are also susceptible to other types of interference, especially at night. This is because AM radio waves bounce off the ionosphere at night. These radio waves then interfere with the signals from the same transmitter that reach the vehicle's antenna directly. This type of interference is called "fading".





Multipath
One type of interference caused by the bouncing of radio waves off of obstructions is called "multipath". Multipath occurs when a signal from the broadcast transmitter antenna bounces off buildings and mountains and interferes with the signals that is received directly.





Fade Out
Because FM radio waves are of higher frequencies than AM radio waves, they bounce off buildings, mountains, and other obstructions. For this reason, FM signals often seem to gradually disappear or fade away as the vehicle goes behind a building or other obstruction. This is called "fade out".