The Very High Frequency (VHF) Band & Space Weather


Radio Band

Uses


VHF Band
Frequencies: 30-300 MHz
(1 MHz = 1,000,000 Hz = 1 million wave cycles per second)

TV ( 54-88 MHz and 174-216 MHz)
FM Radio (88-108 MHz)

Wave Paths

Effects of Space Storms

Usually line-of-sight transmission is used (which covers at most ~100 km depending on the power of the transmitter). These frequencies pass through the ionosphere and can be uplinked to communications satellites for retransmission to distant receivers. Ionospheric conditions have little impact.

For Satellite-to-Ground Communications: Signal quality is affected by irregularities in the ionosphere which produces phase and amplitude variations in the received signal. Irregularities are enhanced, particularly at polar latitudes, during space weather disturbances.


The source of this material is Windows to the Universe, at http://windows2universe.org/ from the National Earth Science Teachers Association (NESTA). The Website was developed in part with the support of UCAR and NCAR, where it resided from 2000 - 2010. © 2010 National Earth Science Teachers Association. Windows to the Universe® is a registered trademark of NESTA. All Rights Reserved. Site policies and disclaimer.