Foundations Of Amateur Radio

Foundations of Amateur Radio Radio Waves travel in straight lines. They go from point to point and that's it. Except that Radio Waves also reflect off certain surfaces, like light does. So, Radio Waves travel in straight lines and they also reflect and that's it. Except that Radio Waves also change direction when they pass through some change of medium. So, then, Radio Waves travel in straight lines and they also reflect and refract and that's it. Except that Radio Waves also bend when they encounter an obstacle or a slit. So, ok that's it. Radio Waves travel in straight lines and they also reflect and refract and diffract and that's the end of it. Except that they turn slightly due to gravity when they pass by a large mass. So, this phenomenon that we use in our hobby every time we key up a transmitter or listen to an off-air signal is doing much that is invisible. It bends and wobbles, bounces and shifts, reflects and refracts and somehow we still manage to make our signal get from here to there. The