Radio Wavs

[yyiiyyii]

How far can u send Radio Wavs? For Example if NASA sent a satellite to another star with planets around it could u transmit pictures back to Earth

 

[Nodsu]

Yes, of course in theory. Would be difficult with a "satellite" though - you need huge output power to get radio over such distance. A laser beam would be more practical.

 

[AlbertLionheart]

Radio waves propagate in all directions at the speed of light. Thus the worthy burgers of Proxima Centauri (if there are any) would be able to receive our radio broadcasts of some 4.22 years ago if they had the right kit. In, we fling out so much radio noise and have been doing so for nearly 100 years it is a wonder that our neighbours have not told us to shut up. Unless of course they are either deaf or not there at all. Are we alone?

 

[DelJo63]

IRRL (International Radio Relay League) comprised of Short Wave radio operators
make daily use of EMR propagation to communicate around the world. In fact
some play games to see how little power can be used to communicate with someone
on the other side. It has been done with as little as 5 watts radiated power.

 

[captaincranky]

Theoretically Forever.....But.....!

That would certainly depend on the receiver to be able to prove. Signal strength deteriorates rapidly at the very least via the inverse cube rule. Longer wavelengths such as AM radio tend to follow the curvature of the earth, while Shorter waves say FM band travel in a straight line.
Longer wavelengths bouncing back to earth produce "skip" conditions, where you can hear a station well beyond it's normal range.