microwavewireless

Microwave wireless refers to wireless communication systems that transmit data using microwave frequency bands, typically ranging from about 1 GHz to 40 GHz, with higher-capacity deployments extending into the very high frequency and millimeter-wave ranges above 60 GHz. These links rely on line-of-sight propagation and highly directional antennas to achieve high link budgets and minimize interference, making them well suited for point-to-point connections over limited distances.

A microwave wireless system consists of a transmitter and receiver connected by a microwave radio link. The transceiver upconverts baseband or intermediate frequency signals to a microwave carrier, while the receiver downconverts them for demodulation. Data are modulated using schemes such as QPSK, 16QAM, or higher-order constellations, often with forward error correction to improve reliability. Antenna systems typically employ parabolic dishes or horn antennas to achieve narrow beams and high gain. Link budgets account for transmit power, antenna gains, free-space path loss, and potential weather-related losses such as rain fade.

Applications include point-to-point links for cellular and enterprise backhaul, rural broadband, and temporary high-capacity links for events or disaster recovery. Multipoint configurations are also used in campus or industrial networks to connect multiple sites.

Advantages of microwave wireless include high capacity in relatively narrow spectrum, fast deployment, and avoidance of trenching fiber. Limitations involve the requirement for line of sight, sensitivity to weather and atmospheric conditions at higher frequencies, and the need for regulatory licensing in many bands. Regulatory regimes and standards bodies govern spectrum allocations and interoperability, with bands such as licensed 6–42 GHz and ultra-high-capacity bands in the 71–86 GHz range used for modern backhaul.