radiow

Radiow is a term used to refer to wireless communication systems that transmit information using radiowaves. It covers devices, networks, and protocols that encode, transmit, propagate, and receive signals across space or through guided media.

Principles: A radiow system typically includes a transmitter that modulates a carrier wave with an information signal, a propagation path, and a receiver that demodulates the signal to recover the information. Hardware components often include a baseband processor, an RF front end, an antenna, and, in digital systems, error correction, synchronization, and data-link control.

Modulation and multiplexing: Analog methods such as amplitude modulation (AM), frequency modulation (FM), and phase modulation (PM) are used, alongside digital schemes like quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM), phase-shift keying (PSK), and orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM). Multiplexing allows several signals to share a single band.

Spectrum and regulation: Radiow communications operate across defined frequency bands, from kilohertz to gigahertz, allocated by national authorities and international bodies. Licensing, power limits, and interference management are standard components of operation, with common standards maintained by organizations such as the ITU and IEEE.

Applications: Broadcasting, mobile and fixed wireless links, satellite and navigation systems, and machine-to-machine communications are common radiow applications. The technology also supports emergency services, research, and consumer electronics.

History: From early experiments in the late 19th century to modern digital networks, radiow technology evolved through improvements in modulation, coding, and spectrum management, enabling global, multi-service communications.