Radio Tramsmission - POWER

[Eisprinzessin]

Hi,

what does the Power setting (W) change exactly when i make a radio transmission?

 

Thanks

 

[toutenglisse]

@Eisprinzessin it sets the range of the transmission.

[Eisprinzessin]

So the higher the value the greater the distance? Is there a maximum?

[razo+r]

The maximum range depends on power and frequency. Higher Frequency needs to have a direct LOS to the receiver.

 

For example, If you have a mountain inbetween with a high frequency, you can set the power as high as you want but that wont change the maximum range because you have a mountain inbetween blocking the signal. 

Edited May 29, 2022 by razo+r

[Volator]

What would be a realistic power setting for

• a VHF radio of a GCI radar station for fighter guidance
• an NDB beacon for navigation purposes

?

I am using 500 watts as a standard, but I have no idea if that would match real-world transmitting power.

[rob10]

I'm curious if others have a different experience, but I haven't found any difference from changing the power setting.  I know in MP with SRS there are definitely distance effects (transmission can become broken or totally unreceivable), but not sure if this is controlled by power setting at all.

[razo+r]

12 hours ago, Volator said:

What would be a realistic power setting for

• a VHF radio of a GCI radar station for fighter guidance
• an NDB beacon for navigation purposes

?

I am using 500 watts as a standard, but I have no idea if that would match real-world transmitting power.

Depending on what the use of the NDB is, something between less than 50 Watts or more than 2000 Watts. 

Airborne VHF radios have somewhere up to 50 watts of power, depending on type and application. No idea about GCI radios though.