MadSci Network: Physics |
Hi Roland, That's an interesting effect, but I have my doubts about any amplification going on. Amplification implies that energy is being added to the system, which requires a power source. I would guess that it's a coincidence that signal improves around the bends, but I have no way to confirm that. It's possible that the tunnel itself is acting as a waveguide and there are antinodes at the bends, but that's pure speculation. I am surprized that any signal gets through the tunnel at all! To answer your second question, just about any effect that improves radio reception can be used for antenna design. The real question is whether that effect and geometry makes a good antenna. There are several qualities that engineers look for in an antenna, such as size, effective aperture or directive gain, band width, and efficiency. It's possible to make an antenna that improves reception, but if it's limited to a very narrow band or it's very inefficient, it might not be any better than any of the numerous antenna designs that already exist. Here is a general overview of antennas and some of the important parameters: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antenna_(radio) I hope that answers your questions! Madhu - blog
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