Join the Most Relevant JEE Main 2025 Test Series & get 99+ percentile! Join Now
Search any question & find its solution
Question: Answered & Verified by Expert
A $50 \mathrm{MHz}$ sky wave takes $4.04 \mathrm{~ms}$ to reach a receiver via re-transmission from a satellite $600 \mathrm{~km}$ above Earth's surface. Assuming re-transmission time by satellite negligible, find the distance between source and receiver. If communication between the two was to be done by Line of Sight (LOS) method, what should size and placement of receiving and transmitting antenna be?
PhysicsCommunication System
Solution:
2048 Upvotes Verified Answer
Let the receiver is at point $\mathrm{A}$ and source is at $\mathrm{B}$ and the distance between $\mathrm{AO}=\mathrm{OB}=\mathrm{d}$
$$
\mathrm{CA}=\mathrm{CB}=\mathrm{x}
$$


Velocity of waves $=3 \times 10^8 \mathrm{~m} / \mathrm{s}$
Method time to reach a receiver $4.04 \mathrm{~ms}$
$$
=4.04 \times 10^{-3} \mathrm{sec}
$$
So, by echo the height of satellite is given
$$
\left(h_s=600 \mathrm{~km}\right) \text {. }
$$
Radius of earth $=6400 \mathrm{~km}$
Size of transmitting antenna $=\mathrm{h}_{\mathrm{I}}$
We know that,
Distance travelled by wave $=$ velocity of waves Time
or $\frac{2 x}{t}=V$
$$
\frac{2 \mathrm{x}}{4.04 \times 10^{-3}}=3 \times 10^8
$$
or $\quad x=\frac{3 \times 10^8 \times 4.04 \times 10^{-3}}{2}$
$$
=6.06 \times 10^5=606 \mathrm{~km}
$$
Using Phythagoras theorem,
$$
\begin{aligned}
&\mathrm{d}^2=\mathrm{x}^2-\mathrm{h}_{\mathrm{s}}^2=(606)^2-(600)^2=7236 \\
&\mathrm{~d}^2=7236 \mathrm{~km} \\
&\Rightarrow \mathrm{d}=85.06 \mathrm{~km}
\end{aligned}
$$
The distance between source and receiver $=2 \mathrm{~d}$
$$
=2 \times 85.06=170 \mathrm{~km}
$$
For the maximum distance covered by signal from satellite on ground from the transmitter
$$
\mathrm{d}=\sqrt{2 \mathrm{Rh}_{\mathrm{T}}}
$$
or $\quad \frac{d^2}{2 R}=h_T$
or size of antenna $\mathrm{h}_{\mathrm{T}}=\frac{7236}{2 \times 6400} \mathrm{~km}$
$$
=0.565 \mathrm{~km}=565 \mathrm{~m}
$$
We can not obtain signals of $\left(h_T=565 \mathrm{~m}\right)$ at $d=85.06$
$$
\mathrm{km} \text {, So hight or size of required antenna }=566 \mathrm{~m} \text {. }
$$

Looking for more such questions to practice?

Download the MARKS App - The ultimate prep app for IIT JEE & NEET with chapter-wise PYQs, revision notes, formula sheets, custom tests & much more.