The Medium Wave Radio Band & Space Weather


Radio Band

Uses


Medium Wave
Frequencies: 525-1,700 kHz, Wavelengths: 180-570 meters
(1 kHz = 1000 Hz = 1000 wave cycles per second)

AM radio (535-1605 kHz)

Wave Paths

Effects of Space Storms

Sky waves & ground waves are both produced. Strong local interference patterns are generated due to the terrain, trees, buildings, etc. Large absorption losses from the sky wave by the ionosphere so the ground waves provide the most stable coverage.

Signals are severely attenuated in the D regionduring the day and thus are much stronger at night when the D region vanishes. Events that alter the low altitude ionosphere such as ionospheric storms, solar flare x-rays, and solar protons (that produce polar cap aborption events) attenuate the sky wave. AM radio is usually not impacted by space weather events because it relies mainly on the ground wave.


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