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Microwaves Are Not Just For Cooking

© Maureen Fleury

When you see super tall structures like the CN Tower in Toronto Canada or the AMP Tower in Sydney Australia, why are they so high? When you receive a call on your cell phone, how do you think it gets there? The answer to both questions is ~microwave~.

Most of us think of the microwave as an oven for cooking food. How can something that reheats Sunday dinner or pops corn kernels manage to communicate with a satellite?

The answer is simple. Within the electromagnetic field occupied by microwave, the wavelengths are not exactly the same. At one end of the spectrum, there are the longer waves and these are used for cooking. The wavelength is approximately one foot. At the other end are the waves used for radar and they are only a couple of inches long.

Why is the microwave a popular method of communication? It does not require a cable because it's transmitted through airspace. Cabling can be a drawback in several ways. Land must be acquired for repeater stations and for laying cable. Repairs can be more difficult due to distance and access. In some areas, the terrain may be unsuitable or difficult to work on.

For microwave transmission, all that's needed is a dish and antenna. It is the only means of communicating with a satellite, therefore it can easily travel long distances. Microwave is also used to send signals to other line of sight towers on land. There are a couple of drawbacks, such as the inability to transmit through solid structures like buildings and the signal can weaken during a rainstorm or other adverse atmospheric conditions.

The problem of keeping an unobstructed path is increasing, especially in big cities where skyscrapers are getting higher all the time. By constructing tall communication towers, the risk of blockage by other buildings is totally eliminated. These towers are used for transmitting telephone calls and computer data to other cities. The demand for microwave transmission is increasing due to more cell phone networks being established and a skyrocketing number of users. More data is being exchanged between computers by file transmission rather than by fax or hard copy. In addition, there has been a sharp increase in computer usage.

So, when you see a tall tower in the city, don't think it was put there as a tourist attraction. It was most likely put there for communication. Of course, it would be foolish to just have a tower without an observation deck, restaurant and stores. The public can enjoy a breathtaking view while microwaves are quietly beaming data all over the world!

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