E/M waves are interesting. When an electron emits a photon, it produces an expanding spherical wavefront. It's like a ripple in a very thin shell. At a far enough distance away, the surface of the sphere looks pretty flat because its curvature is now spread out. Note that every star emits light in all directions; it puts out spherical wavefronts that travel for millions of years or even longer. By the time they get to you, they seem flat and head-on.

However, when electronic circuits emit E/M waves, for example at microwave frequencies, the wave is pretty directional and we use waveguides - electrical plumbing - to aim the flow. The wave travels in them like water. Other kinds of antennas are a whole other complicated area but basically CB ionospheric skip operates as if you are aiming a 27 MHz searchlight at a high altitude mirror. It can bend around the earth for great distances, but the deciding factor is how strong is what finally gets to a target; lots gets absorbed along the way. Solar flares create very good mirrors from the thin gases in the higher atmosphere. If we could see in the RF spectrum, when a solar flare hits the earth it would look as if the earth was surrounded by a mirror. Light however is at higher frequencies that have high energy, and goes right through it.

The comment "don't think that's well documented or understood." It has been extremely well documented and very well understood for 90 years, and all the militaries use it and all ham radio operators understand it and use it. They even get awards regularly for DX communication using it. FCC license exams even ask questions about it to make sure applicants understand it.

E/M waves are interesting. When an electron emits a photon, it produces an expanding spherical wavefront. It's like a ripple in a very thin shell. At a far enough distance away, the surface of the sphere looks pretty flat because its curvature is now spread out. Note that every star emits light in all directions; it puts out spherical wavefronts that travel for millions of years or even longer. By the time they get to you, they seem flat and head-on.

However, when electronic circuits emit E/M waves, for example at microwave frequencies, the wave is pretty directional and we use waveguides - electrical plumbing - to aim the flow. The wave travels in them like water. Other kinds of antennas are a whole other complicated area but basically CB ionospheric skip operates as if you are aiming a 27 MHz searchlight at a high altitude mirror. It can bend around the earth for great distances, but the deciding factor is how strong is what finally gets to a target; lots gets absorbed along the way. Solar flares create very good mirrors from the thin gases in the higher atmosphere. If we could see in the RF spectrum, when a solar flare hits the earth it would look as if the earth was surrounded by a mirror. Light however is at higher frequencies that have high energy, and goes right through it.

The comment "don't think that's well documented or understood." It has been extremely well documented and very well understood for 90 years, and all the militaries use it and all ham radio operators understand it and use it. They even get awards regularly for DX communication using it.

E/M waves are interesting. When an electron emits a photon, it produces an expanding spherical wavefront. It's like a ripple in a very thin shell. At a far enough distance away, the surface of the sphere looks pretty flat because its curvature is now spread out. Note that every star emits light in all directions; it puts out spherical wavefronts that travel for millions of years or even longer. By the time they get to you, they seem flat and head-on.

However, when electronic circuits emit E/M waves, for example at microwave frequencies, the wave is pretty directional and we use waveguides - electrical plumbing - to aim the flow. The wave travels in them like water. Other kinds of antennas are a whole other complicated area but basically CB ionospheric skip operates as if you are aiming a 27 MHz searchlight at a high altitude mirror. It can bend around the earth for great distances, but the deciding factor is how strong is what finally gets to a target; lots gets absorbed along the way. Solar flares create very good mirrors from the thin gases in the higher atmosphere. If we could see in the RF spectrum, when a solar flare hits the earth it would look as if the earth was surrounded by a mirror. Light however is at higher frequencies that have high energy, and goes right through it.

The comment "don't think that's well documented or understood." It has been extremely well documented and very well understood for 90 years, and all the militaries use it.

E/M waves are interesting. When an electron emits a photon, it produces an expanding spherical wavefront. It's like a ripple in a very thin shell. At a far enough distance away, the surface of the sphere looks pretty flat because its curvature is now spread out. Note that every star emits light in all directions; it puts out spherical wavefronts that travel for millions of years or even longer. By the time they get to you, they seem flat and head-on.

However, when electronic circuits emit E/M waves, for example at microwave frequencies, the wave is pretty directional and we use waveguides - electrical plumbing - to aim the flow. The wave travels in them like water. Other kinds of antennas are a whole other complicated area but basically CB ionospheric skip operates as if you are aiming a 27 MHz searchlight at a high altitude mirror. It can bend around the earth for great distances, but the deciding factor is how strong is what finally gets to a target; lots gets absorbed along the way. Solar flares create very good mirrors from the thin gases in the higher atmosphere. If we could see in the RF spectrum, when a solar flare hits the earth it would look as if the earth was surrounded by a mirror. Light however is at higher frequencies that have high energy, and goes right through it.

E/M waves are interesting. When an electron emits a photon, it produces an expanding spherical wavefront. It's like a ripple in a very thin shell. At a far enough distance away, the surface of the sphere looks pretty flat because its curvature is now spread out. Note that every star emits light in all directions; it puts out spherical wavefronts that travel for millions of years or even longer. By the time they get to you, they seem flat and head-on.

However, when electronic circuits emit E/M waves, for example at microwave frequencies, the wave is pretty directional and we use waveguides - electrical plumbing - to aim the flow. The wave travels in them like water. Other kinds of antennas are a whole other complicated area but basically CB ionospheric skip operates as if you are aiming a 27 MHz searchlight at a high altitude mirror. It can bend around the earth for great distances, but the deciding factor is how strong is what finally gets to a target; lots gets absorbed along the way. Solar flares create very good mirrors from the thin gases in the higher atmosphere. If we could see in the RF spectrum, when a solar flare hits the earth it would look as if the earth was surrounded by a mirror. Light however is at higher frequencies and goes right through it.

E/M waves are interesting. When an electron emits a photon, it produces an expanding spherical wavefront. It's like a ripple in a very thin shell. At a far enough distance away, the surface of the sphere looks pretty flat because its curvature is now spread out. Note that every star emits light in all directions; it puts out spherical wavefronts that travel for millions of years or even longer. By the time they get to you, they seem flat and head-on.

However, when electronic circuits emit E/M waves, for example at microwave frequencies, the wave is pretty directional and we use waveguides - electrical plumbing - to aim the flow. The wave travels in them like water. Other kinds of antennas are a whole other complicated area but basically CB ionospheric skip operates as if you are aiming a 27 MHz searchlight at a high altitude mirror. It can bend around the earth for great distances, but the deciding factor is how strong is what finally gets to a target; lots gets absorbed along the way. Solar flares create very good mirrors from the thin gases in the higher atmosphere. If we could see in the RF spectrum, when a solar flare hits the earth it would look as if the earth was surrounded by a mirror.

E/M waves are interesting. When an electron emits a photon, it produces an expanding spherical wavefront. It's like a ripple in a very thin shell. At a far enough distance away, the surface of the sphere looks pretty flat because its curvature is now spread out. Note that every star emits light in all directions; it puts out spherical wavefronts that travel for millions of years or even longer. By the time they get to you, they seem flat and head-on.

However, when electronic circuits emit E/M waves, for example at microwave frequencies, the wave is pretty directional and we use waveguides - electrical plumbing - to aim the flow. The wave travels in them like water. Other kinds of antennas are a whole other complicated area but basically CB ionospheric skip operates as if you are aiming a 27 MHz searchlight at a high altitude mirror. It can bend around the earth for great distances, but the deciding factor is how strong is what finally gets to a target; lots gets absorbed along the way.

E/M waves are interesting. When an electron emits a photon, it is an expanding spherical wavefront. At a far enough distance away, the surface of the sphere looks pretty flat because its curvature is now spread out. Note that every star emits light in all directions; it puts out spherical wavefronts that travel for millions of years or even longer. By the time they get to you, they seem flat and head-on.

However, when electronic circuits emit E/M waves, for example at microwave frequencies, the wave is pretty directional and we use waveguides - electrical plumbing - to aim the flow. The wave travels in them like water. Other kinds of antennas are a whole other complicated area but basically CB ionospheric skip operates as if you are aiming a 27 MHz searchlight at a high altitude mirror. It can bend around the earth for great distances, but the deciding factor is how strong is what finally gets to a target; lots gets absorbed along the way.

E/M waves are interesting. When an electron emits a photon, it is an expanding spherical wavefront. At a far enough distance away, the surface of the sphere looks pretty flat because its curvature is now spread out. Note that every star emits light in all directions; it puts out spherical wavefronts that travel for millions of years or even longer.

However, when electronic circuits emit E/M waves, for example at microwave frequencies, the wave is pretty directional and we use waveguides - electrical plumbing - to aim the flow. The wave travels in them like water. Other kinds of antennas are a whole other complicated area but basically CB ionospheric skip operates as if you are aiming a 27 MHz searchlight at a high altitude mirror. It can bend around the earth for great distances, but the deciding factor is how strong is what finally gets to a target; lots gets absorbed along the way.

E/M waves are interesting. When an electron emits a photon, it is an expanding spherical wavefront. At a far enough distance away, the surface of the sphere looks pretty flat becasue its curvautre of now spread out. Howeevr, when electronic circuits emit E/M waves, for example at microwave frequencies, the wave is pretty directional and we use waveguide - electrical plumbing - to aim the flow. Antennas are a whole other complicated area but basically ionospheric skip operates as if you are aiming a searchlight at a high altitute mirror.