Understanding the Inner Workings of a Radio: Antenna and Receiver Explained

  • Thread starter stickythighs
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In summary, the antenna and receiver on a radio turn electromagnetic radio waves into sound by generating a current and voltage at the base of the antenna, which is affected by the received signal. This current is amplified and demodulated, and the signal is extracted to drive the speaker.
  • #1
stickythighs
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How does the antenna and receiver on a radio turn electromagnetic radio waves into sound?
 
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  • #2
Electromagnetic waves pass the antenna, this field alongthe length of the antenna causes charges to flow, this generates a current and so a voltage atthe base of the antenna that varies with the received signal.
This voltage is amplified, demodulated ( depending on the type of radio) and the signal extracted. The signal isthen used to drive the speaker.
 
  • #3
mgb phys, your explanation doesn't help much. I'm still very confused.

Can anyone else explain this to me?
 
  • #4
Start using Google. You're asking questions that would take hours of typing to explain at a level that you can comprehend.
 
  • #5
turbo-1 said:
Start using Google. You're asking questions that would take hours of typing to explain at a level that you can comprehend.

Are you implying that I'm stupid?
 
  • #6
stickythighs said:
Are you implying that I'm stupid?
No, but you're asking to be spoon-fed, and nobody here has the time to type a whole book about radios. It's all been done before and you can Google for the information. There are a lot of complex concepts to grasp before you can understand the operation of a radio - you shouldn't expect forum members to try to tutor you in basic electronics (which would definitely be required before you can understand how radios work). There are probably hundreds of decent tutorials on the Internet already. Just Google on relevant terms.
 
  • #7
It also would help if you picked a specific part of the chain that you are most interested in or confused about. You can get a decent explanation of anyone of those parts here pretty easily, but asking about the whole thing naturally leads to answers like mgb_phys gave.

Also, please give your background, you didn't understand mgb_phys' explanation, but got a little upset by turbo's comment. If we know your background we can generally tailor answers appropriately.
 
  • #8
I was trying to give a general overview so you could ask for paricular deails.
I's always tricky on here to know how much detail someone needs without writing a texbook for each post.
 
  • #9
I thought that mgb_phys first response was excellent. That is a verbal block diagram, quite suited to the breath of the question.

I believe that after about 13 weeks of 8 hours a day 5 days a week training in the Navy I achieved a fairly good understanding of the question. You want a explanation in a single post?
 
  • #10
Yeah, st, can you be more specific about what parts you understand and what parts you don't get? Use mgb_phys' post as a guide.

I would guess that the most mysterious part is the modulation/de-modulation. In a nutshell, the low frequency music/voice signal is "piggybacked" on the carrier, which is a much, much higher frequency. Wiki can probably give you a better description of this process than we can write up here. Wiki frequency modulation (FM) and amplitude modulation (AM).
 

What is a radio antenna?

A radio antenna is a device that is used to transmit or receive radio waves. It is typically made of metal and is designed to capture or transmit electromagnetic waves.

How does a radio antenna work?

A radio antenna works by converting electrical energy into electromagnetic waves. When an electrical current is applied to the antenna, it creates an electromagnetic field that radiates outwards. This field propagates through the air and can be picked up by other antennas or receivers.

What is a radio receiver?

A radio receiver is a device that is used to receive and decode radio waves. It typically consists of an antenna, a tuner, and an amplifier. The antenna captures the radio waves and sends them to the tuner, which selects a specific frequency to amplify. The amplified signal is then sent to a speaker or headphones for the user to hear.

How do antennas and receivers work together?

The antenna and receiver work together to receive and decode radio waves. The antenna captures the waves and sends them to the receiver, which amplifies and decodes the signal. Without an antenna, the receiver would not be able to pick up any signals, and without a receiver, the antenna would not be able to process the waves it captures.

Why are there different types of antennas and receivers?

There are different types of antennas and receivers because they are designed for different purposes and frequencies. For example, a satellite dish antenna is designed to receive signals from satellites in space, while a car radio receiver is designed to pick up signals from radio stations on land. Different frequencies also require different designs of antennas and receivers to effectively capture and decode the waves.

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