| |
ATTENUATE
| Attenuate means to lessen. It is really the opposite of the
word amplify. Often, what we are trying
to do in the wireless world is to amplify signals high enough to
make them usable and understandable - to either our ears or to
electronics. However, most items around the wireless
signals will actually do the opposite and attenuate it - meaning
making the signal smaller and less powerful. One example
of this is a wire or a cable.
|
|
 |
| |
|
|
When a
wireless base station transmits up a long cable to the mast of a tall
antenna tower, that cable will always have a 'loss" associated with it
and attenuate the signal. The signal is essentially lowered or
attenuated due to resistance of the cable, and the power is lost via
heat loss. Perhaps even half the power is lost or attenuated by
antenna mast cables. But when the signal does reach the antenna,
the antenna may be directional and
thus will have an antenna gain associated
with it. So when the signal is transmitted, it will be even much
higher in amplitude than when it started.
While the signal is not amplified by transistor stages in an antenna, it
will still be larger and have the same effect as if it were amplified.
See also antenna gain if interested in
how antennas increase signal strength without transistors.
|
|
