Line of Sight Formula
The Line of Sight conversion calculator determines the maximum visible distance between an antenna and the horizon based on the antenna height.
dₗ = 3.57 × √h
dᵣ = 4.12 × √h for radio horizon service range
Formula Explanation
Here, h is the antenna height in meters (or converted from feet). The formula uses the square root of the height to calculate the line of sight distance (dₗ) and the radio horizon (dᵣ), considering the Earth’s curvature. The constants 3.57 and 4.12 are derived from geometric approximations used in RF propagation studies.
Uses of Line of Sight conversion calculator
- Planning wireless communication links like point-to-point microwave connections.
- Determining coverage areas for radio and TV broadcast antennas.
- Evaluating antenna placement for Wi-Fi or cellular networks.
- Assisting in drone or UAV line of sight calculations for safe operations.
- Educational purposes in RF engineering and telecommunications courses.
Formula Example
For an antenna height of 20 meters:
Line of sight distance: dₗ = 3.57 × √20 ≈ 15.97 km
Radio horizon service range: dᵣ = 4.12 × √20 ≈ 18.41 km
This indicates the maximum distances the antenna can directly reach and the serviceable radio horizon.