Atmospherics and their effect on wireless receivers

The paper contains a mathematical analysis of the effect of an atmospheric upon a wireless receiver. The choice of functions representing the atmospheric has been governed by information contained in Proceedings of the Royal Society, A, vol. 103. The effect of each of several wave-forms is calculated and the results are compared. The effect is calculated of an atmospheric acting respectively on a tuned antenna, on an aperiodic antenna, on a tuned loop aerial, and also the combination of each of these with a selective amplifier. In each case a formula is derived which gives the ratio of signal to atmospheric, and it is shown that for a given wave-length these formulÿ are identical. The possible advantage to be got from the use of an aperiodic antenna or of a slightly distuned periodic circuit is considered in detail. Finally, the rectified current produced by the atmospheric is compared with that produced by the signal, and it is shown that the decrement of the aerial should always be reduced to the point where ringing or bad shaping of signals commences.