Wireless means different things to different people. For this book, it refers
to the radio systems that provide point-to-point, point-to-multipoint, and
Earth-space communications over transmission links that propagate outside
buildings through the lower atmosphere. Wireless systems are being built
that provide data transmission between computers and other devices on
one’s own desk. These are part of the wireless world but not the part where,
except for interference perhaps, the atmosphere has any influence. The intent
of this book is to provide a description of the physical phenomena that can
affect propagation through the atmosphere, present sample measurements
and statistics, and provide models that system designers can use to calculate
their link budgets and estimate the limitations the atmosphere may place on
their design.
