Technician 2026-2030T3B12

Which of these frequencies travels at the highest velocity in free space?

D
Answer
Radio wave propagation
Type
A
Microwaves
B
UHF
C
VHF
D
All radio frequencies travel at the same velocity

Answer Notes

Because radio waves are electromagnetic waves, they all travel at the exact same speed in a vacuum (free space) regardless of their frequency or wavelength. That speed is the speed of light, which is approximately 300,000,000 meters per second. A frequent misconception is that higher frequency waves (like microwaves or UHF) must travel faster because they oscillate more rapidly. However, frequency only determines how many cycles occur per second, while the physical forward speed of the wave moving through space remains a universal constant.
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What is the approximate velocity of a radio wave in free space?
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Why are simplex UHF signals rarely heard beyond their radio horizon?