my wifi can’t even reach my bedroom
In: Technology
Your home wifi is limited by regulation to a very narrow band and very low power so that it does not interfere with other wifi transmitters in the area. You do not have to see further then to cell phones before you get much better range because cell phone operators will work together so neighboring towers and phones do not interfere with each. But in addition to being able to transmit on what frequency band they want at what power they want they also install huge antennas. While your wifi access point have a tiny 6 cm long whip the deep space network uses up to 70 meter wide parabolic antennas. This not only allows them to collect a lot of energy from the signal but also allows them to point it in a single direction. The space probes are similarly using parabolic antennas although smaller in size so that they can concentrate all the signal energy to a narrow beam back to Earth. Another difference is that the bandwidth for deep space communication is much lower then your wifi bandwidth. This is because they transmit each bit for longer times giving the receiver a better chance at receiving it and also sends the same data multiple times so that if the receiver did not catch it correctly the first time they have a chance at getting it right the second time.
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