VLF

Communications Systems Glossary

Communications Systems — Radio frequency — VLF

Information on VLF

The VLF band is a radio-frequency (RF) band in the range 3-30 kHz. VLF suffers from the same difficulties associated with ELF: small bandwidths are available; and antennas are large and inefficient, leading to low radiated powers. However, VLF has similar advantages to ELF and has low attenuation through the atmosphere and through seawater and is therefore used for some submarine communications and maritime radio navigation systems. The band has more use for communications than ELF since it has a bandwidth that is large enough to provide reliable communications. Propagation is primarily by surface wave and has little seasonal or diurnal variation. However, communications are prone to static and to interference from other radio frequencies.

Other topics in our resources on Communications Systems related to VLF include: 

Radio frequency (RF) extremely low frequency (ELF) low frequency (LF)

medium frequency (MF) high frequency (HF) very high frequency (VHF)

ultra high frequency (UHF) super high frequency (SHF) extremely high frequency (EHF)

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