Basic Qualification · B-007 Radio wave propagation · B-007-008-004
What makes HF scatter signals often sound distorted?
- A Auroral activity and changes in the Earth's magnetic field
- B Propagation through ground waves that absorb much of the signal
- C The state of the E-region at the point of refraction
- D Energy scattered into the skip zone through several radio-wave paths
Correct answer: D — Energy scattered into the skip zone through several radio-wave paths. From the official ISED question bank, verified word for word.
Why
HF scatter signals sound distorted because the radio energy bounces off irregularities in the upper atmosphere and reaches your receiver by taking many different paths at once. The full explanation — and one for every question — is in Pro.
Practise this section
How signals travel: the ionosphere and its layers, skip, ground wave, sporadic E, and which bands work when.