Microwave Transmitter

Send a directional 10 GHz microwave beam across the lab bench

The Microwave Transmitter uses a Schottky diode oscillator feeding a tuned waveguide and horn to produce a directional 3 cm microwave beam. A variable-frequency audio signal modulates the beam, adjustable from the control on the top panel. When paired with the Microwave Receiver or Probe Receiver, students hear the signal amplitude change in real time as they move obstacles, reflectors, or polarizers into the beam path.

At 10 GHz, the 3 cm wavelength puts interference fringes, diffraction patterns, and reflection angles all at a physical scale that fits on a standard lab bench. Students measure slit spacings and fringe positions directly with a ruler — the same geometry as light optics, at a scale that needs no darkroom, no laser precautions, and no projector.

Why Teachers Love It

• Audio Feedback from Every Experiment: the beam's audio modulation feeds directly to the connected receiver's loudspeaker, so students hear amplitude changes the moment a reflector or polarizer moves into the beam, with no meters to watch.

• 3 cm Wavelength Scales to the Benchtop: diffraction, interference, and reflection all occur at slit and reflector spacings in the range of centimeters, which students can set up, measure, and reconfigure during a single class period.

• Works with Both Receiver Types: pair with the Microwave Receiver (97-6402) for whole-class qualitative demonstrations, or with the Microwave Probe Receiver (97-6403) for spatial mapping and quantitative data collection.