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0 pointsBluecobra3y ago0 comments

Even microwave is slow, they are using shortwave radio for certain signals. Maybe neutrinos are next?

https://sniperinmahwah.wordpress.com/2018/05/07/shortwave-tr...

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I'm not sure what's going on with this comment so let me make three observations:

The speed (latency) of the EM spectrum is the effective celerity of the medium: this doesn't differ in the air between microwave and shortwave in any meaningful way.

The speed (throughput) achievable on a given frequency is limited by the period of that frequence, high wavelengths can modulate more signal. Microwaves are higher frequency than radio by definition, so they have a higher throughput.

Neutrinos don't exceed the speed of light, and make a very bad medium of transmission given the near-complete lack of interaction with baryonic matter.

pushrax3y ago

Shortwave radio can be transmitted around the curve of Earth by ionospheric reflection and refraction so fewer repeaters are needed. This allows crossing vast oceans where microwave infrastructure might not be possible.

As you say the downside is available bandwidth and throughput.

samatman3y ago

Another good point, and one I thought about before replying, but that doesn't make microwaves slower, it makes them inapplicable.

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Scoundreller3y ago

That’s why most markets close during night time.

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dejerpha3y ago

Neutrinos don’t need to go around the earth, so in theory you have a pi/2 advantage over an EM signal when sending to an antipodal location, for instance. In practice of course, throughput is utterly horrible for the reason you indicate.

AbrahamParangi3y ago

Latency would also be degraded by the interaction property. The probability that you detect the first packet of neutrinos is extremely low.

Scoundreller3y ago

All you need is a couple bits, but yeah, making sure it’s the neutrino your buddy sent and not some other one is where it gets complicated.

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samatman3y ago

This assumes that neutrinos aren't slowed by a dense medium as light is.

That's a maybe. Still, good point.

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kristjansson3y ago

The game is repeaters and path lengths, not the speed of the medium itself

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

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samatman3y ago

I'm not sure what's going on with this comment so let me make three observations:

The speed (latency) of the EM spectrum is the effective celerity of the medium: this doesn't differ in the air between microwave and shortwave in any meaningful way.

Neutrinos don't exceed the speed of light, and make a very bad medium of transmission given the near-complete lack of interaction with baryonic matter.

pushrax3y ago

As you say the downside is available bandwidth and throughput.

samatman3y ago

Another good point, and one I thought about before replying, but that doesn't make microwaves slower, it makes them inapplicable.

1 more reply

Scoundreller3y ago

That’s why most markets close during night time.

1 more reply

dejerpha3y ago

AbrahamParangi3y ago

Latency would also be degraded by the interaction property. The probability that you detect the first packet of neutrinos is extremely low.

Scoundreller3y ago