How are microwaves used to communicate data between computers?

Microwaves facilitate high-speed data communication between computers and other systems through line-of-sight links, which utilize highly directional parabolic dish antennas to transmit narrowly focused radio beams.12

These systems operate at frequencies typically between 1 and 25 gigahertz, allowing for significant broadband capacity. Data transmission can occur between two land-based antennas or between ground stations and satellites. Because these beams travel in a straight line, the range of land-based systems is limited by the Earth's curvature, necessitating the use of repeaters mounted on towers to extend the signal path.12

In these configurations, the microwave beam acts as a carrier for digital information. For long-distance communication, a series of terrestrial and satellite repeaters relay the signal across vast distances. While highly effective, these links are subject to atmospheric conditions; refraction can bend the beam, and in some cases, atmospheric disturbances may cause the signal to miss the receiver entirely. Technologies such as the klystron and maser are often employed to generate or amplify these signals for reliable, high-capacity data transfer.12