# Distortion in a Transmission line

Signals transmitted over Transmission lines are mostly complex and consists of high frequency components, while passing through the line distortion occurs in the signal , this is commonly known as line distortion.

In ideal Transmission line , it is intended that the waveform at the receiving end of the line must be identical to the wave form at the sending end then the line is said to be distortion less line (or) distortion free line.

It has been seen that distortion in the waveform exists if all frequencies in the complex wave form do not have the same attenuation and same delay during propagation.

when the received signal is not the exact replica of the transmitted signal then the signal is said to be distorted.

causes of distortion in a Transmission Line:-

distortion is caused due to the following three reasons mainly

1. variation of characteristic impedance with respect to frequency:-The characteristic impedance of the line varies with change in frequency and line should be terminated in an impedance that does not vary with frequency to avoid distortion.
2. variation of attenuation with respect to frequency:- the attenuation of the line varies with frequency. Hence waves of different frequencies are attenuated by different amounts known as frequency distortion.
3. variation of phase constant with respect to frequency:-  phase distortion due to the variation of phase constant with the frequency which in turn varies  the velocity of propagation  with frequency . Therefore waves of different frequencies arrive at different times at the end of the line.

Thus for a line to be distortion less the characteristic impedance $Z_{o}$ , attenuation $(\alpha&space;)$ and phase constant  $(\beta&space;)$ should be independent of frequency.

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