Bandwidth

About this film

Radio wave transmission principles are illustrated through vibrant animation and sound in "BANDWIDTH," directed by René Jodoin in 1960. The film explains how antennas propagate radio waves and explores methods to enhance transmission bandwidth. Released as a public service by the Royal Canadian Air Force, this 11-minute animated short serves as an educational resource, providing clarity on the technical aspects of radio communication. The combination of color and animation effectively conveys complex concepts in an accessible manner.

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Radio wave

Radio waves are a type of electromagnetic radiation with the lowest frequencies and the longest wavelengths in the electromagnetic spectrum, typically with frequencies below 300 gigahertz (GHz) and wavelengths greater than 1 millimeter, about the diameter of a grain of rice. Radio waves with frequencies above about 1 GHz and wavelengths shorter than 30 centimeters are called microwaves. Like all electromagnetic waves, radio waves in a vacuum travel at the speed of light, and in the Earth's atmosphere at a slightly lower speed. Radio waves are generated by charged particles undergoing acceleration, such as time-varying electric currents. Naturally occurring radio waves are emitted by lightning and astronomical objects, and are part of the blackbody radiation emitted by all warm objects.

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Animation

Animation is a filmmaking technique whereby pictures are created or manipulated and then played in sequence to create the illusion of moving images. In traditional animation, images are drawn or painted by hand on transparent celluloid sheets to be photographed and exhibited on film. Animation has been recognised as an artistic medium, specifically within the entertainment industry. Many animations are either traditional animations or computer animations made with computer-generated imagery (CGI). Stop motion animation, in particular claymation, is also prominent alongside these other forms, albeit to a lesser degree.

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Educational animation

Educational animations are animations produced for the specific purpose of fostering learning. It is associated with educational technology with the way it supports teaching and learning through the use of technological tools to facilitate learning and to improve performance. They can be used to provide instructions for the immediate performance of a task, or to support more permanent learning of a broader subject matter.

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Antenna (radio)

In radio-frequency engineering, an antenna or aerial is a structure used to convert alternating electric currents into radio waves for transmission, and to convert radio waves back into electric currents for reception. It is the interface between radio waves propagating through space and electric currents moving in metal conductors, used with a transmitter or receiver. In transmission, a radio transmitter supplies an electric current to the antenna's terminals, and the antenna radiates the energy from the current as electromagnetic waves. In reception, an antenna intercepts some of the power of a radio wave in order to produce an electric current at its terminals, that is applied to a receiver to be amplified. Antennas are essential components of all radio equipment.

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Royal Canadian Air Force

The Royal Canadian Air Force is the air and space force of Canada. Its role is to "provide the Canadian Forces with relevant, responsive and effective airpower". The RCAF is one of three environmental commands within the unified Canadian Armed Forces. As of 2020, the Royal Canadian Air Force consists of 12,074 Regular Force and 1,969 Primary Reserve personnel, supported by 1,518 civilians, and operates 258 manned aircraft and nine unmanned aerial vehicles. Appointed in 2025, Lieutenant-General Jamie Speiser-Blanchet is the current Commander of the Royal Canadian Air Force and Chief of the Air Force Staff.

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