Friis transmission equation ($P_r/P_t=G_t{G}_r[\lambda /(4\pi d){]}^2$)

The Friis transmission equation describes a far-field free-space antenna link with aligned directions, matched polarizations and negligible additional loss. It follows by multiplying the transmitter's axial energy flux $P_t{G}_t/(4\pi d^2)$ by the receiver's antenna effective area ${\lambda }^2{G}_r/(4\pi )$. A receiving impedance mismatch multiplies the available received power by $1-|{\Gamma }_L{|}^2$. Wavelength scaling must state which gains, apertures and impedances are held fixed.

Two aligned lossless Hertzian dipoles in one another's broadside radiation zone have gain $G=3/2$ and one-way received-power fraction $\eta =G^2[\lambda /(4\pi r){]}^2$. If the second remains conjugately matched, its matched-load scattering of a Hertzian dipole reradiates the same power as its load absorbs. Applying the reciprocal far-field link on the return gives $P_{\mathrm{echo}}=P_t{\eta }^2$, proportional to $r^{-4}$. The statement concerns physical dipole reradiation; a pure antenna load-mismatch echo model omits that scattering and is not interchangeable with it.

In an ideal matched-port two-port network for an antenna pair, the incident amplitude traverses the link, reflects from the receiver's load with amplitude coefficient ${\Gamma }_L$, then traverses the reciprocal link again. If each one-way power transfer factor is $\mathcal{F}$, the returned power fraction is $|{\Gamma }_L{|}^2{\mathcal{F}}^2$. With fixed gains, $\mathcal{F}\propto {\lambda }^2$ and this echo scales as ${\lambda }^4$. Actual antenna structural scattering or an existing input mismatch can add a coherent return not specified by the Friis transmission equation alone.