| Summary: | A closed-form solution for the common and differential modal currents induced on a pair of infinitely long parallel conductors by a source, field coupled to a power line, is derived. For lossy conductors, the current consists of a continuous spectrum of radiation modes and (for the common mode) a modified low-loss Sommerfeld–Goubau (SG) mode and (for the differential mode) a quasi-TEM mode. This model is used to investigate the influence of a parallel conductor on microwave power line communication systems. When the complete current spectrum is used, it is shown that the SG mode is not the primary reason why low-loss communication is possible on power lines for distances on the order of 100 m. Nevertheless, and consistent with previous research, microwave communication using power lines has advantages over free space communication, and for typical parameters, the performance of these systems can be enhanced if the power line contains more than one conductor.
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