A complex quantity characteristic of a radio frequency transmission line which indicates the effect of the line on the transmitted wave. The real part indicates the attenuation and the imaginary part the phase shift.

The mathematical term which defines wave propagation. It is equal to 2 divided by the wavelength.

A quantity that describes the propagation of a wave. Usually designated , it is equal to the radian frequency divided by the phase velocity, and has units of per meter (m-1 ). A complex propagation constant describes both propagation and attenuation. The real part describes attenuation; the imaginary part, propagation.