What is the effect of more diffraction on the signal received by an aerial?

Diffraction refers to the bending of waves around obstacles and the spreading of waves when they pass through openings. When a signal encounters an obstacle or passes through a narrow aperture, increased diffraction can occur, allowing the signal to wrap around objects and reach areas that would otherwise be in the shadow of the signal source.

As a result, with more diffraction, the radio waves can propagate more effectively, particularly in urban environments where buildings may obstruct the line of sight between the transmitter and the receiver. This means that even if the direct path is blocked, diffraction can allow the signal to reach the aerial from different angles, improving the likelihood of receiving the signal better at certain locations.

Therefore, more diffraction tends to enhance the overall effectiveness of signal reception, leading to a stronger signal being received by the aerial.