> > Uh - better look up those details again, Jerry. :) Longitudinal waves are
> > waves of compression and rarefaction - like sound. The way I look at it is
> > this: longitudinal waves compress/rarefact along the vector in which they
> > travel - while transverse waves compress/rarefact at an ANGLE (90 degrees,
> > in the case of magnetic fields) to the vector of travel.
>
> So let's consider an omnidirectional radio antenna.
> What kind of waves does it radiate ?
An omnidirectional antenna still radiates magnetic fields relative to the
direction of travel. The fact that the magnetic field radiates in all
directions changes nothing.
> And what if the antenna is an helicoidal type, with circular polarization ?
I've never totally understood how polarization works - and since I don't
know what the hell a helicoidal antenna is, perhaps you could enlighten me
so I don't sound like a raving loon? :)