In actual conditions, standing wave ratios are always _____.

In practical wireless communication systems, standing wave ratios (SWR) are a measure of how efficiently radio waves are transmitted through a transmission line. An ideal SWR of 1:1 indicates perfect impedance matching, meaning all the power is transmitted without any reflection. However, in real-world scenarios, it is quite common for there to be some degree of mismatch between the transmission line and the load (such as an antenna), which leads to reflections of some power.

As a result, standing wave ratios in actual conditions are generally larger than 1:1 when there is any mismatch. A higher SWR indicates a greater ratio of reflected waves to transmitted waves, which can lead to inefficiencies and potential damage to equipment if not managed properly. Therefore, stating that standing wave ratios are larger than 1:1 accurately reflects the typical conditions encountered in practical applications, where ideal conditions are rarely achieved.