THE UNIVERSITY OF TRINIDAD & TOBAGO

FINAL ASSESSMENT/EXAMINATIONS DECEMBER 2013

Course Code and Title: WLBR2001/ BRCO 210D Broadband Communication

Programme: COMMUNICATIONS ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY DIPLOMA
Date and Time: 09 December 2013 (9:00 am 12:00 pm)

Duration: 3HRS

PLEASE READ ALL INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY BEFORE YOU BEGIN THIS

EXAMINATION

Instructions to Candidates
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

This paper has 3 pages and 6 questions.

You are required to answer ALL questions.
Begin each answer on a new page.
This question paper must be returned with an Answer script.
Do not write in pencil.

Key Examination Protocol

1. Students please note that academic dishonesty (or cheating) includes but is not limited to
plagiarism, collusion, falsification, replication, taking unauthorised notes or devices into an
examination, obtaining an unauthorised copy of the examination paper, communicating or
trying to communicate with another candidate during the examination, and being a party to
impersonation in relation to an examination.
2. The above mentioned and any other actions which compromise the integrity of the academic
evaluation process will be fully investigated and addressed in accordance with UTTs
academic regulations.
3. Please be reminded that speaking without the Invigilators permission is NOT allowed.

The University of Trinidad & Tobago

December 2013 Final Examinations
WLBR2001/ BRCO 210D

Page 1 of 3

Answer all questions

Question 1
(i) What is the transit time problem?

[2 marks]

(ii) Name and briefly describe one device that utilizes this problem.

[3 marks]

(iii) A Gunn device has a thickness of 9m. At what frequency will it oscillate in the
transit time mode?

[4 marks]

(iv) What will be the thickness of a Gunn device intended to operate in the Gunn mode at
a frequency of 20GHz?

[1 mark]

Question 2
(i) What are parabolic reflectors used for and how is it achieved?

[4 marks]

(ii) Give three methods of feeding parabolic reflectors.

[3 marks]

(iii) A pyramidal horn has an aperture (opening) of 58mm in the E plane and 78mm in the
H plane. It operates at 10GHz. Calculate its gain in dBi.

[3 marks]

Question 3
(i) For average atmospheric conditions and level terrain, what is the distance over which
line of sight propagation is possible?

[2 marks]

(ii) If the height of the transmitting antenna is 50m and the height of the receiving antenna
is 30m, calculate the maximum distance of line of sight.
(iii) What are Fresnel zones?

[2 marks]
[3 marks]

(iv) How much is it sufficient to clear obstacles by and how is this distance found?
[3 marks]

Question 4
(i) What is a transponder?

[2 marks]

(ii) Sketch the block diagram for a satellite transponder and explain the function of each
block.

The University of Trinidad & Tobago

December 2013 Final Examinations
WLBR2001/ BRCO 210D

[8 marks]

Page 2 of 3

Question 5
(i) Optical fiber has several advantages over electrical cable for communications, state
three.

[3 marks]

(ii) Define numerical aperture

[1 mark]

(iii) A fiber has an index of refraction of 1.6 for the core and 1.4 for the cladding.
Calculate the numerical aperture and the maximum angle of acceptance.
[3 marks]
(iv) Sketch and explain the block diagram of a fiber optic system.

[3 marks]

Question 6
(i) Differentiate between the three types of fiber

[4 marks]

(ii) Describe material dispersion.

[2 marks]

(iii) For a fiber whose dispersion constant is 9.49 ps/nm/km, calculate the total dispersion
of 50km of this fiber when it is used with a source having a linewidth of 2 nm at a
wavelength of 1550nm.

The University of Trinidad & Tobago

December 2013 Final Examinations
WLBR2001/ BRCO 210D

[4 marks]

Page 3 of 3