Lecture 1: Introduction to Communication Systems

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Objectives: y Describe the essential elements of a communication system y Explain the need for modulation in communication systems y Distinguish between baseband, carrier, and modulated signals and give examples of y Write the equation for a modulated signal and use it to list and explain the various types of continuous wave modulation. y Describe time division and frequency division multiplexing y Explain the relationship between channel bandwidth, baseband bandwidth and transmission time y List the requirements for distortionless transmission and describe some of the possible deviations from this ideal y Use frequency domain representations of signals and convert simple signals between time and frequency domains y Use a table of Fourier series to find the frequency domain representations of common waveforms y Describe several types of noise and calculate the noise power and voltage for thermal noise y Calculate signal to noise ratio, noise figure, and noise temperature for single and cascaded stages y Use the spectrum analyzer for frequency, power, and signal to noise ratio measurements Brief History 1837 Practical electrical communication began with Samuel Morses telegraph system which is the first successful commercially. The device has a transmitter consisting of a telegraph key and a battery used to convert information into an electrical signal that could be sent along wires. It also has a receiver called sounder, used to convert the electrical signal into sound that could be perceived by the operator. 1866 telegraph cables were run underwater 1898 there were 12 transatlantic cables in operation 1876 telephone was invented by Alexander Graham Bell which paved the way for voice communication using electrical signals. The electronic content of telephony has increased. Eventually, vacuum tube and later transistor allowed the use of amplifiers to increase the distance over which signals could be sent. Changes to digital electronics in both signal transmission and switching systems are now underway. 1865 the theoretical framework for radio communication was constructed by James Maxwell and was verified experimentally by Heinrich Rudolph Hertz in 1887. 1901 the first transatlantic communication by radio was accomplished by Guglielmo Marconi 1906 some transmitters were using specially designed high frequency alternators, and one of these was used experimentally to transmit voice

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1920 regular radio broadcasting did not begin until this year by which time transmitters and receivers used vacuum tube technology. 1904 Sir John Ambrose Fleming invented the diode tube 1906 Lee de Forest improved the diode tube and came up with triode which could work as amplifier Late 1920s radio broadcasting was commonplace and experiments with television were underway. The United States and several European countries have experimental television services before WWII then eventually became a practical worldwide reality.

Introduction Communication was one of the first applications of electrical technology. Today in the age of fiber optics and satellite television, facsimile machines and cellular telephones, communication systems remain at the leading edge of electronics. Probably no other branch of electronics has as profound an effect on peoples everyday lives. In this topic, we are going to consider the basic elements of a communication system like receiver, transmitter and channel. It is often said that we are living in the information age. Communication technology is absolutely vital to the generation, storage, and transmission of this information. Electronic communications system is the transmission, reception, and processing of information using electronic circuits. Information is defined as the knowledge, wisdom, or facts and can be in analog form (continuous or proportional) or digital form (discrete steps).

Elements of a Communication System

Source

Transmitter Channel

Receiver

Destination

Source -

it can be an analog or digital (analog audio and video signals and digital data) It is often described in terms of the frequency range that they occupy. Voice (300 Hz to 3KHz) High fidelity music (20 Hz to 20KHz) Analog video of television broadcast has a frequency range from dc to about 4.2 MHz - Digital signals can be derived from audio or video signals or can consist of data (alphanumeric characters). Digital signals can almost have any bandwidth depending on the number of bits transmitted per second.

Transmitter converts the original source information to a form more suitable for transmission. Channel provides a means of connecting the transmitter to the receiver

Lecture -

1: Introduction to Communication Systems Page 3 of 6 it can be almost anything (a pair of conductors or an optical fiber or free space) Sometimes it can carry the info signal directly (twister pair telephone cable) For radio link through free space cannot be used directly for voice signals. An antenna of great length would be required. Carrier signal is needed because transmission cant be done without interference This carrier signal will be modulated in such a way that it can be recovered at the destination. The information signal is also known as the modulating signal The carrier freq is much higher than that of the info signal hence the info signal is often referred to as baseband. Thus, info signal, modulating signal and baseband refer to a single entity.

Receiver converts the received information back to its original form and transfers it to the destination When transmitting info from more than one source over a common transmission medium, the info are combine into a single composite info signal. This process is called multiplexing and the process of separating the info is called demultiplexing. Types of Electronic Communication System a. Analog Communication System a system in which electromagnetic energy is transmitted and received in analog form (radio broadcast) b. Digital Communication System a system in which electromagnetic energy is transmitted and received in digital form. Very often the original source is in a form unsuitable for transmission and must be converted to a more suitable form prior to transmission.

Modulation and Demodulation It is impractical to propagate low frequency electromagnetic energy through Earths atmosphere. In analog electronic communications systems, the source (intelligence signal) acts on or modulates a single frequency sinusoidal signal. Modulate means to vary, change or regulate. Modulation is the process of varying or changing some property of an analog carrier in accordance with the original source info. Demodulation is the process of converting the changes in the analog carrier back to the original source info. Modulation is done in the transmitter in a circuit called modulator and demodulation is performed in the receiver with a demodulator. Baseband signal or simply baseband the information signal that modulates the main carrier - It is an info signal such as a single telephone channel Composite baseband signal is the total info signal such as several hundred telephone channels

Lecture 1: Introduction to Communication Systems Page 4 of 6 - Baseband signals are up converted in the transmitter and down converted in the receiver. Frequency translation is the process of converting a single frequency or a band of frequencies to another location in the total frequency spectrum. Channel is often used when referring to a specific band of frequencies allocated to a particular service or transmission Equation 1-1: General expression for a time varying sine wave as an analog carrier

where: time varying sine wave of voltage peak amplitude (volts) frequency (hertz) phase (radians)

Properties of a sine wave that can be varied 1. Amplitude () 2. Frequency () 3. Phase Types of Modulation Techniques 1. Amplitude Modulation the amplitude of the carrier is varied proportional to the source information 2. Frequency Modulation the frequency of the carrier is varied proportional to the source information 3. Phase Modulation the phase of the carrier is varied proportional to the source information Reasons why modulation is necessary in E.C.S.: - It is extremely difficult to radiate low frequency signals through Earths atmosphere in the form of electromagnetic energy - Info signals often occupy the same frequency band and if transmitted in their original form, would interfere with each other.

The Electromagnetic Spectrum Electromagnetic energy is distributed throughout an almost infinite range of frequencies. When dealing with radio waves, it is common to use the units of wavelength rather than frequency. Wavelength is the length that one cycle of an electromagnetic wave occupies in space (that is, the distance between similar points in a repetitive wave.) - It is inversely proportional to the frequency of the wave and directly proportional to the velocity of propagation (the velocity of propagation of electromagnetic energy in space is assumed to be the speed of light, ).

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Where:    Example 1 -1: Determine the wavelength for the following frequencies: 1kHz, 100kHz, and 10Mhz. Solution:    Transmission frequencies The total frequency spectrum is divided into subsections or bands. Each has a name and boundaries. Federal Communications Commission regulates the use of free space radio propagation in the United States National Telecommunications Commission counterpart of FCC in the Philippines International Telecommunications Convention held once in every 10 years wherein the general division of the total usable frequency spectrum is decided International Radio Consultative Committee (CCIR) divides the RF spectrum into narrower band Table 1-1: CCIR Band Designations Band Number Frequency Range 2 30 300 Hz 3 0.3 3 KHz 4 3 30 KHz 5 30 300 KHz 6 0.3 3 MHz 7 3 30 MHz 8 30 300 MHz 9 0.3 3 GHz 10 3 30 GHz 11 30 300 GHz 12 0.3 3 THz 13 3 30 THz 14 30 300 THz 15 0.3 3 EHz 16 3-30 EHz 17 30-300 EHz 18 0.3-3PHz 19 3-30 PHz     

Designation ELF (Extremely Low Freq) VF (Voice Freq) VLF LF MF HF VHF UHF SHF EHF Infrared Infrared Infrared Visible lights Ultraviolet lights X rays Gamma rays Cosmic rays

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