Topic outline

  • General description

    This course aims to introduce the student to communications system concept and to all its partial components and theirs functions, and to introduce him to analog and digital communications systems for focusing on analog systems. The student will recall the basic concepts of signals and apply the spectral analysis by means of Fourier series and Fourier transforms and linear time invariant systems modeling various communications channels and filters. The student will comprehend the modulation principle and its uses, then will study continuous wave analog modulation, as amplitude and angle modulation which translates the frequencies components of information messages to another frequency bandwidth more convenient for transmitting these messages across bandpass communications channel. He will also apply his earlier acquainted skills of analog electronics in implementing some modulation and detection functions. The student will be introduced to additive noise and the noise of internal origins, to their negative effects on analog communications systems performance, and to the methods of measuring them by means of output signal to noise ratio. In addition, he will learn receiver parameters and the principle of superheterodyne receivers. This course constitutes a basic introductory to some other courses in higher levels, such as digital communications. Intended Learning Outcomes: - Outlining the block diagram of a communications system and distinguishing between analog and digital communications systems. - Understanding the necessity of modulation. - Applying spectral analysis tools on signals. - Understanding the principle of analog modulation and its types. - Understanding the basics of angle (phase and frequency) modulation and its types. - Understanding noise, its estimation methods and its effects on analog communications. - Learning receiver parameters and the principle of superheterodyne receivers.