COMMUNICATIONS ENGINEERING PART 7

MICROWAVES

1. Indicate which of the following frequencies
cannot be used for reliable beyond-the-horizon
terrestrial communications without repeaters:

a. 20 kHz
b. 15 MHz
c. 900 MHz
d. 12 GHz

2. A ship-to-ship communications system is plagued
by fading. The best solution seems to be the use
of

a. A more directional antenna
b. A broadband antenna
c. Frequency diversity
d. Space diversity

3. A range of microwave frequencies more easily
passed by the atmosphere than are the others is
called a

a. Window
b. Critical frequency
c. Gyro frequency range
d. Resonance in the atmosphere

4. Frequencies in the UHF range propagate by
means of

a. Ground waves
b. Sky waves
c. Surface waves
d. Space waves

5. Tropospheric scatter is used with frequencies in
the following range:

a. HF
b. VHF
c. UHF
d. VLF
6. When microwave signals follow the curvature of
the earth, this is known as

a. The Faraday effect
b. Ducting
c. Tropospheric scatter
d. Ionospheric reflection

7. Helical antennas are often used for satellite
tracking at VHF because of

a. Troposcatter
b. Superrefraction
c. Ionospheric refraction
d. The Faraday effect

8. ________ consists basically of a thin film strip in
intimate contact with one side of a flat dielectric
substrate, with a similar thin-film ground plane
conductor on the other side of the substrate.

a. strip line
b. lecher wire
c. microstrip
d. stub

9. Waveguide is a

a. device used to determine the
wavelength of a signal
b. hollow metal tube used for transmission
of microwave energy
c. plastic tubular transmission line for high
RF network
d. braided wire used for transmission of HF

10. Transmission lines which can convey
electromagnetic waves only in higher order
modes are usually called

a. coaxial cable
b. twisted pair
c. power lines
d. waveguides

11. In order to reduce cross-sectional dimensions, the
waveguide to use is

a. circular
b. ridge
c. rectangular
d. elliptical

12. A signal propagated in a waveguide has afull
wave of electric intensity change between the
two farther walls, and no component of the
electric field in the direction of propagation. The
mode is

a. TE1,1
b. TE1,0
c. TM2,2
d. TE2,0

13. When a particular mode is excited in a
waveguide, there appears an extra electric
component, in the direction of propagation. The
resulting mode is

a. Transverse electric
b. transverse magnetic
c. longitudinal
d. transverse electromagnetic
e. none of these

14. The wavelength of a wave in a waveguide

a. is greater than in free space
b. depends on waveguide dimensions and
free space wavelength
c. is inversely proportional to the phase
velocity
d. is directly proportional to the group
velocity

15. When electromagnetic waves are propagated in
a waveguide, they

a. travel along the broader walls of the
guide
b. are reflected from walls but not travel
along them
c. travel through the dielectric without
touching the walls
d. travel along the 4 walls of the
waveguide

16. When microwave signals follow the curvature of
the earth, this is known as

a. Faraday Effect
b. Ducting
c. Tropospheric Scatter
d. Ionospheric Reflection

17. A waveguide mode in which there is no
component of electric field in the direction of
propagation given in the British European
standards.

a. H-mode
b. E-mode
c. TE mode
d. M-mode

18. The extra strength needed in order to assure that
enough signal reaches the receiving antenna
and must be made available to compensate for
fades; computed as the difference between the
received signal strength and the threshold level

a. Fade Margin
b. Threshold Level
c. Noise Figure
d. RSL

19. The use of redundant system to reduce the
effects of multipath fading is

a. combining
b. modulation
c. multiplexing
d. diversity

20. A profile graph of the microwave energy path

a. shows the cross section of the earths
surface
b. determines LOS or site technical
feasibility
c. determines the actual clearance,
antenna heights and system reliability
d. all of the preceding

21. In locating microwave relay stations, the systems
designer must consider

a. terrain obstructions and reflection points
b. site security and navigational hazards
c. availability of power, water source and
accessible roads
d. all of the above

22. A microwave path over which radio waves barely
touches the obstruction is called

a. Line of Sight
b. Obstructed Path
c. Grazing Path
d. Crooked Path

23. What is the function of regenerative repeater?

a. to eliminate bias distortion
b. to help in the loading of the telegraph
lines
c. to reduce required signal levels
d. to reshape the pulses after they have
become distorted

24. A situation when there is no net change in
attenuation or no gain, no loss occurs when
______ % of the first fresnel radius clears a path
obstruction in microwave systems.

a. 45%
b. 60%
c. 75%
d. 85%

25. __________ are concentric circular zones about a
direct path of a microwave signal called
Huygens radiation center, forming an imaginary
solid called an ellipsoid _______.

a. temperature zone
b. skip zone
c. fresnel zone
d. fraunhoffer zone

26. Waveguides are used mainly for microwave
transmission because

a. they depend on straight line
propagation
b. losses are heavy at lower frequencies
c. they are bulky at lower frequencies
d. no generator is powerful enough to
excite them

27. A waveguide assembly that lets the radar
transmitter and receiver share an antenna is
called

a. translator
b. diplexer
c. flip-flop
d. duplexer

28. ____________ is a graph wherein the terrain in
which the microwave beam should traverse.

a. topograph
b. radio path profile
c. fresnel graph
d. net path graph

29. The fresnel zone is the circular zone about the
______ path.

a. reflected
b. direct
c. LOS
d. Refracted

30. The radius in the circular zone is in the first fresnel
zone when the reflected path is ________ longer
than the direct path.

a. /2
b.
c. /4
d. /8

31. At ______ of the first fresnel zone is a condition
where there is no gain and no loss.

a. 0.5
b. 0.6
c. 0.7
d. 0.8

32. The weakest signal the receiver could accept to
be considered satisfactory.

a. threshold
b. fade margin
c. RSL
d. NPL

33. The frequency band from 8 to 12 GHz is known as
the ______ band.

a. C
b. Ku
c. X
d. Ka

34. The difference between the Received Signal
Level and the FM Improvement Threshold

a. System Gain
b. Noise Threshold
c. Fade Margin
d. Reliability

35. A Fade Margin of 28 dB has a reliability of

a. 99%
b. 99.9%
c. 99.99%
d. 99.999%

36. Topographical maps are maps used for
microwave communications systems design
because ________ are shown, thereby elevations
are known.
a. latitudes
b. longitudes
c. contour lines
d. scales

37. The dominant mode in a rectangular waveguide.

a. TEM
b. TE 1,1
c. TE 1,0
d. TM 1,1

38. The velocity of a resultant wave as it travels
through the waveguide.

a. speed of light
b. group velocity
c. phase velocity
d. incident velocity

39. The principal mode for a circular waveguide.

a. TE 1,0
b. TM 2,0
c. TE 1,1
d. TEM

40. A type of waveguide that reduces the cutoff
wavelength, increases bandwidth and allows for
a variation of the characteristic impedance.

a. ridge
b. rectangular
c. tee
d. twisted

41. The subscript which indicates the number of /2s
along the waveguide height.

a. m
b. n
c. a
d. b

42. The international equivalent of the TE mode

a. H
b. E
c. Z
d. TEM

43. The smallest free space wavelength that is just
unable to propagate in the waveguide under
given conditions.
a. guide
b. phase
c. cut-off
d. group

44. The characteristic wave impedance of a
waveguide in the TE mode is _________ that of the
TM mode.

a. equal to
b. higher than
c. lower than
d. NOTA

45. The following are methods of exciting
waveguides except

a. slot coupling
b. antennas
c. flanges
d. direct coupling

46. Higher order mode-waveguides are not used in
practice because they have _______ cut-off
frequencies.

a. low
b. high
c. indeterminate
d. fixed

47. Indicate which of the following cannot be
followed by the word waveguide.

a. elliptical
b. flexible
c. coaxial
d. ridged
48. A piston attenuator is a

a. vane attenuator
b. waveguide below cut-off
c. mode filter
d. flap attenuator

49. Which of the following waveguide tuning
components is not easily adjustable?

a. screw
b. stub
c. iris
d. plunger

50. Which of the following is not a waveguide
termination component?
a. tapered pyramid
b. post
c. tapered resistance card
d. stepped resistance card

51. What microwave component can sample part of
the power traveling through the waveguide?

a. directional coupler
b. magic tee
c. circulator
d. re-entrant cavity

52. The following are gases used for LASERs except

a. helium
b. neon
c. argon
d. ruby

53. Also known as the optical maser

a. ruby maser
b. LASER
c. quantum mechanics
d. GaAs maser

54. Paramagnetic means _________ magnetic

a. almost
b. fully
c. slightly
d. electro

55. Tuning the ruby maser is done by adjusting the
_________ to alter the energy level of the ferrous
chromium.

a. electric field
b. magnetic field
c. pumping of electrons
d. electromagnetic field

56. To overcome the very narrow bandwidth in ruby
maser, ________ is used.

a. Magnetron
b. TWT
c. IMPATT diode
d. Gunn diode

57. The following are applications of masers except

a. radioastronomy
b. radiotelescope
c. radar
d. ET communications

58. A parametric amplifier is a device which amplifies
signal by varying the

a. resistance
b. reactance
c. magnetic field
d. electric field

59. The following are parts of the parametric amplifier
except

a. idling circuit
b. pump circuit
c. tuned circuit
d. filter circuit

60. The number of cavities in a magnetron used in
practice.

a. 4
b. 6
c. 8
d. 10

61. Changing the anode voltage to change the
velocity of the electrons in a magnetron tube

a. frequency pushing
b. frequency pulling
c. strapping
d. pumping

62. The lowest frequency that will propagate through
the waveguide while operating in a particular
mode.

a. critical frequency
b. cut-off frequency
c. MUF
d. UHF

63. The mode of a waveguide where there is no
component of magnetic field in the direction of
propagation.

a. TE
b. TM
c. H
d. TEM

64. The following are slow wave structures used to
retard the RF field in a TWT except
a. helix
b. attenuator
c. waveguide coupled cavity
d. NOTA

65. A rectangular waveguide is 5.1 cm by 2.4 cm. The
cut-off frequency for the dominant mode is

a. 2.94 GHz
b. 6.25 GHz
c. 664 MHz
d. 57.7 GHz

66. Calculate the cut-off wavelength, the guide
wavelength and the characteristic impedance of
a circular waveguide whose internal diameter is 4
cm for a 10 GHz signal propagated in it in the
dominant mode. (kr = 1.84)

a. 6.83 cm, 3 cm, 420
b. 3 cm, 6.83 cm, 420
c. 6.83 cm, 3.34 cm, 420
d. 6.83 cm, 3.34 cm, 338

67. A wave is propagated in a parallel plane
waveguide. The frequency is 6 GHz and the plane
separation is 3 cm. The cut-off wavelength for the
dominant mode, the group and phase velocities
are

a. 5 cm, 166 Mm/sec, 543 Mm/sec
b. 6 cm, 166 Mm/sec, 543 Mm/sec
c. 6 cm, 543 Mm/sec, 166 Mm/sec
d. 5 cm, 543 Mm/sec, 166 Mm/sec

68. If the MTBF of a communication circuit is 20,000
hours and its MTTR is 5 hours, what is its
unavailability?

a. 0.00025
b. 99.975%
c. 0.25 %
d. 00.975%

69. What would be the ERP, in watts if the transmitter
output is 30 dBm and the transmission line loss is 20
dB and the antenna connected to it has a power
gain of 60 dB?

a. 10,000 watts
b. 1000 watts
c. 100 watts
d. 10 watts

70. Also referred to as the Transferred Electron Device

a. magnetron
b. TWT
c. Gunn diode
d. APD

71. Also known as the Esaki diode

a. gunn
b. tunnel
c. APD
d. TWT

72. The following are negative resistance amplifiers
except

a. tunnel
b. gunn
c. IMPATT
d. PIN diode

73. Regarded as the oldest semiconductor device

a. Shottky Barrier diode
b. PIN diode
c. point contact diode
d. triode

74. Also called the hot electron diode

a. PIN diode
b. ESBAR
c. APD
d. Gunn diode

75. Also called tunnel rectifiers

a. backward diode
b. schottky barrier diode
c. APD
d. PIN diode

76. Varactors are variable ________ diode.

a. reactance
b. capacitance
c. inductance
d. resistance

77. Diodes designed to store energy in their
capacitance during forward bias and generates
harmonics in the reverse bias.

a. step recovery
b. gunn
c. APD
d. IMPATT

78. A cross between the TWT and the magnetron in its
operation

a. CFA
b. BWO
c. EIA
d. Twystron

79. The following are parts of a multicavity klystron
except

a. buncher cavity
b. catcher cavity
c. cathode
d. attenuator

80. The very first microwave transistors

a. GaAs FET
b. Si BJT
c. MIC
d. NOTA

81. The most common microwave FET which is also
known as the MESFET

a. Dual GaAs FET
b. Si BJT
c. MIC
d. Schottky Barrier Gate

82. It looks like a shorter, thicker TWT

a. CFA
b. BWO
c. EIA
d. Twystron

83. A Twystron is a hybrid combination of

a. TWT and Magnetron
b. TWT and Klystron
c. TWT and Ubitron
d. TWT and gyrotron

84. A multicavity klystron with interconnected
multigap cavities

a. TWT
b. Twystron
c. EIA
d. gyrotron

85. SAW propagate in

a. GaAs
b. InP
c. Stripline
d. quartz crystal

86. The output from a laser is monochromatic; this
means that it is

a. infrared
b. narrow beam
c. polarized
d. single frequency

87. The ruby laser differs from the ruby maser in that
the former

a. does not require pumping
b. needs no resonator
c. is an oscillator
d. produces much lower powers

88. The transmission system using two ground planes

a. microstrip
b. elliptical waveguide
c. parallel wire line
d. stripline

89. A BWO is based on the

a. rising sun magnetron
b. CFA
c. coaxial magnetron
d. TWT

90. One of the following is unlikely to be used as a
pulsed device

a. multicavity klystron
b. BWO
c. CFA
d. TWT

91. A microwave tube amplifier uses an axial
magnetic field and a radial electric field

a. reflex klystron
b. coaxial magnetron
c. TW magnetron
d. CFA
92. The attenuator is used in the TWT to

a. help bunching
b. prevent oscillation
c. prevent saturation
d. increase gain

93. The glass tube of a TWT may be coated with
aquadag to

a. help focusing
b. provide attenuation
c. improve bunching
d. increase gain

94. The cavity magnetron uses strapping to

a. prevent mode jumping
b. prevent cathode back heating
c. ensure bunching
d. improve the phase focusing effect

95. Compared with equivalent transmission lines, 3-
GHz waveguides (indicate false statement)

a. are less lossy
b. can carry higher powers
c. are less bulky
d. have lower attenuation

96. Indicate the false statement. When the free-
space wavelength of a signal equals the cutoff
wavelength of the guide

a. the group velocity of the signal
becomes zero
b. the phase velocity of the signal
becomes infinite
c. the characteristic impedance of the
guide becomes infinite
d. the wavelength within the waveguide
becomes infinite

97. A disadvantage of microstrip with respect to
stripline circuits is that the former

a. do not lend themselves to printed-circuit
techniques
b. are more likely to radiate
c. are bulkier
d. are more expensive and complex to
manufacture

98. In order to couple two generators to a
waveguide system without coupling them to
each other, one could not use a

a. rat-race
b. E-plane T
c. Hybrid ring
d. Magic T

99. A PIN diode is

a. a metal semiconductor point-contact
diode
b. a microwave mixer diode
c. often used as a microwave detector
d. suitable for use as a microwave switch

100. For handling high powers, the best transmission
medium is

a. stripline
b. microstrip
c. rectangular waveguide
d. coaxial line