Introduction to Digital Communications Systems

1. Communication the process of exchanging information.

2. Noise degrades or interferes with transmitted information
3. Transmitter is a collection of electronic components and circuits
that converts the electrical signal into a signal suitable
for transmission over a given medium
4. Communication the medium by which the electronic signal is sent from
channel one place to another
5. Receiver a collection of electronic components and circuits that
accepts the transmitted message from the channel and
converts it back into a form understandable by humans
6. Transceiver an electronic unit that incorporates circuits that both
send and receive signals
7. Attenuation Signal attenuation, or degradation, exists in all media
of wireless transmission. It is proportional to the square
of the distance between the transmitter and receiver
8. Noise random, undesirable electronic energy that enters the
communication system via the communicating medium
and interferes with the transmitted message
9. Simplex The simplest method of electronic communication is
referred to as simplex
10. Full duplex Most electronic communication is two-way and is
referred to as duplex
11. Half duplex The form of two-way communication in which only one
party transmits at a time is known as half duplex
12. Analog signals a smoothly and continuously varying voltage or current
13. Digital signals change in steps or in discrete increments
14. Modulation and electronic techniques for transmitting information
multiplexing efficiently from one place to another
15. Modulation makes the information signal more compatible with the
medium
16. Baseband information can be sent directly and unmodified over the medium
or can be used to modulate a carrier for transmission
over the medium
17. Carrier is a high frequency signal that is modulated by audio,
video, or data
18. Radio-frequency wave is an electromagnetic signal that is able to travel
long distances through space
19. Phase modulation the phase angle of the sine wave is varied
20. Broadband takes place when a carrier signal is modulated,
transmission amplified, and sent to the antenna for transmission
21. Frequency-shift keying takes place when data is converted to frequency-
(FSK) varying tones
22. Modems translate the data from digital to analog and back again
23. Demodulation or takes place in the receiver when the original baseband
detection (e.g. audio) signal is extracted
24. Multiplexing the process of allowing two or more signals to share
the same medium or channel
25. Electromagnetic The range of electromagnetic signals encompassing all
spectrum frequencies
26. Frequency is the number of cycles of a repetitive wave that occur
in a given period of time. (cps)(Hz)
 Introduction to Digital Communications Systems

27. Cycle (frequency) consists of two voltage polarity reversals, current

reversals, or electromagnetic field oscillations
28. Wavelength is the distance occupied by one cycle of a wave and is
usually expressed in meters.

29. Bandwidth (BW) is that portion of the electromagnetic spectrum

occupied by a signal.
30. Channel bandwidth refers to the range of frequencies required to transmit
the desired information
 Introduction to Digital Communications Systems

ENUMERATION

2 MAIN Barriers of Communicaitons Methods of communication:

Language 1. Face to face
Distance 2. Signals
3. Written word (letters)
4. Electrical innovations:
Telegraph
Telephone
Radio
Television
Internet (computer)

Basic components of Communication Types of media include in Communication

Transmitter Channel
Channel or medium Electrical conductors
Receiver Optical media
Free space
System-specific media (e.g., water is the medium
for sonar).

Tranceivers (Examples) Classification of Electronics Communications

Telephones System
Fax machines One-way (simplex) or two-way (full
Handheld CB radios duplex or half duplex) transmissions
Cell phones Analog or digital signals.
Computer modems

The two most common methods of modulation The three basic types of multiplexing are:
are: Frequency division
Amplitude Modulation (AM) Time division
Frequency Modulation (FM) Code division