Lesson 2 – Introduction to

Communication
Electronic
Communications System
Modes of Transmission
Electromagnetic Spectrum
Barriers to Human Communication
 Language
 Distance
Electronic Communications
 Thetransmission, reception and
processing of information using electronic
circuits.
Communication System
 The totality of the mechanism that provides
transfer of information from one point to another
 Includes the components, equipment that is
being utilized to execute the communication
process
 is a collection of individual communications
networks, transmission systems, relay stations,
tributary stations, and data terminal equipment
(DTE) usually capable of interconnection and
interoperation to form an integrated whole
 Brief History
Year Milestone
1830 Professor Joseph Henry transmitted the first practical electrical signal.
1837 Samuel Morse invented the telegraph.
1876 Alexander Graham Bell and Thomas A. Watson invented the telephone.
1887 Heinrich Hertz discovered radio waves.
Guglielmo Marconi demonstrated wireless radio wave propagation.
1901
Guglielmo Marconi accomplished the first transatlantic transmission of radio signals

1903 John Fleming invented the two-electrode vacuum-tube rectifier.

1906 Lee De Forest invented the triode vacuum tube.
1923 Vladimir Zworykin invented and demonstrated television.
1948 William Shockley, Walter Brattain and John Bardeen invented the transistor.
1959 The integrated circuit was invented.
1965 The first commercial communications satellite was launched
1983 The cellular telephone network was first introduced in the United States.
Elements of Electronic
Communication System
An electronic communications system using electronic signals
 Sources of information
Sources of information may be coming from an
analog source or from a digital source so that
intelligence signals may be either an analog or a
digital. Analog signals are something continuously
changing with respect to time and with infinite
amplitude values while digital signals are
something discrete and whose amplitude is of finite
value.
The information provided to a communication
system is called baseband. One may define as "
any information signal is known as baseband
signal".
Transmitter
 converts the information into a signal suitable for
transmission over a given communications
medium.
 The transmitter is a collection of electronic
devices or circuits designed to convert the
information into a signal suitable for transmission
over a given communications medium.
 The components of a transmitter are the
amplifier, modulator, oscillator and antenna.
 Processing Unit:
The baseband signal is passed through some
processing unit where necessary operations are
performed. These operations may include filtering,
sampling etc. This is helpful in separating
unwanted information from baseband.
 Modulation:
The process of modulation is required to make the
baseband signal ready for transmission. The
modulator produces a varying signal at its output
which is proportional in some way to the signal
appearing across its input terminal (baseband
signal). For example , a sinusoidal modulator may
vary the amplitude, frequency or phase of a
sinusoidal signal in direct proportion to the input
baseband.
Communication Channel/Medium
 Provides a means of transporting signals
between a transmitter and a receiver. The two
general type of communications media are
guided (wired) and unguided (wireless).
 Examples of guided media are coaxial cable,
fiber optic cable and waveguide.
 Although the medium supports the transmission
of information, it also attenuates it and causes
the received signal to appear much lower in
amplitude. Considerable amplification of the
signal is required for successful
communication.
Communication Channel/Medium
 The transmission medium or channel is vital
link between the system. Without it there
would be no communication problem. The
transmission medium may include wired
transmission line, atmosphere (wireless) which
may include the ionosphere, the troposphere,
free space etc.
 It causes noise (unwanted addition to
baseband signal) , attenuation and distortion
in the form of electrical signal. This results
interference with our error-free reception at
receiving end.
Receiver
 accept s the transmitted message from the
channel and converts them into a form
understandable to humans.
 Receivers are a collection of electronic
devices or circuits that accept the
transmitted message from the channel and
convert them into a form understandable to
humans.
 The components of a receiver are the
amplifiers, demodulator and antenna.
 RF Amplifier:
The RF amplifier is used to tune the receive to
frequency of the transmitted bandwidth.
 Demodulation:
The demodulator performs the inverse process
of modulator to recover the information signal
in its original form.
Limitations of Communication Systems
 Noise is any unwanted form of energy that tends
to interfere with the proper and easy reception
and reproduction of desired signals.
 Bandwidth is the portion of the electromagnetic
spectrum occupied by a signal. It is also the
frequency range over which an information signal
is transmitted or over which a receiver or other
electronic circuit operates. Specifically, the
bandwidth is the difference between the upper
and the lower frequency limit
 Information Capacity
A measure of how much source
information can be carried through the
system in a given period of time.

Hartley’s Law
States that the information capacity is
directly proportional to bandwidth and
transmission time
I  BW x t
Modes of Transmission
 The term Transmission Mode defines the
direction of the flow of information between
two communication devices i.e. it tells the
direction of signal flow between the two
devices.
 Electronic Communications may be either
one-way or two-way.
Simplex Transmission
 In Communication Networks, Communication can
take place in one direction connected to such a
circuit are either a send only or receive only device.
 There is no mechanism for information to be
transmitted back to the sender. Communication is
unidirectional.
Half-Duplex Transmission
 A half duplex system can transmit data in
both directions, but only in one direction at a
time
 Half duplex modes support two-way traffic
but in only one direction at a time.
 Both the connected devices can transmit
and receive but not simultaneously.
 When one device is sending the other can
only receive and vice-versa.
Full-duplex Transmission
 A full duplex system can transmit data simultaneously
in both directions on transmission path.
 Full-duplex method is used to transmit the data over a
serial communication link. Two wires needed to send
data over a serial communication link layer.
 Full-duplex transmission, the channel capacity is
shared by both communicating devices at all times.
 Both the connected devices can transmit and receive
at the same time. Therefore it represents truly bi-
directional system. The link may contain two separate
transmission paths one for sending and another for
receiving.
Electromagnetic Frequency
Spectrum
 The electromagnetic frequency
spectrum refers to the entire range of
usable frequencies. It extends from a
few Hz to cosmic rays.
Frequency
 Frequency is the number of times an
alternating current goes through its
complete cycle per second. The
international unit of measurement of
frequency is hertz, abbreviated as Hz.
Electromagnetic Frequency
Spectrum
International Telecommunications
Union (ITU) Band Designations
 Extremely Low Frequencies, 30 – 300 Hz
 Includes ac power line frequencies as well as the
low end of human hearing range
 Voice Frequencies, 300 -3000Hz
 This is the normal range of the human voice.
Although human hearing extends from 20 to
20,000Hz, most intelligible sounds occur in this range.
 Very Low Frequencies, 3 -30kHz
 Includes the higher end of the human hearing range
by up to 20 KHz. Many musical instruments also
make sounds in this range.
 Low Frequencies, 30- 300 kHz
 Frequencies in this range are used in primary
communication services such as aeronautical and
marine navigation.
 Medium Frequencies, 300- 3000 KHz
 The major application of frequencies in this range is
AM Radio broadcasting (535 – 1605 kHz). Marine
and aeronautical Communications also takes place
in this range.
 High Frequencies, 3- 30MHz
 These are frequencies generally known as short
waves. All kinds of two-way radio communication
take place in this range.
 Very High Frequencies, 30- 300 MHz
 Used by many services including mobile radio,
marine and aeronautical communications, FM radio
broadcasting (88 – 108 MHz), and television
channels 2 to 13. Frequencies above 1GHz are
generally known as microwaves.
 Ultra High Frequencies, 300 – 3000 MHz
 A widely used portion of the frequency spectrum including
television channels 14 to 83, land mobile communications
and cellular telephones.
 Super High Frequencies, 3 – 30 GHz
 These are microwave frequencies that are widely used for
satellite and radar communications.
 Extremely High Frequencies, 30 – 300 GHz
 Only a limited amount of activity occurs in this range
including satellite communications and some specialized
radar.
 Infrared, 0.3 – 300 THz
 Infrared refers to radiation generally associated with heat.
Infrared is used in astronomy to detect stars, remote control
units, guidance of weapon systems and optical devices.
 Visible Spectrum, 0.3 – 3 PHz
 Generally referred to as light. Used in various
communication systems, fiber optics and laser technology.
 Wavelength is the length that one cycle of an
electromagnetic wave occupies in space.
The length of a wavelength depends on the
frequency of the wave and the velocity of
light
Signal Analysis
 Factors Affecting the Signal
 Distortion – signal alteration due to
imperfect response of the system to the
desired signal
 Interference – contamination of extraneous
signal usually man-made to form similar to
the desired signal
 Noise – random, undesireable high
frequency spikes
 Attenuation – decrease in signal strength
 Types of Signals
 Baseband Signal
 Modulated Signal

 Types of Intelligence Transmitted

 Analog – varies with time
 Digital – discrete, 1 or 0
Advantages of Digital Over
Analog
 Easier to multiplex
 Improved noise immunity
 Better performance
 Easier to interface
Disadvantage of Digital Over
Analog
 Need for large (wide) bandwidth
 Need for synchronization
 Need for additional equipment
 Restriction to wired topology
Kinds of Signal Representation

 Time Domain – amplitude versus time

 Frequency Domain – amplitude versus
frequency
Classification of Signals
 According to Signal
 Periodic – signals that keep on repeating at
regular interval
 Non-periodic – signals that keep on
changing continuously and has no definite
period
 According to Form of Electrical Signals
 Sinusouidal has the form e(t) = Emsin (t +)
 Non-sinusoidal – sum of series of sinusoidal
 According to Symmetry
 Even Symmetry – a periodic waveform that
is symmetrical about the vertical
(amplitude) axis
 Odd symmetry - a periodic waveform that
is symmetrical about a line between the
vertical and the negative horizontal axes
 Half-wave symmetry - a periodic waveform
in such that for the first half cycle repeats
itself with the opposite sign for the second
half cycle.