Manual for Communication Systems Laboratory (ECE C383)

Prepared by Faculty & Laboratory Staff Dept. EE

BITS Pilani, Hyderabad Date: August 2011

Purpose of the document

This document is intended to be used by the students for enhancing their learning while performing the experiments. The learning is imparted by way of posing a set of questions on each of the experiments and the student is expected to answer these questions either before performing the experiments or by experimentation. The document does not give details on step by step procedure for performing the experiments. It is expected that the student acquires this information, prior to the experimentation, by referring to the books or documents, referred below. It is advised that the student need not constrain oneself to the set questions given in this document and can generate ones own set of additional questions to enhance the learning process. The authors of this document will be highly appreciative of those who can add additional questions.

References: 1. Lab Manual, supplied by Pilani 2. B.P. Lathi and Zhi Ding, Modern Digital and Analog Communication Systems, 3rd OR 4th Edition, Oxford University Press, 2010 3. Simon Haykin & Michael Moher, Communication Systems, 4th OR 5th Edition, John Wiley & Sons, 2010 4. User Manuals of the equipment like Oscilloscope & Function Generators

Revision History
Version Number V0.1 Revision date Aug 6, 2011 Main changes from previous version Initial Document Changed by YY

Experiment 1: MATLAB Familiarization

Aim: To learn about MATLAB and familiarize oneself with its usage and applicability to Communications. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. What is Matlab? Have you used it before? If yes what for? How can it be used? Use the help function and find out what are different functions available Run the Matlab demo and note the potential of Matlab in your observation book Can you save the commands on the Matlab command window? How to generate a Matlab code file? What is its extension? How do you run the Matlab file in the command window?

Experiment 2: Function Generator and Oscilloscope

Aim: To learn about Function Generator and Oscilloscope to familiarize oneself with their use in Communications laboratory.

Function generator:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. What is a function generator? Where / how can it be used? What is an arbitrary waveform generator? Name the model and manufacturer of the signal generator used in the communications Lab. List the buttons and knobs found on the front panel of the Function generator. At power-on, the function generator outputs a ___ wave of frequency _______ with an amplitude of ___ peak-to-peak. 6. Which key should you press to enter the numeric entry mode? 7. How many types of functions that the function generator support ? 8. What are the range of amplitudes and frequencies that the Function generator can generate? 9. How do you set the frequency, amplitude and offset of a signal that is to be generated by the Function generator? 10. What is the use of trigger functionality in a function generator?

Oscilloscope:
1. What is an Oscilloscope? 2. Where / how can it be used? 3. Name the model and manufacturer of the signal generator used in the communications Lab. 4. Is the Oscilloscope that you are using a digital or an analog oscilloscope? 5. What are the functions of horizontal controls? 6. What are the functions of vertical controls? 7. How many buttons are present as soft keys in the oscilloscope? 8. What is the purpose of a trigger in an oscilloscope? 9. How do you apply an external trigger? 10. List the buttons and knobs found on the front panel of the oscilloscope. 11. What are the range of amplitudes and frequencies that the oscilloscope can display? 12. What are the DC coupling & AC coupling functionalities?

Use Function generator and Oscilloscope to answer the following:

1. Generate a waveform of your choice from the Function generator and display it on the oscilloscope 2. Is the wave form stable or scrolling horizontally? 3. How do you make it not to scroll and be stable in the display window? 4. For the displayed waveform, what is the peak to peak voltage ? 5. For the displayed waveform, what is the time period? 6. Generate a pulsed waveform with ON /OFF durations being different and display on the Oscilloscope. 7. Measure the time period, pulse duration and calculate their ratio? What is this ratio of the pulse duration to time period is called?

8. What are the different MATH functions in the Oscilloscope? Use some of them and record your observations 9. How do you use oscilloscope available in the lab as spectrum analyzer? 10. Does the oscilloscope have the facility to freeze the waveform on the screen? What is this facility called? 11. Can you make use of this to find the rising and falling edge of a pulse? 12. What is the bandwidth of the oscilloscope and does your finding on the rising edge fits into the bandwidth? 13. Generate a triangular waveform with minimum and maximum voltages as 0 and 1 volt. How does it appear on the oscilloscope when you use DC coupling and AC coupling? Explain the findings.