Principles of Communication

Lecture 1- Fundamentals

Computer Engineering Department

By: Rolin Limos
 What is Communication System????

“A communication system is a process of conveying

and exchanging information from a source to a
destination.”
 Communication System
Block Diagram

Source Transmitter Channel Receiver Destination

Noise
Basic elements:
• Source – origin of information
• Transmitter - converts the message signal produced by the source of
information into a form suitable for transmission over the channel.
Channel - provide means of transporting signals from Transmitter to
Receiver
• Noise- interference that destroys the integrity of signals on a line.
• Receiver -operates on the received signal so as to reconstruct a
recognizable form of the original message signal.
•Destination – where informations are intended to.
Communication System
Block Diagram
Communication System
Block Diagram
 Types of Communication

ANALOG- energy is transmitted and received in

analog form: both information and carrier signals are
analog.

DIGITAL- energy is transmitted and received in

digital form such as 5V and 0V(ground).
e.g: Microwave , Satellite radio and Optical Fiber.
 Analog vs Digital Signals

Analog signal - is any continuous signal for which the time varying
feature (variable) of the signal is a representation of some other time
varying quantity, i.e., analogous to another time varying signal.

Digital signal - uses discrete (discontinuous) values. By contrast, non-

digital (or analog) systems use a continuous range of values to represent
information. The information represented can be either discrete, such as
numbers or letters, or continuous, such as sounds, images, and other
measurements of continuous systems.
 Analog vs Digital Signals
Analog Digital
Converts analog waveforms into
set of numbers and records
Analog technology records
Technology them. The numbers are
waveforms
converted into voltage stream
for representation.
Uses continuous range of values Uses discrete or discontinuous
Representation
to represent information. values to represent information.
Analog signal is a continuous
signal which transmits Digital signals are discrete time
Signal information as a response to signals generated by digital
changes in physical modulation.
phenomenon.
Analog clocks indicate time Digital clocks use numeric
Clocks
using angles. representation to indicate time.
Analog computer uses
Digital computers represent
changeable continuous physical
changing quantities
Computer phenomena such as electrical,
incrementally as and when their
mechanical, hydraulic quantities
values change.
so as to solve a problem.
 Analog vs Digital Signals

Digital Signal Analog Signal

Advantages: Disadvantages:
-Inexpensive -Expensive
-Privacy preserved (Data encrypt.) -No privacy preserved
-Can merge different data -Cannot merge different data
-Error correction -No error correction capability

Disadvantages: Advantages:
-Larger bandwidth -Smaller bandwidth
-Synchronization problem is -Synchronization problem is
relatively difficult. relatively easier.
 Baseband vs Broadband Signals

Baseband - signals and systems whose range of frequencies is measured

from close to 0 hertz to a cut-off frequency, a maximum bandwidth or
highest signal frequency; also a band of frequencies starting close to zero.
Baseband can often be considered as low pass or non-modulated

Broadband - a signaling method that includes or handles a relatively wide

range (or band) of frequencies, which may be divided into channels or
frequency bins.
 Baseband Transmission

The need of baseband transmission:

 The concepts and parameter of baseband transmission

are used in modulated transmission
 Performance of baseband transmission is used as the
standard for comparing modulation techniques

• Baseband signal is not suitable for long distance

communication because:
 Hardware limitation (e.g. requires very long antenna)
 Interference with other waves
 MODULATION

 Modulation is the process of having an information

signal modify a carrier signal in some way

 It is performed in the Transmitter by a device called

modulator.

 Carrier frequency must be higher than the baseband signal

frequency  the higher-frequency carrier signal is more
compatible with the medium and propagates through it
with greater efficiency.
Modulation Process
 Modulation Process

 Frequency translation such as AM , FM , PM , etc

 Sampling and coding such as PAM , PCM, etc

 Keying such as ASK , FSK, etc.

 Types of Modulation

 Analog modulation are frequency translation

method by changing the appropriate quantity in a
carrier signal

 Digital modulation is the result of changing

analogue signal into binary ones by sampling and
coding

 Keying modulation are digital signals

subsequently modulated by the frequency
modulation by using one or other analogue
method
 Why need MODULATION?

 To make baseband signal physically compatible with the

propagation medium : difficult to radiate baseband signal

 Information signal often occupy the same frequency band

Example”
 DEMODULATION

 Demodulation is the reverse process of modulation by

converting the modulated carried signal back to its
original information( it removes the information from
the carrier)

 It is performed in the Receiver by a device called

demodulator.
 Spectrum, bandwidth, channel and frequency allocation

Spectrum or electromagnetic radiation spectrum -

refers to the complete range of wavelengths of
electromagnetic radiation.

The electromagnetic spectrum includes the following

different types of radiation (from lowest energy to
highest): radio, microwaves, infrared, visible, ultraviolet,
X-rays and gamma-rays.
 Spectrum, bandwidth, channel and frequency allocation

Frequency
The number of times a particular phenomenon occurs in a given period time.

Wavelength
Wavelength is the distance traveled by an EM wave during one period.
The wavelength of a signal is represented by the Greek letter lambda (λ).
 Spectrum, bandwidth, channel and frequency allocation

Relationship between frequency and wavelength

Wavelength (λ) = speed of light / frequency

Speed of light = 3×108 meters/second

Therefore:

λ= 3 ×108/ f
 Spectrum, bandwidth, channel and frequency allocation

Bandwidth

• Bandwidth (BW) is that portion of the electromagnetic

spectrum occupied by a signal.

•The numerical difference between the upper and lower

frequencies of a band of electromagnetic radiation,
especially an assigned range of radio frequencies
(fb= 2fm ).
• The amount of data that can be passed along a
communications channel in a given period of time.

• Channel bandwidth refers to the range of frequencies

required to transmit the desired information
 Spectrum, bandwidth, channel and frequency allocation

Bandwidth

• The bandwidth of a communication signal ≥bandwidth of the

information signal.

• A communication channel cannot propagate a signal that contains

a frequency that is changing at a rate greater than the Channel
Bandwidth.

• As an example, the 3 dB bandwidth of the function depicted in

the figure below is f2−f1
 Spectrum, bandwidth, channel and frequency allocation

Channel allocation

A given radio spectrum is to be divided into a set of

disjointed channels that can be used simultaneously while
minimizing interference in adjacent channel by allocating
channels appropriately.
 Spectrum, bandwidth, channel and frequency allocation

Sideband (USB & LSB)

Sideband is a band of frequencies higher than or lower than the

carrier frequency, containing energy as a result of the modulation
process.

Frequencies above carrier signal frequency (fc+ fm) is called USB

(upper side band) frequencies.

Frequencies below carrier signal frequency (fc–fm) is called LSB

(lower side band) frequencies
 Information Capacity

 A measure of how much information can be carried

through a system in a given period of time.

 More complex the information signal, more bandwidth

required to transport it in a given period of time
Freq Band Propagation Characteristics
3-30 kHz VLF GW; low attenuation day and night;
high atmospheric noise level
30-300 kHz LF Similar to VLF, slightly less reliable;
absorption in daytime
300-3000 MF Ground wave and night sky wave;
kHz attenuation low at night and high in
day; atmospheric noise
3-30 MHz HF Ionosphere reflection varies with
time of day, season, and frequency;
low atmospheric noise at 30 MHz
30-300 VHF Nearly (LOS) propagation, with
MHz scattering because of temperature
inversions, cosmic noise
0.3-3 GHz UHF LOS propagation, cosmic noise
3-30 GHz SHF LOS propagation; rainfall attenuation Satellite communication, radar
above 10 GHz, atmospheric
attenuation because of oxygen and
water vapor, high water vapor
absorption at 22.2 GHz
30-300 EHF LOS; high water-vapor absorption at Radar, satellite, experimental
GHz 183 GHz and oxygen absorption at 60
and 119 GHz
Typical Users
Long-range navigation; submarine
communication
Long-range navigation and marine
communication radio beacons
Maritime radio, direction finding, and
AM broadcasting
Amateur radio; international
broadcasting, military communication,
long-distance aircraft and ship
communication, telephone, telegraph, fax
VHF television, FM two-way radio, AM
aircraft communication, aircraft
navigational aids
UHF television, cellular telephone,
navigational aids, radar, GPS, microwave
links, personal communication systems
microwave links