Communication Fundamentals Dijlah University College

Second Stage Assist Lecturer: Marwa Maki

Lecture Two
Transmission Line Theory
At high frequencies, the wavelength is much smaller than the
circuit size, resulting in different phases at different locations in the
circuit.
Quasi-static circuit theory cannot be applied. We need to use transmission
line theory.
TRANSMISSION LINE is a device designed to guide electrical
energy from one point to another it is used, for example, to transfer the
output energy of a transmitter to an antenna with the least possible power
loss.

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Communication Fundamentals Dijlah University College
Second Stage Assist Lecturer: Marwa Maki

How well this is done?! This is done by depending on

the special physical and electrical characteristics (impedance and
resistance) of the transmission line.
All transmission lines have two ends. The end of a two-wire
transmission line connected to a source is ordinarily called the INPUT
END or the GENERATOR END. Other names given to this end are
TRANSMITTER END, SENDING END, and SOURCE. The other end
of the line is called the OUTPUT END or RECEIVING END.

Types of Transmission Line

There are many kind of transmission line including
1. Electrical Transmission Line,
2. Optical Transmission Line.
This lecture will focused on the important type of Electrical Transmission
Line

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Communication Fundamentals Dijlah University College
Second Stage Assist Lecturer: Marwa Maki

Electrical Transmission Line Type

1. Two-Wire Lines Transmission Line

Two-Wire line consist of two conductive wire one called "Go" and
the other called "Return" separated by dielectric material.

(A) Parallel two-wire line.

(B) Two-wire ribbon type line.
(C) Twisted Pair.
This type of Transmission Line used in low frequency signal transmission
in between 0 to 100 MHz.
2. Coaxial Lines
Coaxial cable is used as an electrical transmission line for radio
frequency signals. An advantage of coaxial cable over other types of radio
transmission line is that in an ideal coaxial cable the electromagnetic field
carrying the signal exists only in the space between the inner and outer
conductors. This allows coaxial cable runs to be installed next to ferrous
metal objects without the power losses that occur in other types of
transmission lines. Coaxial cable also provides protection of the signal
from external electromagnetic interference sources.

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Communication Fundamentals Dijlah University College
Second Stage Assist Lecturer: Marwa Maki

Lossless Transmission Line Model

As a signal propagates down the pair of conductors, each new
section acts electrically as a small lumped circuit element. In its simplest
form, called the lossless model, the equivalent circuit of a transmission
line has just inductance and capacitance. These elements are distributed
uniformly down the length of the line.

Two important terms that characterize a transmission line can be

derived: the velocity of a signal (v) and the characteristic impedance (Z0).

LL = inductance per length,

CL = capacitance per length.

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Communication Fundamentals Dijlah University College
Second Stage Assist Lecturer: Marwa Maki

Lossy Transmission Line Model:

When loss is significant, the effects of the series resistance (R) and
dielectric conductance (G) should be included.

These four circuit elements, normalized per unit length, can be

used to describe all the high frequency properties of a transmission line.

Note:
Zo =characteristic impedance
ᵞ=propagation constant
α= attenuation
Β= phase shift constant

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Communication Fundamentals Dijlah University College
Second Stage Assist Lecturer: Marwa Maki

Mathematical Determination of Characteristic Impedance

1. Two Wire Line:

Where
X: distance between two conductors,
D: conductor diameter,
ϵr : relative permittivity.

2. Coaxial cable:

: diameter of inner conductor,

D: diameter of outer conductor .

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 Communication Fundamentals Dijlah University College
Second Stage Assist Lecturer: Marwa Maki

Reflection Coefficients
These terms are used to describe the ratio of the voltage (at one
frequency) launched down a transmission line and the voltage reflected
back from the far end by a mismatched load (As the waves travel down
the Transmission Line, reflections may occur that cause “opposite
traveling waves”
Let Vf be the forward voltage launched down the line, and Vr the

reflected voltage.
The voltage reflection coefficient is:

where
ZL: Load Impedance
and
Z0: Impedance of the transmission line.
1. If ZL = Z0, there is no reflected wave (Maximum Power Transfer) Γ̥ = 0,
2. If ZL is short circuit, i.e. ZL=0
Γ̥ = -1,
3. If ZL is open circuit, i.e. ZL=∞
Γ̥ =1
So, -1 > Γ̥ <1

The return loss RL is Γ̥ expressed as a logarithmic quantity:

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Communication Fundamentals Dijlah University College
Second Stage Assist Lecturer: Marwa Maki

Voltage Standing Wave Ratio

When load is not matched to the transmission line, power is
reflected (so that the reflection coefficient, Γ, is not zero). This causes a
"reflected voltage wave", which creates standing waves along the
transmission line.

So, Voltage Standing Wave Ratio (VSWR) is the ratio of the maximum
to the minimum amplitude of the standing wave.

VSWR Usually expressed in terms of the reflection coefficient: