Version 2.

CCE5307 Digital Communications

Prof. Ing. Victor Buttigieg
Department of Communications and Computer Engineering

Passband Data Transmission

Objectives:

• To implement optimal demodulators for passband data transmission.

• To determine the bit-error rate at the output of these demodulators.
• To compare the performance of these schemes when transmitting a video signal.

Task Definition:

Video is to be transmitted over a wireless channel using a digital communication link. The video bit-
rate is 6Mb/s. In order to simplify the simulation, a carrier frequency of 36MHz is to be used. In
practice, a higher frequency is actually used. Implement the following using MATLAB. It is
recommended that you use Simulink to simplify your designs. However, please note that you are
not allowed to use library functions/blocks in MATLAB/Simulink that implement the indicated
modulators and demodulators directly. You need to implement these using simpler
functions/blocks. Optionally, however, you may use the available modulators/demodulators to
compare your results if this is considered useful.

1) Implement modems using the following modulation types on MATLAB/Simulink:

i) Binary Phase Shift Keying (BPSK)

ii) Frequency Shift Keying (FSK)
iii) 16-Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM)

In each case, implement an optimum coherent correlation detector. To simplify the

implementation, you may assume perfect knowledge of the start of a symbol is available at
the receiver. You may also assume that a perfectly synchronized carrier is available at the
receiver.
(30 marks)
2) For each modulation type, use MATLAB/Simulink to show the received modulated
i) time waveform;
ii) frequency spectrum;
iii) signal constellation diagram.
(9 marks)
3) Determine experimentally the null-to-null bandwidth required in each case. Compare these
results to theoretical values.
(9 marks)
4) Repeat 2) above when the signal is transmitted over an AWGN channel with a SNR of 3dB.
(9 marks)

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5) For the three modulation types, determine how the bit-error rate varies with 𝐸b /𝑁0 in the
range from 0 to 10dB. For the case of 16-QAM do this both with Gray encoding and straight
binary encoding.
(20 marks)
6) For the case of the BPSK receiver, determine the loss in performance if the local oscillator in
the demodulator has a phase error of 10%.
(8 marks)
7) Based on the results in this practical assignment and for the given signal type, what
modulation scheme would you recommend using in a practical system? Specify the
minimum value for the SNR that your system should be operated at for acceptable
performance. State any assumptions.
(10 marks)

Deliverables:

A report which includes

1) the signed Plagiarism Form (found at

https://www.um.edu.mt/ict/students/declarationofauthenticity)
2) a very brief description of how the problems were tackled;
3) details of any designs made (including Simulink models and parameters used);
4) all the results obtained (including any assumptions made and specific parameters used);
5) an interpretation of the results obtained with a comparison with theoretical ones, where
appropriate;
6) comments and conclusions;
7) any MATLAB scripts used, as an appendix.

5 marks are assigned to the clarity of your report.

Please upload a zip file on VLE with all necessary files required to execute your simulations. In the
appendix include brief instructions how to use these files.

The total marks assigned to the questions in this practical assignment is 100%. This practical
assignment contributes a total of 15% towards the final mark of this study-unit.

Please note that although you can discuss this practical assignment with your classmates, it is
expected that you complete the assignment and compile the report on your own. If the report is not
submitted within the set deadline found on VLE, or if the signed plagiarism form is not submitted
with the report, you will be given zero marks.