LAB 02: TRANSMISSION LINE AND MEASUREMENT OF THEIR

CHARACTERISTICS

ANTENNA LAB
SUBMITTED TO: MAM WARDA SAEED

GROUP MEMBERS: AMINA FAROOQ, SAWERA

JAMSHED
REG NO: 190401018,190401002
EE-18(B)
Objectives

a) To enable students to visualize propagation of a disturbance, such as a pulse, in an ideal non-

reflecting line.
b) To demonstrate that there is particular impedance, the characteristic impedance, which
absorbs the signal coming along the line.
c) To demonstrate that reflection occurs if the line is not correctly terminated. To prepare the
student for the theory of reflection at discontinuities.
d) To enable the student to observe partial reflections at a mismatched termination.
e) To enable the student to observe standing waves on a line with mismatched termination.

TASK 1

Equipment Required
• Transmission Line Demonstrator TLD511
• Function Generator, Sine
• 600R terminator
• Links
• 200R terminator
• 1k8R terminator

Procedure

A) PROPAGATION IN A TRANSMISSION LINE

Set the TLD511 controls as follows:

hold/run set to'run'

line length set to '8L'

distributed attenuation set to 'min'

i) Pulse Propagation
Operate the switch for 'step input to A' briefly: the switch should be released after light has appeared in the
second column. A pulse, two columns wide, will then travels to the 'B' end of the line and disappear (fig
1.2).
 fig 1.2
Repeated operations of 'step input to A' can send patterns of pulses (e.g Morse code) along the line.
Reverse propagation of pulse: Operating 'step input to B' will likewise send signals from 'B' to
'A'. The generator provides the line termination.

B) TERMINATIONS, SIMPLE CASES

Set the TLD511 controls as follows:

hold/run set to 'run'

line length set to '8L'

distributed attenuation set to 'min'

i) Reflection of a Signal at a Gross Mismatch

Operate the 'step input to A' switch until the second column of the display lights, sending a short pulse
along the line. Note that the pulse is absorbed in the correct termination.
Remove the terminator from 'B' end of the line, and again send a pulse from 'A'. This time it is reflected
from 'B' back to 'A'. Place a short-circuit link across the line at 'B' (where the 600R terminator was). Note
that the pulse is inverted on reflection at 'B'.
ii) Superposition of Forward and Backward Waves
Restore the 600R terminator to 'B'. Operate the 'step input to A' switch to send a pulse from 'A', then
immediately operate it in the reverse direction to send a pulse from 'B'. Note that when the pulses meet,
their voltages are superimposed.
iii) Superposition of Incident and Reflected Waves
Operate the 'step input to A' switch, keeping it operated for a while after the signal has reached 'B'. Release
the 'step input' switch, and when the line is at rest remove the terminator.
Operate the 'step input to A' switch, keeping it operated until the reflected signal has returned to 'A', giving
a double-amplitude signal, as has been explained.
D) PARTIAL REFLECTION
i) Reflection of a Pulse
Connect the apparatus as shown in fig 1.3: a 600R resistor provides a 'correct termination' at each end of
the 600R line.

fig 1.3
Operate the 'step input' switch in the direction 'to A', just long enough to light up the second column of the
display, then release it. This should send a pulse, as fig 1.3, from the end of the line marked 'A' to the end
marked 'B', where it will disappear because of the matched, or correct, termination.
Next, replace the 600R terminator at 'B' with terminators of 200R and of 1k8 resistance in turn. For each of
these terminators, observe the sign and magnitude of the reflected pulse.

ii) Standing Wave due to a Mismatch

On the TLD511 set the line length to 'L'. (The other controls should be at 'run' and 'min').
Remove the 600R terminator. A standing wave appears.
Substitute the 1k8 terminator. Note that the standing wave is reduced. Note its minimum and maximum
values.
Note carefully where the maximum and minimum voltages occur. Replace the 1k8 terminator with one of
200R.
what similarities and differences you see between this situation and the one with 1k8.

5. Observations and data manipulation

a) What are the effects of attenuation in a transmission line as you observed in Para
4’B’?
Ans:
⚫ When the terminator (matched load) is placed at B side, the sending pulse is absorbed at
receiver side. As pulse is absorbed at receiver side no attenuation will happen.
⚫ When the terminator is removed from the receiver side (open circuit), the sending pulse
was reflected back. No attenuation happened as same amplitude was sent and received
back after every reflection.
⚫ When the short link is placed at receiver side the, the sending pulse was reflected back
but at the negative side. The pulse was attenuating after every reflection.
⚫ When the pulse was sent from both A and B their amplitudes were superimposed and
reflected back. Attenuation was happening after every reflection
b) What does happen to the reflections when there is a short-circuit link across the line
at 'B'?
Ans: When the short link is placed at receiver side the, the sending pulse was reflected back but
at the negative side.
c) What is the value of reflection coefficient (K) from your observation of the reflected
pulse?
Ans:
⚫ When load of 600 R was placed the maximum and minimum values of received voltages were
same I.e 4V so value of reflection coefficient was 0.
⚫ When load of 1K8 was placed the maximum and minimum values of received voltages were
4V and 2V respectively so value of reflection coefficient was 0.5.
⚫ When load of 200R was placed the maximum and minimum values of received voltages were
4V and -2V respectively so value of reflection coefficient was 0.5 as modulus is taken of
reflection coefficient so negative value will be positive.

6. Discussions / Conclusions

a) What are the causes of attenuation in a transmission line?

Ans:
⚫ Wire size: Thinner wire suffer from more attenuation than thicker wires.
⚫ Interference: Due to Radio interference or physical obstacles such buildings, trees attenuation
happens.
⚫ Range: Both wire and wireless transmissions gradually dissipate in strength over longer
distances.

b) Does the observed ‘K’ value agree with the calculated value
K= (Zl - Zo) / (Zl + Zo)?
Ans:
(i) Zo = 600R, Zl = 600:
K = (600 -600)/(600+600)
K=0
(ii) Zo = 1k8, Zl = 600:
K = (1800 -600)/(1800+600)
K=0.5
(iii) Zo = 200R, Zl = 600:
K = (200 -600)/(20+-600)
K=0.5
Yes observed and calculated values agree with eachother.
c) How do you explain the maximum amplitude) in terms of the reflection coefficient found
previously?
Ans:
In formula Zl+Zo defined the maximum amplitude but in our observed case maximum amplitude was the
value of voltage obtained when we sent the pulse.

d) What similarities and differences you see between 200R and the one with 1k8
termination in Para 4’D(ii)?

Both 200R and 1k8 cause impedance mismatch in the circuit. As we know, standing waves occur
when there is a mismatch between the impedance of the transmission line and the impedance of
the antenna load. As a result, reflections occur and, in both cases, attenuation occurs as waves are
reflected back to the source causing interference. In both cases, value of reflection co-efficient is
same i.e., 0.5, which means half the wave is reflected back to the source.

e) Why does the standing wave reduce when the line is terminated with 1K8?

Since 1k8 is greater than the characteristic impedance of transmission line (600R) so it creates a
mismatch impedance and as a result reflections occur. When the impedance of the antenna load
is greater than the characteristic impedance of the transmission line, it creates a greater mismatch
and results in more reflected energy back towards the transmitter. This reflected energy can
interfere with the original signal and create standing waves on the transmission line. When there
is a greater impedance mismatch, the reflected energy can cause destructive interference with the
original signal, leading to a reduction in the amplitude of the standing waves. This is because the
reflected energy travels back along the transmission line and interferes with the forward traveling
wave, causing a reduction in amplitude.

Task-2

Equipment Required

- Vernier caliper / screw gauge

- Sample Transmission lines

Procedure

- Calculate the characteristic impedance (Zo) of different samples of transmission lines

available in the lab, by using venire caliper / screw gauge.
- Measurement technique and formula are given as under:
Observations and data manipulation

- Record separately the Zo value of each sample.

Vernier Caliper Measurements

• Cable 01: d1 = 3.25mm

d2 = 0.9mm
138 𝑑1
Z0= log(𝑑2)
√𝑘
Z0 = 54.41 ohm

• Cable 02: d1 = 3.8mm

d2 = 1.4mm
138 𝑑1
Z0= log(𝑑2)
√𝑘
Z0 = 42.31 ohm

• Cable 03: d1 = 5.61mm

d2 = 1.19mm
138 𝑑1
Z0= log(𝑑2)
√𝑘
Z0 = 65.712 ohm

• Cable 04: d1 = 2.84mm

 d2 = 1.56mm
138 𝑑1
Z0= log(𝑑2)
√𝑘
Z0 = 25.389 ohm

• Cable 05: d = 9.03mm

r = 0.235mm
276 𝑑
Z0= log( 𝑟 )
√𝑘
Z0 = 295 ohm

• Cable 06: d = 10.31mm

r = 0.39mm
276 𝑑
Z0= log( 𝑟 )
√𝑘
Z0 = 265 ohm

Screw Gauge Measurements

• Cable 01: d = 9.03mm

r = 0.453mm
276 𝑑
Z0= log( 𝑟 )
√𝑘
Z0 = 297.84 ohm

• Cable 02: d1 = 3.029mm

d2 = 0.958mm
138 𝑑1
Z0= log(𝑑2)
√𝑘
Z0 = 46.51 ohm

• Cable 03: d1 = 2.97mm

d2 = 1.23mm
138 𝑑1
Z0= log(𝑑2)
√𝑘
Z0 = 35.62 ohm

Discussions / Conclusions

• How does the Zo value is affected by varying the length of the transmission line?

For a lossless transmission line with uniform geometry, the characteristic impedance
is given by the formula:

Z0 = sqrt (L/C)

Where L is the inductance per unit length and C is the capacitance per unit length. As
the length of transmission line increases, the distributed inductance and capacitance
also increases, leading to a change in characteristic impedance.
In addition, the load impedance and source impedance can also affect the
characteristic impedance of the transmission line. A mismatch between the load and
source impedances can cause reflections and standing waves on the transmission line,
which can also affect the characteristic impedance.

Therefore, the characteristic impedance of a transmission line can vary with the
length of the line due to the distributed capacitance and inductance, as well as the
load and source impedance. It is important to take these variations into account when
designing and analyzing transmission lines to ensure proper signal transmission and
avoid signal distortion.