COMMUNICATIONS 3:

TRANSMISSION MEDIA,
ANTENNA SYSTEM AND
DESIGN

ENGR. MARK ANTHONY

ALCOS
QUOTE OF
THE DAY! 
 LECTURE 1: TRANSMISSION LINES

Objectives:
• Describe unguided and guided transmission media
• Define transmission lines
• Understand physical and electrical length
• Discuss various types of transmission lines in terms of construction and
geometry
• Construct transmission lines equivalent circuit
• Understand the concept of primary lines constant
THE MEDIUM
1. Unguided Media
-transport electromagnetic waves without using a physical conductor. This type of
communication is often referred to as wireless communication.

THE MEDIUM
2. Guided Media
-are those that provide a conduit from one device to another, include twisted-pair
cable, coaxial cable, and fiber-optic cable.

THE MEDIUM
FUNDAMENTALS OF TRANSMISSION LINES

Transmission Lines

-a conductor or conductors designed to carry electricity or an electrical

signal over large distances with minimum losses and distortion.

-Transmission lines are critical links in any communication system. They

are more than pieces of wire or cable. Their electrical characteristics are
critical and must be matched to the equipment for successful
communication to take place.

FUNDAMENTALS OF TRANSMISSION LINES

Wavelength of Cables

Length of Transmission Lines

1. Physical Length- refers to the actual length of transmission lines,
usually in km,m,ft,miles.

2. Electrical Length- refers to the length of transmission lines based

on the fraction of its wavelength.

A pair of conductors does not act as a transmission line unless it is at

least 0.1λ or λ/10 long.

FUNDAMENTALS OF TRANSMISSION LINES

Wavelength of Cables

Example:

For an operating frequency of 450 MHz, what length of a pair of

conductors is considered to be a transmission line?

Ans: 0.067m

Calculate the physical length of the transmission line in example above

if 3⁄8 λ long.

Ans: 0.025m
FUNDAMENTALS OF TRANSMISSION LINES
Balanced Versus Unbalanced Lines

-in unbalanced line, one conductor is connected to ground.

FUNDAMENTALS OF TRANSMISSION LINES

Balanced Versus Unbalanced Lines

-A balanced line is one in which neither wire is connected to ground.

Instead, the signal on each wire is referenced to ground.

FUNDAMENTALS OF TRANSMISSION LINES

Types of Transmission Lines

1. Parallel-Wire Lines- is made of two parallel conductors separated by a

space of 1⁄2in to several inches by a dielectric

FUNDAMENTALS OF TRANSMISSION LINES

Types of Transmission Lines

2. Coaxial Cable- The most widely used type of transmission line which
consists of a solid center conductor surrounded by a dielectric material,
usually a plastic insulator such as Teflon.

FUNDAMENTALS OF TRANSMISSION LINES

Types of Transmission Lines

3. Twisted-Pair Cable. Twisted-pair cable, as the name implies, uses two

insulated solid copper wires covered with insulation and loosely twisted
together.

FUNDAMENTALS OF TRANSMISSION LINES

Transmission Lines Circuit

Primary line constants are parameters that describe the

characteristics of copper (or other conductive material) transmission
lines in terms of the physical electrical properties of the line.

FUNDAMENTALS OF TRANSMISSION LINES

Primary line constants

Resistance R
- A resistance stated in ohms per loop metre is a little more specific since it takes into
consideration the fact that there are two conductors in a particular length of line.

Inductance L
-due to the magnetic field surrounding the conductors of a transmission line when a
current flows through them.

Conductance G
-is due to the insulation of the line allowing some current to leak from one conductor to
the other

Capacitance C
-exists as a result of the electric field between conductors of a transmission line.
FUNDAMENTALS OF TRANSMISSION LINES
Primary line constants

FUNDAMENTALS OF TRANSMISSION LINES

Example problem:

1. A parallel wire transmission line is constructed of #6 AWG copper wire

(d=0.162in) with a 12inch separation. Determine the per meter values of L, C
and R assuming an operating frequency of 1MHz

2. The specifications for rigid Teflon-dielectric coaxial line used in a radar set
operating at 3 GHz are:copper material, stub-supported at intervals to
maintain the Teflon dielectric; outside diameter, 7/8inch; wall thickness,
0.032 inch; inner-conductor diameter, 0.375 inch. Determine the per-meter
values ofL, C and R

FUNDAMENTALS OF TRANSMISSION LINES