Feedback on Unit 1 Tutorial Problems
Unit 1: Basic Principles of Electronic Communication
1.1 LO1: Analyse/Present a common signal.
[Knowledge area: Engineering Science; GA2 partially assessed]
1.1.1 The pulse train has the following parameters: amplitude = 16V,
pulse width = 25μs, periodic time = 50μs.
Construct the frequency spectrum of the signal for the first four non-zero
terms. Amplitude should be in volts and frequency in kHz.
𝑡𝑜 25𝜇𝑠
𝑑= = = 0.5
𝑇 50𝜇𝑠
1
𝑓1 = = 20𝑘𝐻𝑧
50𝜇𝑠
𝑉𝑜 (0𝐻𝑧) = 𝑉 × 𝑑 = 16 × 0.5 = 8𝑉
sin(𝑑𝜋) sin(0.5𝜋)
𝑉1 𝑝𝑒𝑎𝑘(20𝑘𝐻𝑧) = 2𝑉𝑑 = 2 × 16 × 0.5 = 10.2𝑉
𝑑𝜋 0.5𝜋
sin(3𝑑𝜋) sin(3 × 0.5𝜋)
𝑉3 𝑝𝑒𝑎𝑘(60𝑘𝐻𝑧) = 2𝑉𝑑 = 2 × 16 × 0.5 = −3.4𝑉
3𝑑𝜋 3 × 0.5𝜋
sin(5𝑑𝜋) sin(5 × 0.5𝜋)
𝑉5 𝑝𝑒𝑎𝑘(100𝑘𝐻𝑧) = 2𝑉𝑑 = 2 × 16 × 0.5 = 2.0𝑉
5𝑑𝜋 5 × 0.5𝜋
Amplitude (V)
10.2V
8V
3.4V
2.0V
0 20 60 100
Frequency (kHz)
1.1.2 The following waveform has the following parameters: peak voltage = 12V,
periodic time = 2ms.
Construct the frequency spectrum of the signal for the first two non-zero terms.
Amplitude should be in dB and frequency in kHz.
1 1
𝑓1 = = = 500𝐻𝑧
𝑇 2𝑚𝑠
4𝑉 4 × 12
𝑉1 𝑝𝑒𝑎𝑘 (500𝐻𝑧) = = = 15.28𝑉
𝜋 𝜋
𝑉1 𝑝𝑒𝑎𝑘 15.28
𝑉1 𝑅𝑀𝑆 (500𝐻𝑧) = = = 10.80𝑉
√2 √2
𝑉1 (500𝐻𝑧) = 20 log(10.80) = 20.67𝑑𝐵
4𝑉 4 × 12
𝑉3 𝑝𝑒𝑎𝑘 (1.5𝑘𝐻𝑧) = = = 5.09𝑉
3𝜋 3𝜋
𝑉3 𝑝𝑒𝑎𝑘 5.09
𝑉3 𝑅𝑀𝑆 (1.5𝑘𝐻𝑧) = = = 3.60𝑉
√2 √2
𝑉3 (1.5𝑘𝐻𝑧) = 20 log(3.60) = 11.13𝑑𝐵
20.67dB
Amplitude
(dB)
11.13dB
0.5 1.5
Frequency (kHz)
1.1.3 Determine the frequency, power in dBm and watts, and voltage for the signal
shown below. The input impedance of the analyser is 75Ω.
Reference level = -10dBm (from the top), vertical: linear, span: 2MHz/div,
centre frequency: 656MHz.
Frequency = 656MHz - 3 x2MHz = 650MHz
P(reference) = 10-1 x 10-3 = 100W
𝑉(𝑟𝑒𝑓𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒) = √100 × 10−6 × 75 = 86.6𝑚𝑉
5
𝑉 (𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒𝑑 ) = 86.6𝑚𝑉 × = 54.13𝑚𝑉
8
𝑉(𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒𝑑)2 (54.13 × 10−3 )2
𝑃(𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒𝑑 ) = = = 39.07 𝜇𝑊
𝑅 75
39.07𝜇𝑊
𝑃(𝑑𝐵𝑚) = 10𝑙𝑜𝑔 ( ) = −14.08𝑑𝐵𝑚
1𝑚𝑊
1.1.4 Determine the frequency, power in dBm and watts, and voltage for the signal
shown below. The input impedance of the analyser is 75Ω.
Reference level = +10dBm, vertical: 2dB/div, span: 5MHz/div, centre frequency
is 820MHz.
Frequency = 820MHz + 2 x 5MHz = 830MHz
P(dBm) = 10 – 4 x 2 = 2dBm
P(W) = 100.2 x 1mW = 1.585mW
𝑉 = √1.585𝑚𝑊 × 75 = 345𝑚𝑉
1.2 LO2: Describe the need for the basic building blocks in an electronic
communication system [Knowledge area: Engineering Science; GA6
partially assessed]
1.2.1 Describe the need for the following basic building blocks for an optical fibre
communications link: a) coder or converter, b) optical fibre cable and c)
receiver.
Coder or Light source
Converter transmitter
Optical
fibre
cable
Decoder Receiver
Coder or converter is needed for converting the source signal to a form
required by the light source transmitter.
Optical fibre cable is needed for transmitting light signal from the light source
transmitter to the receiver.
Optical receiver is needed for converting the light signal to a suitable form
required by the decoder.
1.2.2 Describe the need for the following basic building blocks for a microwave FM
receiver: Receive antenna, mixer, and microwave generator.
RF input
Transmission Receive
line Antenna
De- IF RF power
FM
emphasis amplifiers Mixer amplifier &
demodulator
network and BPFs BPF
Baseband
output Microwave generator
Receive antenna is needed to convert electromagnetic signal from free space
to electrical form needed at the input of RF power amplifier & BPF.
The mixer is needed to down convert the RF signal for the RF power amplifier
& BPF block to a fixed IF frequency.
The microwave generator is needed for generating the required local oscillator
frequency for down converting the RF signal to fixed IF frequency.
1.2.3 Describe the following applications of electronic communication: TV
broadcasting, facsimile, cell phones, two-way radio and local area networks
(LANs).
In TV broadcasting, TV stations broadcast entertainment, informational, and
educational programs wirelessly.
In facsimile, a facsimile machine scans a document and converts it to
electronic signals that are sent over the telephone system for reproduction
in printed form by another fax machine.
Cell phones provide voice, e-mails, internet access, instant message service,
video and games wirelessly via handsets, base stations and the telephone
system.
Two-way radio communication provides commercial, industrial and
government between vehicles, handheld units, and base stations.
Wired or wireless local area networks interconnect smart phones, laptops,
servers, or mainframe computers within an office or building for the purpose of
e-mail, internet access, or the sharing of mass storage peripherals, data, and
software.
1.3 LO3: Analyse/Design a multi-stage receiver amplifier focussing on
power gain and noise figure for each stage. [Knowledge area: Engineering
Science; GA3 partially assessed]
1.3.1 A four-stage amplifier has stages with the following specifications:
Stage 1: power gain = 8, noise ratio = 2
Stage 2: power gain = 20, noise ratio =3
Stage 3: power gain = 30, noise ratio = 4
Stage 4: power gain = 40, noise ratio = 5
Determine the amplifier’s gain and noise figure of the amplifier in decibels.
𝐺𝑇 = 8 × 20 × 30 × 40 = 192 × 103 = 10 log(192 × 103 ) = 52.83 𝑑𝐵
3−1 4−1 5−1
𝑁𝑅𝑇 = 2 + + + = 2.27
8 8×20 8×20×30
𝑁𝐹𝑇 = 10𝑙𝑜𝑔(𝑁𝑅𝑇 ) = 10𝑙𝑜𝑔(2.27) = 3.56 𝑑𝐵
1.3.2 A certain receiver has the following specifications:
Input resistance at 25º C: 75 Ω
Operating frequency: 950.6 MHz
Bandwidth: 10 kHz
Received signal voltage: 1.5 µV RMS
Amplifier’s noise figure: 3 dB
Determine the input noise power and amplifier’s signal-to-noise ratio (S/N).
𝑉𝑁 = √4𝑘𝑇𝐵𝑅
= √4 × 1.38 × 10−23 × (25 + 273) × 10000 × 75
= 111.07𝑛𝑉
(111.07 × 10−9 )2
𝑃𝑁 = = 164.49 × 10−18 𝑊
75
(1.5 × 10−6 )2
𝑃𝑆 = = 30 × 10−15 𝑊
75
𝑆𝑖 𝑃𝑆 30 × 10−15 𝑊
= = = 182.38
𝑁𝑖 𝑃𝑁 164.49 × 10−18 𝑊
𝑁𝑅 = 100.3 = 2
𝑆
𝑆 𝑆 ( ) 𝑖 182.38
( ) 𝑂 = ( ) 𝑎𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑖𝑓𝑖𝑒𝑟 = 𝑁 = = 91.19
𝑁 𝑁 𝑁𝑅 2
1.3.3 Design the first stage of a three-stage amplifier that will meet the following
specifications:
Amplifier power gain AT = 36.8 dB
Amplifier noise temperature TN = 455K
Stage 2: Power gain A2 = 12dB, Noise Figure NF2 = 7.8dB
Stage 3: Power gain A3 = 14.8dB, Noise Figure NF3 = 10.8dB
[A2 =10 dB, NF2 = 3 dB]
𝐴1 (𝑑𝐵) = 𝐴 𝑇 − (𝐴2 + 𝐴3 ) = 36.8 − (12 + 14.8) = 10 𝑑𝐵
𝐴1 = 10𝑑 𝐵 = 101.0 = 10
𝐴2 = 12 𝑑𝐵 = 101.2 = 15.85
𝑁𝑅2 = 7.8 𝑑𝐵 = 100.78 = 6.03
𝑁𝑅3 = 10.8 𝑑𝐵 = 101.08 = 12.02
𝑇𝑁 = 290(𝑁𝑅𝑇 − 1)
𝑇𝑁 455
𝑁𝑅𝑇 = +1= + 1 = 2.57
290 290
𝑁𝑅2 = 1 𝑁𝑅3 − 1
𝑁𝑅𝑇 = 𝑁𝑅1 + +
𝐴1 𝐴1 𝐴2
𝑁𝑅2 −1 𝑁𝑅3 −1 6.03−1 12.02−1
𝑁𝑅1 = 𝑁𝑅𝑇 − − = 2.57 − − = 2.00
𝐴1 𝐴1 ×𝐴2 10 10×15.85
𝑁𝐹1 = 10𝑙𝑜𝑔𝑁𝑅1 = 10𝑙𝑜𝑔2.00 = 3 𝑑𝐵
Stage 1: A1 = 10dB, NF1 = 3dB
