TCE PAST QUESTION

Question 1

What are transmission lines

ANS: a conductor or conductors designed to carry electricity or an electrical signal over large
distances with minimum losses and distortion.

Name two types of transmission lines. Which is the more widely used?

ANS: i) Twisted Pair (UTP) & (STP) ii) Coaxial cable iii) Parallel-Wire Line. The most widely
Used is Coaxial Cable

How do transmission lines that are less than λ/4 or between λ/4 and λ/2 at the opening frequency
act?

ANS: If the Line is less than λ/4 the line looks like an inductor to the generator. If the line is
between λ/4 and λ/2 it looks like a capacitor the generator. (This is for a shorted line). If the line
is less than λ/4 the generator sees a capacitance. If the line is between λ/4 and 2 the generator sees
an inductance (This is for an open line).

Define SWR

ANS: Standing Wave Ratio (SWR) is the ratio of the maximum current to the minimum current
or the ratio of the maximum voltage to the minimum voltage.

What is the implication of a high source to antenna SWR in wireless communication?

ANS: ?

The reflection coefficient of a transmission line is 0.75. What is the SWR?

ANS:
Differentiate between microstrip and strip lines

ANS:

MICROSTRIP STRIPLINES
A flat conductor separated by an insulating A flat conductor sandwiched between 2 ground
dielectric from a large conducting ground planes
plane.
It is λ/4 or λ/2 long It more difficult to make but does not radiate
The ground plane is circuit common an is It is λ/4 or λ/2 long at the desired operating
equivalent to an unbalanced line. frequency
The characteristic impedance of microstrip is Shorted lines are more commonly used than
dependent on its physical characteristics open lines

What is the length of a λ/4 wavelength microstrip at 2.2GHz? (The dielectric constant of the PCB
is 4.5)

ANS: ?

Question 2

What factors influence antenna bandwidth?

ANS: The lower the Q and the wider the bandwidth. The higher the Q the narrower the bandwidth.
What physical attributes must an antenna have to exhibit gain and directivity

ANS: Antenna’s longer than λ/2 exhibit gain and directivity

If a vertical antenna is too long for the desired frequency of operation what can be done to make
it resonant?

ANS: Add a capacitor in series with the antenna or add a capacitive top hat.

What is the length of a dipole?

ANS: One-half wavelength = 492 /f MHz

Name two classes of antenna arrays. List any 4 types of antenna arrays and differentiate between
them.

ANS: Driven and Parasitic arrays. i) End-Fire Antennas. The end-fire uses two half-wave dipoles
spaced one-half wavelength apart. Both elements are driven by the transmission line. ii) A
broadside array is, essentially, a stacked collinear antenna consisting of half-wave dipoles spaced
from one another by one-half wavelengths. iii) The lengths of the driven elements vary from long
to short and are related logarithmically

Define directivity and Effective Radiated Power. How do Radios propagate through space?

ANS: Directivity is the antenna ‘s ability to send or receive signals over a narrow horizontal
directional change. Effected Radiated Power (ERP) is the apparent power radiated by a
directional antenna which is a product of the power applied to the antenna and the antenna gain.
There are 3 basic paths a radio signal can take through space, Ground, Sky, & Space. Ground
leaves an antenna and remains close to earth. Sky are radiated by the antenna in the upper
atmosphere. Space travels in a straight line directly from the transmitting to the receiving antenna.

Question 3

State two major applications of magnetrons.

ANS: i) Microwave Ovens ii) Radio Transmitters

How is density modulation of the electron beam in a TWT achieved

ANS: Density modulation of the electron beam in a TWT is achieved with a helical coaxial cable
or a wire wound the length if the tube through which the electrons pass.

What is the main application of a TWT (Travelling Wave Tubes)?

ANS: Microwave Power amplification for transmitters

How does Increasing the length of a horn affect the gain and bandwidth?

ANS: Gain increases, and beam width decreases with horn length

A parabolic reflector antenna has a diameter of 6 m. the frequency of operation is 20 GHz. What
is the gain and beam width?

𝟕𝟎 𝐃
ANS: Beam Width = 𝐁 = 𝐃/ 𝛌 Gain = G = 𝟔( 𝛌)𝟐
Name two major types of radars

ANS: Pulse and Continuous-Wave Radar

Name one advantage and one disadvantage of UWB (Ultra-Wide Band) Radar

ANS: One advantage is that the narrow pulses give the radar extreme precision and resolution of
smaller objects and details. One disadvantage is that the low power used restricts operation to
short distances.

A CW radar operates at a frequency of 9 GHz. A frequency shift of 35 kHz is produced by a

𝐟𝛌
ANS: Speed = V = 𝟏.𝟎𝟑

f = frequency difference between transmitted and reflected signals, Hz

λ = wavelength of transmitted signal, m

V = relative velocity between the two objects, nautical mi/h

Question 4

What is the basic communication electronics unit on a satellite?

ANS: A Transponder

Discuss any 4 elements of a satellite. Describe the motion that keeps the satellite in space.

ANS: i) Satellite height. (Two pints of interest are Apogee (highest point) and Perigee(lowest
point) ii) Satellite Speed. Satellite Speed varies depending on the distance of the satellite from the
earth. iii) Satellite Period. The Period is the time it takes the satellite to complete one orbit. (Sidreal
Period). iv) Angle of Elevation. This is the angle that appears between the line from the earth’s
station’s antenna to the satellite and the line between the earth’s station’s antenna and the earth’s
horizon. (NOT SURE ABOUT THIS ONE

THOUGH)