ECEN 30044

SUBJECT TITLE
Principles of Communication Systems

INTRODUCTION TO COMMUNICATION
Learning Objectives

✓ Discuss the concept of communication and its historical

background

✓ Differentiate Point-to-Point Communication and Point to

Multi-Point Communication

✓ Differentiate Simplex, Half Duplex and Duplex

Communication

✓ Understand the functions of Communication Governing

Bodies

✓ Discuss the challenges affecting communication system

Definition of Communications

Communication is the basic process of exchanging information. It is

what humans do to convey their thoughts, ideas and feelings to
another. From a simple facial expression and body movements to
newspaper and books.
Louis E. Frenzel

Electronic Communication is the transmission, reception and

processing of information between two or more location using
electronic circuits.
Wayne Tomasi

Communication refers to sending, receiving and processing of

information by electronic means.
George Kennedy and Bernard Davis
 Electronic Communications Time Line

1864 James Clerk Maxwell released his

paper “Dynamical Theory of the
Electromagnetic Field” which was
concluded that light, electricity and
magnetism are related.
1876 Alexander Graham Bell and Thomas
Watson invented the telephone.
1877 Thomas Alva Edison invents the
phonograph.
1880 Heinrich Hertz discover
electromagnetic waves.
1887 Heinrich Hertz discovers radio
waves.
Electronic Communications Time Line
1895 Marchese Guglielmo Marconi
discovered ground wave propagation.
1901 Reginald A. Fessenden transmits the
World’s first radio broadcast using
continuous waves.
1906 Reginald A. Fessenden invents
Amplitude Modulation.
1923 Vladimir Zworykin invents and
demonstrates television.
1931 Major Edwin Armstrong patents wide-
band frequency modulation.
1945 Television is born. FM moved from 42
MHz to 50 MHz to 88 MHz to 108 MHz.
 Electronic Communications Time Line

1952 Sony Corporation offers a miniature transistor radio, one

of the first mass produced consumer AM/FM radios.

1953 RCA and NBC broadcast color television transmission.

1957 Russia launches the world’s first satellite (Sputnik).

1970 HDTV introduced in Japan.

1983 Cellular telephone networks introduced in the United
States.
1999 Digital Television (DTV) transmission began in the United
States.
What’s in Store for Communications?
Goal of Communications

goal of communication is to transfer from one

place to another
Communication Block Diagram

Channel or
Transmitter Receiver
A transmitter is an electronic device Medium
used in telecommunications to produce
radio waves in order to transmit or send
data with the aid of an antenna

It is a communication between the

transmitter and the receiver.

A receiver is a hardware module or

device used to receive signals of
different kinds, depending on the
context of the application. It may
receive analog electromagnetic signals
or waves, or digital signals
 Good
Morning! ☺

Have a Nice day

ahead ☺
Barriers for Communications

The main barriers of communication is language and

distance.
Barriers could also be classified as distance, medium and
environment.
Illustration of Barriers
There are several words that carry different meanings
and often, people get confused with these words and
Semantic Barriers refers to the misunderstanding interpret these differently.
between the sender and receiver arising due to
the different meanings of words, and other
symbols used in the communication
The sender translates the message as per his level of
understanding irrespective of the recipient’s
Words with comprehension level.
Different Meaning

Faulty
Translations The sender creates assumptions about certain things
Semantic which he feels the receiver must be knowing about it
and focus only on the subject matter.
Barriers
Unclarified
Assumptions
The sender sends jargons in their communication
Technical which is quite difficult for the layman to understand.
Jargon
Modes of communications

Communication is possible only in one direction.

There is one sender and one receiver.
Modes of communications

It is possible in both directions between two

entities (computer or persons) but one at a time.
Modes of communications

Two parties – the caller and the called can

communicate simultaneously.
Classification of Signal Transmitted and Received

An analog signal is any continuous signal for

which the time-varying feature of the signal is
a representation of some other time varying
quantity

A Digital signal carries the data in the form

of binary because it signifies in the bits
Types of communications

In this type, communication takes place

between two end points wherein there is
one calling party and one called party.

In this type, there is one sender and

multiple recipients.
Governing Bodies For Communications

ITU is the leading United Nation agency for

information and communication technology issues.
ITU has established the worldwide standards that
foster seamless interconnection of a vast range of
communication systems.

The FCC is an independent United States government

agency.
It is in-charged with regulating interstate and
international communications by radio, television, wire,
satellite and cable.
 ITU Frequency Band Nomenclature
Band Number Designation Frequency Application

2 Extremely Low Frequency (ELF) 30 Hz to 300 Hz AC Power Distribution

3 Voice Frequency (VF) 300 Hz to 3kHz Human Speech or Telephone

4 Very Low Frequency (VLF) 3 kHz to 30 kHz Submarine Communications

5 Low Frequency (LF) 30 kHz to 300 kHz Marine and Aeronautical Navigation
6 Medium Frequency (MF) 300 kHz to 3MHz AM Radio Broadcasting

7 High Frequency (HF) 3 MHz to 30 MHz Amateur Radio and Citizens Band
8 Commercial FM
Very High Frequency (VHF) 30 MHz to 300 MHz
Amateur Radio and Citizens Band
9 Commercial TV Channels 14 to 83
Ultrahigh Frequency (UHF) 300 MHz to 3 GHz
Mobile Communications
10 Superhigh Frequency (SHF) 3 GHz to 30 GHz Satellite Radio Communications
11 Extremely High Frequency (EHF) 30 GHz to 300 GHz Specialized Applications

12-14 300 GHz to 300 THz

Infrared Photography and Astronomy

13 300 THz to 3 PHz

Visible Light Optical Fiber System
 Second Symbol – Nature of Signal Modulating the Main Carrier
First Symbol – Type of Modulation of the Main Carrier

Third Symbol – Type of Information to be Transmitted

Basic Principles and Concept

It is the number of times a particular phenomenon occurs in a

given period of times and is measured in cycles per second.

It is the distance between two points of similar cycles of a

periodic wave.
Basic Principles and Concept

A portion of the electromagnetic spectrum occupied by a

signal.
The frequency range over which an information signals is
transmitted or over which a receiver or other electronic
circuit operates.

Power is the rate at which energy is used.

Decibel indicates the relation between two powers.

 Decibel Values for Absolute Ratios Equal to or
Decibel Conversion Greater than One

+30 +30 Absolute dB dBm dB

dB dBm dB Ratio Value Value Value
- 30 - 30 1 0 30 60
1.26 1 31.00 61.00
Decibel Addition 2 3 33.01 63.01
4 6 36.02 66.02
8 9 39.03 69.03
10 10 40 70
dB + dB = dB 100 20 50 80
dB + dBsub = dBsub 1000 30 60 90

dBsub + dBsub is not allowed. Convert one

dBsub to dB then proceed to addition
Challenges in Communications