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Formative Assessment 2 (FA2)

DATE: 4 October 2022 TIME: 11:00
SUBJECT: Electronic Communication III CODE: ECM226A

INSTRUCTONAL PROGRAMME: CODE:

DIPLOMA IN ENGINEERING: ELECTRICAL DP_ELE

Duration of Paper: 120 minutes Maximum marks: 66

STATIONERY:
1. Non alphanumerical calculators are allowed.
2. Answer Books

INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES:
1. Answer all questions in black or blue ink.
2. Show all units and calculations.
3. Make valid assumptions where necessary.
4. Write neatly and clearly, using the provided space in the paper.
5. Express all answers to 2 decimal places.

ASSESSORS: S. Walker
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Unit 2: Basic radio frequency circuits and transmission lines [33]

2.1 Fill in the missing words for a and b, respectively:

RF amplifiers improve (a) , because of the extra gain; improve selectivity,

because of the added tuned circuits; improve the (b) ; and minimise oscillator
radiation. (2)

2.2 True or False:

RF amplifiers are implemented with bipolar, or field-effect transistors made with
silicon (Si), Gallium arsenide (GaAs), or Silicon–germanium (SiGe). (1)

2.3 A small RF amplifier was designed for the front-end of a receiver that was required
for radio astronomy applications. The actual measured data for the amplifier was
found to be as follows:

VCC = 20 V, VBE = 0.7 V, Ct = 100 pF, R1 = 12 kΩ, R2 = 68 kΩ, RE = 1.2 kΩ,

RL = 50 Ω, R3 = 10 kΩ, LP = 6.8 μH, ac collector resistor rc = 250 kΩ, unloaded
quality factor Qu = 100, primary to secondary turns ratio = 8.

By using Figure 1 and the above mentioned information, do the following:

a) Draw the equivalent DC circuit for the RF amplifier. (3)

b) Determine the voltage gain of the amplifier in decibels at the resonant frequency.
(11)
c) Determine the bandwidth (BW) for this specific amplifier. (2)

Cc 8 T1
Q1 Ct R3 4

R1 R2 6 RL
Vin Vout
1

RE CE 5

VCC
Rdn

Cdn 100

Figure 1
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2.4 Sketch the block diagram of a PLL and identify the basic subsystems or building
blocks. Briefly describe the function of each individual building block. (6)

2.5 By using Figure 1, determine the counter values for Q and N to produce outputs of
Fout = 898.2 MHz and 898.8 MHz. (6)

2.6 Name the first two guidelines for the design of a small signal BJT mixer design. (2)

Unit 5: Analysis and design of communication systems [33]

5.1 A GSM uses a frame structure where each frame consists of 8 time slots, each time slot
contains 160.25 bits, and data is transmitted at 280.822 kb/s per channel.
Determine the time that a user occupying a single time slot must wait between two
successive transmissions. (4)

5.2 Give 5 major advantages that digital microwave links have over analogue types.
(5)
𝐶
5.3 For a satellite downlink communication network, determine the (𝑑𝐵) by using the
𝑁
following specifications: (9)
Transmitter output power (saturation): 9.5 W
Satellite back-off loss: 0.5 dB
Satellite branching and feeder loss: 0.8 dB
Additional atmospheric loss: 0.7 dB
Satellite station antenna gain: 41 dB

Distance between transmit and receive antennas: 37050 km

Satellite receive antenna gain: 60 dB
Satellite branching and feeder loss: 2.5 dB

Earth station equivalent noise temperature: 295 K

System frequency: 12.5 GHz
Bit rate: 85 Mb/s
Modulation: QPSK
Satellite bandwidth: 45 MHz
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5.4 A 5 GHz microwave link operating over flat ground is 44 km long. At 18 km from the
transmitter a long building with a pitched roof is oriented perpendicularly to the LOS path.
The height of the building to the vertex of the roof is 25 m. The earth mean radius, a = 6371
km. If k = 3/4, determine the height of transmit and receive antennas. (5)

5.5 A spaceborne imaging radar is observing a target and this specific radar was found to have
the following parameters: Frequency: 8 GHz; Transmitted power: 42 dBW; Radar cross
section: 45 m2; Target range: 45 km; Received power: 21 dBf.
Determine the antenna gain. (6)

5.6 Design a fibre-optic communication link for connecting two locations, by determining the
required minimum light source output power in watts. The communication link has the
following parameters: Distance between transmitter and receiver: 1.5 km; multi-mode fibre
cable loss: 2.2 dB/km; Photodetector sensitivity: -28 dBm for achieving a certain BER;
Transmitter to fibre loss: 1 dB; Fibre to receiver loss: 1 dB; Dispersion penalty: 1 dB;
Margin: 5 dB. (4)
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Useful Equations

RF Circuits
𝑍𝐷 = 𝑄𝑢 𝑋𝐿
𝑅𝐿 (𝑟𝑒𝑓𝑙𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑑 ) = 𝑛2 𝑅𝐿
1
𝑓𝑂 =
2𝜋√𝐿𝐶
𝑉𝑇
𝑟𝑒 =
𝐼𝐸
𝑅𝑐 (𝑒𝑓𝑓)
𝐴𝑣 (𝑎𝑡 𝑓𝑂 )𝑖𝑛 𝑑𝐵 = 10𝑙𝑜𝑔 ( )
𝑛𝑟𝑒
𝑅𝐶 (𝑒𝑓𝑓)
𝑄𝐿 =
𝑋𝐿
𝑓𝑂
𝐵𝑊 =
𝑄𝐿
𝑛𝑝
𝑛=
𝑛𝑠
𝑅𝐶 (𝑒𝑓𝑓) = 𝑟𝑐 ‖𝑅3 ‖𝑍𝐷 ‖𝑅𝑟

Communication system analysis and design

𝐶 𝑃𝑟 𝐸𝐼𝑅𝑃 × 𝐺𝑟 𝐺𝑟
= = = 𝐸𝐼𝑅𝑃(𝑑𝐵𝑊) + (𝑑𝐵𝐾 −1 ) − 𝐿𝑝 (𝑑𝐵) − 𝐿𝑎 (𝑑𝐵) − 𝑘(𝑑𝐵𝑊𝐾)
𝑁𝑜 𝑁𝑜 𝐿𝑝 𝐿𝑎 𝑘𝑇𝑠 𝑇𝑠

4𝜋𝑑
𝐿𝑝 = 20𝑙𝑜𝑔 ( )
𝜆

𝐸𝐼𝑅𝑃(𝑑𝐵𝑊) = 𝑃𝑡 − 𝐿𝑏𝑜 − 𝐿𝑏𝑓 + 𝐺𝑡

𝐸𝑏 𝐶
(𝑑𝐵) − (𝑑𝐵) − 10𝑙𝑜𝑔(𝑅𝑏 )
𝑁𝑜 𝑁𝑜

𝐶 𝐸𝑏 𝑅𝑏
(𝑑𝐵) = (𝑑𝐵) + (𝑑𝐵)
𝑁 𝑁𝑜 𝐵𝑇

𝐶(𝑑𝐵𝑚) ≥ 𝐶𝑚𝑖𝑛 (𝑑𝐵𝑚) = 𝑃𝑡 (𝑑𝐵𝑚) + ∑ 𝑔𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑠(𝑑𝐵) − ∑ 𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑠𝑒𝑠(𝑑𝐵) − 𝐹𝑀(𝑑𝐵)

43 𝜋 3 𝑅4 𝑃𝑟
𝜎=
𝑃𝑡 𝐺 2 𝜆2

𝑑1 (𝑘𝑚)𝑑2 (𝑘𝑚)
ℎ𝐹𝑍𝐶 = 𝐹1 = 17.3√
𝑓(𝐺𝐻𝑧)𝑑(𝑘𝑚)

𝑑1 𝑑2
𝐸𝑎𝑟𝑡ℎ 𝑏𝑢𝑙𝑑𝑔𝑒 = ℎ𝐵 =
2𝑅𝐸
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1
𝑇𝑟𝑜𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑝ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑐 𝑟𝑒𝑓𝑟𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 = ℎ 𝑇𝑅 = ℎ𝐵 ( − 1)
𝑘

𝐴𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑛𝑎 ℎ𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 = ℎ 𝑇𝑥 = ℎ𝑅𝑥 = ℎ𝐵 + ℎ 𝑇𝑅 + ℎ𝐹𝑍𝐶

𝜋𝐷𝑓 2
𝐺𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑙𝑖𝑐 = 𝜂( )
𝑐