Communication Systems: Digital
Communication Systems: Digital
Digital
Analog
The block diagram on the top shows the blocks common to all
communication systems
Remember the components of a communications
system:
Input transducer: The device that converts a physical signal
from source to an electrical, mechanical or electromagnetic
signal more suitable for communicating
Transmitter: The device that sends the transduced signal
Transmission channel: The physical medium on which the
signal is carried
Receiver: The device that recovers the transmitted signal from
the channel
Output transducer: The device that converts the received signal
back into a useful quantity
Analog Modulation
The purpose of a communication system is to transmit information signals
(baseband signals) through a communication channel
The term baseband is used to designate the band of frequencies
representing the original signal as delivered by the input transducer
For example, the voice signal from a microphone is a baseband signal,
and contains frequencies in the range of 0-3000 Hz
The “hello” wave is a baseband signal:
Since this baseband signal must be transmitted through a communication channel
such as air using electromagnetic waves, an appropriate procedure is needed to
shift the range of baseband frequencies to other frequency ranges suitable for
transmission, and a corresponding shift back to the original frequency range after
reception. This is called the process of modulation and demodulation
Remember the radio spectrum:
Input Transmission
transducer Modulator
Channel
EM waves (modulated
Carrier signal)
Baseband signal
(electrical signal) Receiver
Output
Demodulator
transducer
Types of Analog Modulation
Amplitude Modulation (AM)
Amplitude modulation is the process of varying the amplitude
discuss
Amplitude Modulation
Carrier wave
Baseband signal
Modulated wave
Amplitude varying-
frequency constant
Frequency Modulation
Carrier wave
Modulated wave
Frequency varying-
amplitude constant
AM vs. FM
AM requires a simple circuit, and is very easy to generate.
It is simple to tune, and is used in almost all short wave broadcasting.
The area of coverage of AM is greater than FM (longer wavelengths
(lower frequencies) are utilized-remember property of HF waves?)
However, it is quite inefficient, and is susceptible to static and other
forms of electrical noise.