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Working: Information Source. Transmitter. Channel. Noise. Receiver. User Information
Working: Information Source. Transmitter. Channel. Noise. Receiver. User Information
Information source.
Transmitter.
Channel.
Noise.
Receiver.
User information.
Working
In a communication system, information source generates a message signal that is to
be communicated, this message signal is passed over to the transmitter.
Transmitter is a system that strengthens the message signal so that it can travel to a
long distance.
The transmitted signal then travels through a medium known as channel. Channel can
be of two types – Wired or Wireless.
The aim of the transmitter is to convert the message signal produced by the
information source into a form which is suitable for transmission through the channel.
If the output of the information source is a non-electrical signal like a voice or video
signal, a transducer is used which converts it into electrical form before giving it as an
input to the transmitter.
When a transmitted signal travels along the channel it may get distorted/altered due to
noise i.e. unwanted signals inside the channel.
The receiver works opposite to that of the transmitter, it filters out the original message
signal from the transmitted signal.
Receiver then forwards this original message signal to the destination i.e. user
information.
Types of communication
Point to point communication
In point to point communication, communication takes place between a single
transmitter and a single receiver.
Example − Telephone
Broadcast
In broadcast communication, communication takes place between a single transmitter
and multiple receivers. It is free to anyone.
Transducer is a device which changes one form of energy into other i.e. it changes one
type of physical variation to another type of variation, and vice versa.
Example scenario
Analog signal
Digital signal
Analog Signals
Analog signal is continuous variation of voltage or current over time. They are single valued
function of time i.e. sin waves.
Digital Signals
Digital signals are those which can have only discrete stepwise values. They are Box waves.
Codification is used in binary signal transmission for understanding the data received.
This system has a unique 7 digit code for each letters in the English language.
Example −
Code Count
0000 0
0001 1
0010 2
0011 3
0100 4
1000 8
Noise is a variation of voltage which has entered the communication system and which
is undesired or not required.
The source generating the noise may be located inside or outside the communication
system.
Transmission
Reception or
A transmitter combines the incoming message signal i.e. low frequency with
carrier signal i.e. high frequency, so as to make it suitable for transmission
through a channel and subsequent reception.
When the carrier signal of high frequency containing the message signal travel through
the channel and reach the receiver, then receiver performs the following tasks −
Amplify
As the incoming signal is weak, receiver gives strength to the signal and this process is
called amplification.
Filter
Demodulation is the process of separating carrier wave (high frequency) and carry low
frequency message signal.
When a signal travels through a medium its energy is lost, resulting in decrease in the amplitude of
the wave i.e. with the distance of propagation the strength of the signals becomes weak and this
phenomenon is known as attenuation.
Attenuation is a natural phenomenon that cannot be prevented while transmitting signals but we
can use repeater to amplify the signal again.
Range − Maximum distance upto which we can receive signal with appreciable strength.
Amplification is the process of increasing the amplitude of a signal multiple times using an amplifier.
Amplification is required in communication system to overcome the attenuation of the signal. When
the signal travels a long distance, it losses its strength resulting in decrease in amplitude of the
signal, to continue the transmission of signal further, amplification is required so that the weak
signal can gain higher amplitude and can travel ahead.
Modulation
Modulation is the process to give strength to the message signal so that it can travel a
long distance i.e. loading a low frequency low power message signal on a high
frequency high power carrier wave is known as modulation.
Demodulation
The reverse process of modulation i.e. separating low frequency low power message
from high frequency carrier is called demodulation.
Repeater
When a signal travels through a medium its energy is lost, resulting in decrease in the amplitude of
the wave, for the wave to travel longer distance there is a need to regenerate the signal which can
be transmitted forward. This is done using a repeater.
Bandwidth
Bandwidth is the total range of frequencies associated with a signal or a device or a
channel.
For communication over telephone, device and channel that are fit for carrying 2800Hz
bandwidth signals should be used.
Music signals
Music signals are generated from variety of instruments, so the bandwidth of music
signal depends upon the human ear i.e. human ear can hear a signal upto 20 kHz
bandwidth hence, the frequency range of music signal is from 20 Hz to 20 kHz i.e. it
has a bandwidth of 20 KHz approximately.
Video signals
Video signals for transmission of pictures require 4.2 MHz of bandwidth.
A TV signal contains both voice and picture therefore, it has a bandwidth of 6 MHz for
one station.
The commonly used transmission media are wire (coaxial cable and fibre optics cable)
and free space.
Coaxial cable
Coaxial cable is commonly used wire medium, it has a bandwidth of 750 MHz
Radio waves
Communication through free space uses radio waves. It has a bandwidth from a few
hundred kHz to a few GHz. This range of frequencies are divided and used for different
services.
Service Frequency Range Used for
76 - 88 MHz TV Video
Television
174 - 216 MHz UHF (ultra-high frequencies) Audio
Optical fibre
Communication through optical fibres has a bandwidth from 1 THz to 1000 THz i.e.
from microwaves to ultraviolet.
Optical fibre is the most favoured medium for communication in the modern world.
Antenna is used at both the ends, transmitter end and receiver end.
The size of an antenna should be λ4, where λ is the wavelength of the signal.
There are three possible ways for the transmission of electromagnetic waves −
The induced wave in the ground attenuate electromagnetic wave at a short range,
hence ground wave propagation is only used for short range communication.
The attenuation of surface waves increases very rapidly with increase in frequency,
hence ground wave propagation is used for low frequency and large wavelength i.e.
AM waves.
Advantages
As the ground wave propagation support large wavelength, the wave can bend round
the corners/obstructions more efficiently.
Disadvantages
Ground wave propagation can only be used for short range.
As ground wave propagation works with low frequency range and short distance, so it
is not suitable for radio signal transmission hence, the use of ground wave propagation
is very limited.
When cosmic rays coming from the sun hits the atmosphere of earth ionisation takes place. The
incoming cosmic ray hit an atom of air molecule resulting in elimination of electron from the
outermost shell of the atom and making it a free electron. The degree of ionisation varies with the
height.
The density of atmosphere decreases with height. At great heights there are only few molecules so
number of cosmic rays penetrate deeper to the next layer, here the number of molecules is greater
as density is increased, so the number of ions produced is high.
Close to the earth, even though the number of molecules is very high, the number of cosmic rays is
very low as maximum number of rays are consumed by upper layers, so that the ionisation is again
low.
Hence, at some intermediate heights, ionisation is very large and this layer is known as ionosphere.
The ionosphere is divided into different layers as shown is figure. It extends from a height of 65 Km
to 300 Km above the earth’s surface.
The frequency range for sky wave propagation is from 3 MHz to 32 MHz
The phenomenon responsible for sky wave propagation is reflection due to ionosphere and the type
of reflection is total internal reflection.
Advantages
Sky wave propagation can be used for long distance communication.
The high frequency electromagnetic wave is not reflected back by the ionosphere, so
to use high frequency electromagnetic wave in communication we used space wave
propagation.
Satellite communication
In line-of-sight propagation, space waves are very powerful, the signals are very clear,
the bandwidth is very large and a huge amount of information can be transmitted.
In line-of-sight propagation, direct waves get blocked at some point by the curvature of
the earth. If the signal is to be received beyond the horizon then the receiving antenna
must be high enough to intercept the line-of-sight waves. Range of transmission is
dependent upon the height of the antenna, relation between range and height of
antenna is given by −
From figure −
(R + h)2 = R2 + r2
∴ R2 + 2hR + h2 = R2 + r2
As we know, radius of earth is approximately 6400km while the height of the antenna is
few meters. So we can neglect h2
∴ 2hR = r2
∴ r = √2hR
Where,
r = range
h = height of antenna
R = radius of earth
Observation
For a greater range of electromagnetic wave, an antenna of large height is required.
r1 = √2h1R
r2 = √2h2R
Where,
r1 = range of antenna 1
r2 = range of antenna 2
h1 = height of antenna 1
h2 = height of antenna 2
R = radius of earth
Area = π r2
We have, r2 = 2hR
∴ Area = π 2hR
For a frequency more than 40 MHz, ground wave propagation and sky wave propagation cannot be
used. So this high frequency signals are transmitted at a particular angle from the surface of the
earth towards the satellite. After hitting the satellite the signal wave is reflected back if the satellite
is an inert satellite but the reflected wave is very weak so it is not possible to receive it back.
The satellite has a repeater system i.e. it includes a receiver, amplifier, transmitter.
When the message signal is to be transmitted beyond the range of a satellite that particular satellite
sends the message signal to another satellite via a special frequency and the message signal is
delivered.
When information signals are transmitted they carry original frequency but original frequency of
audio, music, etc. is very less i.e. of few KHz. Due to this low frequency, communication is not
possible as low frequency signals will attenuate on the way and it will not reach to the receiver.
There are three problem areas while transmitting low frequency signals −
Size of antenna
The minimum size of antenna should be λ 4 for transmission of a wave with wavelength as λ. For
low frequency wave, the wavelength is very high requiring a very large size antenna which is not
practically possible.
Overlapping of transmitters
As the range of frequency is less, many transmitters have the same frequency range and if similar
type of message signal is to be transmitted by two different transmitters having same range of
frequency, then the receiver will receive both the message signal and this will distort the message.
So it is not possible to use many transmitters situated in a small area for communication.
To solve the above issues, there is a need to use high frequency signals and to convert low
frequency signal to high frequency signal we can use the process of modulation.
The process of giving strength to the message signal so that it can travel a long distance i.e.
combining a low frequency message signal wave with high frequency carrier wave is known as
modulation.
Modulation is the process of giving strength to the message signal so that it can travel
a long distance i.e. combining a low frequency message signal wave with high
frequency carrier wave.
Amplitude modulation
Frequency modulation
Phase modulation
Amplitude modulation
When the modulation is done by combining the amplitude of high frequency carrier
wave with the amplitude of low frequency message wave, then it is known as amplitude
modulation.
Y = A0 sin(ω t + ∅)
Where,
A0 = Amplitude
ω = Frequency
∅ = Phase
While modulation, a high frequency carrier wave is combined with low frequency
message wave.
YC = AC sin(ωC t + ∅)
Ym = Am sin(ωm t + ∅)
When both the waves are combined and put over a single conductor, their amplitudes
are summed up and the resultant amplitude is higher than the amplitude of message
signal as shown.
The resultant wave after modulation has characteristics of both the waves. It has the
same frequency as that of the carrier wave and the amplitude of resultant wave is
modulated depending upon the amplitude of message signal, hence it is known as
amplitude modulated wave.
Frequency modulation
When the modulation is done by combining the frequency of high frequency carrier
wave with the frequency of low frequency message wave, then it is known as
frequency modulation.
When the frequency modulated wave reaches the receiver, the receiver has to retrieve
the message wave from it. To retrieve the message signal, the receiver is instructed
that whenever frequency value greater than the normal frequency is received, a crest
should be generated and whenever frequency value smaller than the normal frequency
is received, a trough should be generated.
Phase modulation
When the modulation is done by combining the phase of high frequency carrier wave
with the phase of low frequency message wave, then it is known as phase modulation.
In phase modulation, frequency and amplitude of the waves are not changed only
phase of both the waves are combined.
When the phase modulated wave reaches the receiver, the receiver has to retrieve the
message wave from it. To retrieve the message signal, the receiver is instructed that
whenever there is a phase change from crest to crest, a crest should be generated and
whenever there is a phase change from trough to trough, a trough should be
generated.
When the modulation is done by combining the amplitude of high frequency carrier
wave with the amplitude of low frequency message wave, then it is known as amplitude
modulation.
Voltage of carrier wave at time `t` is given by −
C(t) = AC sinωCt
m(t) = Am sinωmt
When both the waves are combined and put over a single conductor, their amplitudes
are summed up and the resultant amplitude is higher than the amplitude of message
signal as shown.
The resultant wave after modulation has characteristics of both the waves. It has the
same frequency as that of the carrier wave and the amplitude of resultant wave is
modulated depending upon the amplitude of message signal, hence it is known as
amplitude modulated wave.
AmAC = μ
Where,
μ = Modulation index
In amplitude modulation the ratio between the amplitude of message wave and the
amplitude of carrier wave is known as modulation index, which is given by −
μ Am AC
Modulation index specifies the amount of energy of carrier wave used in the
modulation.
Amax = AC + Am
Amin = AC - Am
AC = Amax + Amin 2
Am = Amax - Amin 2
μ = Amax - Amin Amax + Amin
In amplitude modulation, amplitude of carrier wave should be higher than the amplitude
of message wave. To obtain optimal results amplitude of message wave should be half
of the amplitude of carrier wave.
For the production of amplitude modulated wave, the first step is to gain message
signal from the source of communication and carrier wave from another source.
Once both the waves are received, they are combined i.e. both the waves are passed
to a single conductor. After combination we obtain only the half wave, so to acquire the
complete wave, squaring of the wave is required which is done using squared law
device.
When the wave is squared, many additional waves are also generate which either have
a very large frequency or a very low frequency. Therefore the output wave of squared
law device is passed through a band pass filter which is cantered at the frequency of
carrier wave.
The wave obtained after passing through the filter is amplitude modulated wave but
due to all these operation the wave losses its power, hence it is passed through a
power amplifier and after amplification of power the amplitude modulated wave is
generated and ready for transmission.
Detection is the process of recovering the amplitude modulated wave from the channel.
For detecting the wave an antenna is used which catches the wave. Once the wave is
received, it is passed through an amplifier.
After tuning, the wave is again amplified and passed over to the rectifier. Rectifier is a
device which allows the current to follow only in one direction i.e. rectifier allows the
propagation of wave only in the positive direction and will eliminate the wave in
negative direction. The output wave from the rectifier only contains the positive cycle of
the wave.