Lesson 2

INTRODUCTION TO ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS

Communication is defined as the basic process of exchanging information.

Most humans communicates through the spoken word but a considerable
amount of communication is nonverbal. Consequently, the two major barriers in
human communication are language and distance.

Time Line of Milestones in Human and Electronic Communications

Year Milestone
1830 Professor Joseph Henry transmitted the first practical electrical
signal.
1837 Samuel Morse invented the telegraph.
1876 Alexander Graham Bell and Thomas A. Watson invented the
telephone.
1887 Heinrich Hertz discovered radio waves.
Guglielmo Marconi demonstrated wireless radio wave
propagation.
1901 Guglielmo Marconi accomplished the first transatlantic
transmission of radio signals
1903 John Fleming invented the two-electrode vacuum-tube rectifier.
1906 Lee De Forest invented the triode vacuum tube.
1923 Vladimir Zworykin invented and demonstrated television.
1948 William Shockley, Walter Brattain and John Bardeen invented the
transistor.
1959 The integrated circuit was invented.
1965 The first commercial communications satellite was launched
1983 The cellular telephone network was first introduced in the United
States.

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 LESSON 2 Introduction to Electronic Communications

2.1 Electronic Communications Systems

Electronic Communications refers to the transmission, reception, and

processing of information using electronic circuits. The basic elements of a
communication system include the transmitter, the communications channel or
medium, and the receiver.

Sources of information
 Sources of information may be coming from an analog source or from a
digital source so that intelligence signals may be either an analog or a
digital. Analog signals are something continuously changing with respect
to time and with infinite amplitude values while digital signals are
something discrete and whose amplitude is of finite value.

Transmitter
 The transmitter is a collection of electronic devices or circuits designed to
convert the information into a signal suitable for transmission over a given
communications medium.
 The components of a transmitter are the amplifier, modulator, oscillator
and antenna.

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 LESSON 2 Introduction to Electronic Communications

Communications Channel or Medium

 The communications channel provides the means of transporting signals
between a transmitter and a receiver. The two general type of
communications media are guided (wired) and unguided (wireless).
Examples of guided media are coaxial cable, fiber optic cable and
waveguide.
 Although the medium supports the transmission of information, it also
attenuates it and causes the received signal to appear much lower in
amplitude. Considerable amplification of the signal is required for
successful communication.

Receivers
 Receivers are a collection of electronic devices or circuits that accept the
transmitted message from the channel and convert them into a form
understandable to humans.
 The components of a receiver are the amplifiers, demodulator and
antenna.

Limitations of Communication Systems

The two limitations in the electronic communication systems are noise and
bandwidth.
 Noise is any unwanted form of energy that tends to interfere with the
proper and easy reception and reproduction of desired signals.
 Bandwidth is the portion of the electromagnetic spectrum occupied by a
signal. It is also the frequency range over which an information signal is
transmitted or over which a receiver or other electronic circuit operates.

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 LESSON 2 Introduction to Electronic Communications

Specifically, the bandwidth is the difference between the upper and the lower
frequency limit
BW  f Upper Limit  f Lower Limit

Information Capacity
 A measure of how much source information can be carried through the
system in a given period of time.

Hartley’s Law
 States that the information capacity is directly proportional to bandwidth
and transmission time

Information Capacity  Bandwidth  Transmission Time

2.2 Modes of Transmission

Electronic Communications may be either one-way or two-way. One-way
communication is called simplex or broadcasting. Two-way communication is
called duplex. In half-duplex communications, only one of the two parties can
transmit at a time. In a full-duplex, both parties may transmit and receive
simultaneously.

 Simplex (SX).

Transmitter Receiver

Examples: AM and FM Radio broadcasting, TV broadcasting, Cable

Television, Wireless Remote Control, Paging Services, Navigation and
Direction-Finding Services

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 LESSON 2 Introduction to Electronic Communications

 Half-duplex (HDX)

Transmitter Receiver

Examples: Two-way Radio, Amateur Radio, Citizens Radio, Radar, Sonar

 Full-duplex (FDX)

Transmitter Receiver

Examples: Telephones, Data-Communications, Local Area Networks

 Full/full Duplex (F/FDX) transmits and receives simultaneously but not

necessarily between the same two locations.

2.3 Electromagnetic Spectrum

 The electromagnetic frequency spectrum refers to the entire range of
usable frequencies. It extends from a few Hz to cosmic rays.

Frequency
 Frequency is the number of times an alternating current goes through its
complete cycle per second. The international unit of measurement of
frequency is hertz, abbreviated as Hz.

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 LESSON 2 Introduction to Electronic Communications

International Telecommunications Union (ITU) Band Designations

Frequency Range Designations

30 – 300 Hz ELF (Extremely Low Frequencies)
0.3 – 3 kHz VF (Voice Frequencies)
3 – 30 kHz VLF (Very Low Frequencies)
30 – 300 kHz LF (Low Frequencies)
0.3 – 3 MHz MF (Medium Frequencies)
3 – 30 MHz HF (High Frequencies)
30 – 300 MHz VHF (Very High Frequencies)
0.3 – 3 GHz UHF (Ultra High Frequencies)
3 – 30 GHz SHF (Super High Frequencies)
30 – 300 GHz EHF (Extremely High Frequencies)
0.3 – 3 THz Infrared
3 – 30 THz Infrared
30 – 300 THz Infrared
0.3 – 3 PHz Visible Light
3 – 30 PHz Ultraviolet
30 – 300 PHz X-rays
0.3 – 3 EHz Gamma rays
3 – 30 EHz Cosmic rays

Extremely Low Frequencies, 30 – 300 Hz

 Includes ac power line frequencies as well as the low end of human
hearing range

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 LESSON 2 Introduction to Electronic Communications

Voice Frequencies, 300 -3000Hz

 This is the normal range of the human voice. Although human hearing
extends from 20 to 20,000Hz, most intelligible sounds occur in this range.

Very Low Frequencies, 3 -30kHz

 Includes the higher end of the human hearing range by up to 20 KHz.
Many musical instruments also make sounds in this range.

Low Frequencies, 30- 300 kHz

 Frequencies in this range are used in primary communication services
such as aeronautical and marine navigation.

Medium Frequencies, 300- 3000 KHz

 The major application of frequencies in this range is AM Radio
broadcasting (535 – 1605 kHz). Marine and aeronautical Communications
also takes place in this range.

High Frequencies, 3- 30MHz

 These are frequencies generally known as short waves. All kinds of two-
way radio communication take place in this range.

Very High Frequencies, 30- 300 MHz

 Used by many services including mobile radio, marine and aeronautical
communications, FM radio broadcasting (88 – 108 MHz), and television
channels 2 to 13. Frequencies above 1GHz are generally known as
microwaves.

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 LESSON 2 Introduction to Electronic Communications

Ultra High Frequencies, 300 – 3000 MHz

 A widely used portion of the frequency spectrum including television
channels 14 to 83, land mobile communications and cellular telephones.

Super High Frequencies, 3 – 30 GHz

 These are microwave frequencies that are widely used for satellite and
radar communications.

Extremely High Frequencies, 30 – 300 GHz

 Only a limited amount of activity occurs in this range including satellite
communications and some specialized radar.

Infrared, 0.3 – 300 THz

 Infrared refers to radiation generally associated with heat. Infrared is
used in astronomy to detect stars, remote control units, guidance of
weapon systems and optical devices.

Visible Spectrum, 0.3 – 3 PHz

 Generally referred to as light. Used in various communication systems,
fiber optics and laser technology.

Wavelength, 
 When dealing with ultra-high-frequency electromagnetic waves such as
light, it is common to use units of wavelength rather than frequency.
Wavelength is the length that one cycle of an electromagnetic wave
occupies in space. The length of a wavelength depends on the frequency
of the wave and the velocity of light. Mathematically,

c
λ k
f

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 LESSON 2 Introduction to Electronic Communications

Where:
k = Velocity factor (equal to 1 in free space)
C = Speed of light in free space, 3x108 m/s
f = Frequency, (Hz)

 At high frequencies, the wavelength is too short and is usually expressed

as Angstrom.
1
1 Å (Angstrom)  m
10000

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 LESSON 2 Introduction to Electronic Communications

2.4 Multiple Choice Questions

1) Light frequency below 400 microns is

a. infrared
b. visible light
c. ultra-violet
d. none of the above
2) In a given bandwidth, more channels are available for signals in the range
of
a. VHF
b. SHF
c. EHF
d. UHF
3) Equipment that represents the signal in the frequency domain is the
a. oscilloscope
b. spectrum analyzer
c. laparoscope
d. function generator
4) A complete communication system should include
a. a transmitter, a receiver and a spectrum analyzer
b. a multiplexer, a demultiplexer and a channel
c. a transmitter and receiver
d. a transmitter, a receiver and a channel
5) The bandwidth required for a modulated carrier depends on
a. the signal-to-noise ratio
b. the baseband frequency range
c. the carrier frequency
d. none of the above

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 LESSON 2 Introduction to Electronic Communications

6) The baseband bandwidth for a voice-grade (telephone) signal is

a. at least 5 kHz
b. 20 Hz to 15,000 Hz
c. approximately 3 kHz
d. none of the above
7) A simultaneous two-way communication is called
a. simplex
b. full-full duplex
c. full duplex
d. half duplex
8) Recovering the originally transmitted signal is called
a. modulation
b. demodulation
c. multiplexing
d. diplexing
9) Short waves fall under
a. ELF
b. MF
c. VHF
d. HF
10) Microwaves start at
a. UHF
b. MF
c. VHF
d. SHF

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