• To introduce students to important aspects of modern communication systems, including background, concepts of source and channel encoding and properties of different channels.
• To understand the different types of signals involved, including baseband, RF, video, and audio signals, and different methods of describing them, for example, in the time and frequency domain.
• To introduce students to key analogue modulation concepts including AM FM and PM, and appreciate how these form the basis of modern, advanced modulation schemes.
• To introduce students to key non-linear circuits including amplifiers and mixers.
• To introduce other key system components including filters and phase locked loops.
• To become familiar with a block diagram representation of a communications system and to use this to assemble, test and measure communications systems in a laboratory environment.

• Understand the history, background and motivation behind modern communications systems.
• Understand the different types of communications systems in use today and the application in which they are used.
• Demonstrate an understanding of different modulation schemes, as well as when to use them
• Articulate the trade-offs involved, in terms of power and spectral efficiency when comparing and contrasting different modulation schemes.
• Demonstrate a basic understanding of non-linear circuits and how they work within the context of a communications system.

The module will be delivered through a blend of online teaching and learning material, guided study, and laboratory sessions where students are able to build and test the systems they are introduced to. Additional, optional drop-in open-lab sessions are provided for those students who want to catch-up with lab activities, or to experiment.

• Mathematical analysis of simple communication system theory.
• Application of knowledge to a practical prototyping environment and problem solving.
• Use of test equipment to capture measured signals, in time and frequency domains.
• Critical analysis of measured data as well as exploration of sources of measurement error
• Application of knowledge of non-linear circuits such as amplifiers and mixers

This module is assessed using a combination of examination and in-lab assessment.

1. a 2-hour written examination comprising four compulsory questions covering all areas of the taught material.
2. Completion of two lab reports that are completed during and after the laboratory, where students are required to make measurements, interpret data and then offer insight and through critical analysis and interpretation of that data.

In order to pass the module and obtain 10 credits, the minimum overall pass mark of 40% must be achieved in items (1) and (2) combined.

Reassessment will be through a combination of report resubmission (where necessary) and resit exams in the Resit period.

Introduction and background: Motivation and history; relevance to University research activities; brief overview of generations up to 5G; simple communications system block diagrams – analogue or digital; Intro to Shannon’s theorem, source-channel separation, Source encoding, channel encoding, modulators / up-conversion; an intro to IQ modulation, constellation diagrams and IQ, linking to AM and PM.

The Channel: Types – wired and wireless; properties, advantages and disadvantages; Channel capacity and capacity calculations; The Frequency Spectrum; SNR and its calculation; Phase and group velocity.

Amplitude Modulation; intro to AM and its flavours; classic expansion to show time and frequency domain; DSB-AM; Power considerations of AM with worked examples; DSB-SC; Noise in AM systems

Angle Modulation; introduction to angle modulation (FM/PM); time and frequency domain representations; FM Modulation (block diagram and theory); FM Demodulation (block diagram and theory); Bandwidth of FM signals w/ worked examples; Power in FM signals; SNR in FM w/ worked examples.

Non-Linear Systems; non-linear systems and theory; useful and problematic non-linearity; total harmonic distortion w/ worked examples

Circuits; multipliers; mixers; amplifiers; adders (summing amplifier); filters – LP/HP/BP(/BS), types, 3dB bandwidth and specifications.

Practical Systems; Demands of practical systems; time division multiplexing (TDM); frequency division muliplexing (FDM); the tuned radio receiver; heterodyning and the IF stage; the superhetreodyne receiver w/ worked examples; intro to modern modulation schemes (DSSS)