Communications Principles
Overview
This unit of study aims to allow you to gain a broad understanding of the fundamental signal processing and modulation concepts and methods that underpin analogue and digital transmission for both wireless and wired communications.
Requisites
MTH10015 Calculus and Applications
MTH10016 Linear Algebra and Applications
MTH10015 Calculus and Applications
MTH10012 Calculus and Applications
MTH10013 Linear Algebra and Applications
MTH10012 Calculus and Applications
MTH10013 Linear Algebra and Applications
26-May-2024
Learning outcomes
Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:
- Appreciate and use terminology, concepts, standards and techniques of signal processing for communication systems (K2, S1)
- Describe and critically analyse common signal processing concepts and methods (K3)
- Analyse the performance of various modulation methods for analogue and digital transmission (S1, S2)
- Predict the effect of noise on signal reception (K2, S1)
- Synthesise signal processing modules to implement communications systems (K3, K4, S2)
- Appreciate modern broadcast systems such as Digital TV and Digital Radio (K2, S1)
- Safely conduct practical experiments using appropriate test equipment and signal processing modules both for analogue and digital transmission. Analyse and interpret the results and errors, formulate conclusions and generate a high quality written report both individually and as part of a team (A2, K3, S2)
Teaching methods
Hawthorn
Type | Hours per week | Number of weeks | Total (number of hours) |
---|---|---|---|
Face to Face Contact (Phasing out) Lecture | 2.92 | 12 weeks | 35 |
Face to Face Contact (Phasing out) Tutorial | 1.00 | 10 weeks | 10 |
Face to Face Contact (Phasing out) Laboratory | 1.25 | 12 weeks | 15 |
Unspecified Learning Activities (Phasing out) Independent Learning | 7.50 | 12 weeks | 90 |
TOTAL | 150 |
Assessment
Type | Task | Weighting | ULO's |
---|---|---|---|
Examination | Individual | 50 - 60% | 1,2,3,4,5,6 |
Laboratory Practicals | Individual/Group | 20 - 30% | 1,2,3,5,7 |
Test | Individual | 10 - 20% | 1,2,3,4 |
Hurdle
As the minimum requirements of assessment to pass a unit and meet all ULOs to a minimum standard, an undergraduate student must have achieved:
(i) an aggregate mark of 50% or more, and(ii) at least 40% in the final exam.Students who do not successfully achieve hurdle requirement (ii) will receive a maximum of 45% as the total mark for the unit.
Content
- Analogue signals, spectral (Fourier) analysis, bandwidth, ideal and real filters, transfer functions, amplitude and phase response, energy and power spectra
- Analogue modulation and demodulation: amplitude, frequency, phase
- Noise and its effects in analogue communication systems
- Receivers
- Commercial broadcasting: radio and television
- Pulse modulation
- Sampling theorem
- Pulse amplitude modulation, time division and frequency division multiplexing, pulse code modulation
- Digital methods: digital line codes, modulation and demodulation of ASK, PSK, FSK, DPSK, QAM, QPSK
- Noise and its effects in digital communication systems, BER, analysis of digital modulation schemes
Study resources
Reading materials
A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.