IT 327

Catalog Data: (3:2:3) F Prerequisite: IT 104, Phscs 123, acceptance to professional program. Communication systems, wired and wireless. Bandwidth, modulation; Shannon’s theorem, telecommunications. Network physical and data link layers (ISO/OSI model). Optics/Coax/ Twisted pair; RS-232/Ethernet; Signals/Protocols/Packets; digital communication theory fundamentals.

Textbook(s):

• Electronic Communication Systems: A Complete Course, 4 th Edition; by William Schweber; Prentice-Hall, 2002.

Lab Textbook(s): None

Recommended Book(s): None

 Reference Book(s):

• Electronic Communication Systems, by Roy Blake; Delmar Thomson Learning, 2002. Modern Electronic Communication, by Gary M. Miller; Regents/Prentice Hall, 1993.

Class Website: http://class.et.byu.edu/eit327/

Class Coordinator: Barry M. Lunt

Goals: This course is designed to be taken by students in IT. The main goal is to form a basis for understanding the modern issues of communication, particularly in the digital domain. The supporting subgoals are:

1. Learn the EM spectrum and spectral analysis
2. Understand how communications links are characterized
3. Understand the limitations of communications links
4. Learn the main types of signal modulation (amplitude, frequency, phase)
5. Learn the properties of physical communication media
6. Learn how information is made digital and how it is then communicated
7. Learn about modern communication systems, including television, facsimiles, telephone, modems, LANs, WANs, satellite, cell phone and optical systems.
8. Understand the main types of multiplexing (time, frequency, spatial, and code division)

Course Outcomes: The goals and subgoals of this class are supported by the following course outcomes:

1. Gain an historical perspective on and appreciation for the electronic communications technology we have today.
2. Understand the terms common to modern electronic communication.
3. Know and understand Shannon’s Law and understand its significance.
4. Understand why different signals require different bandwidths.
5. Understand the spectral domain of digital signals.
6. Know how to express ratios in deciBels.
7. Understand the sources of noise and their impact on digital communication.
8. Understand the characteristics of amplitude and frequency modulation, both in the time and frequency domains.
9. Understand why signal receivers are more complicated than signal transmitters.
10. Understand the characteristics of wire media, especially twisted-pair and coaxial cable.
11. Be able to compare twisted-pair and coaxial cable, and make an appropriate choice for a given application.
12. Understand the concepts of characteristic impedance (Z o) and signal reflections, and why they matter in electronic communication.
13. Know when a wire is just a line and when it is a transmission line, and understand why this matters.
14. Understand the concepts, challenges, and problems in converting an analog signal to a digital signal. This includes the Nyquist sampling criterion, quantization error, accuracy, and necessary resolution.
15. Understand the need for and methods used for synchronization between transmitter and receiver.
16. Be familiar with various methods of digitally encoding data.
17. Understand the basics of digital data error detection and correction.
18. Understand the difference between bit rate and Baud rate.
19. Be familiar with at least one method of advanced digital modulation (QAM)
20. Know what an eye pattern tells you, and how to distinguish a good eye pattern from a bad one.
21. Obtain a basic introduction to the concept of data encryption.
22. Understand how television and fax signals are transmitted and why they require the bandwidth they do.
23. Learn the basics about video and audio artifacts and their possible sources.
24. Understand how the public switched telephone network (PSTN) works and why it has not all gone digital yet.
25. Understand why PSTNs don’t work well with broadband data.
26. Understand how DSL can get near-broadband data rates from PSTNs.
27. Learn the details of the RS-232 communication standard, and a few parameters of other communications standards.
28. Understand the basic issues and challenges of EANs, LANs, MANs, WANs, etc.
29. Understand the advantages and disadvantages of satellite communication systems.
30. Understand how the cellular telephone system works.
31. Learn the basics of optical data transmission, including its advantages and disadvantages.

Prerequisites by topic: Basic and advanced Newtonian physics; properties of waves; derivative and integral calculus; basic DC and AC circuits, including tuned circuits.

Topics:

1. The Electro-magnetic spectrum (1)
2. Spectral analysis (1)
3. Noise & decibels (1)
4. AM, FM, phase modulation (2)
5. Wire & cable media (2)
6. Transmission lines (2)
7. Digital information (1)
8. Digital communications (4)
9. TV/video and fax (2)
10. Frequency synthesis (1)
11. Telephone system (2)
12. Serial links (2)
13. Satellite communication (1)
14. Cellular systems (1)
15. Wireless systems (1)
16. Multiplexing (2)
17. Fiber optics (2)

Laboratory projects: In general, students will experiment in lab with the devices and principles discussed in lecture. All labs are held in 315 CTB, except #8.

Laboratory assignments:

1. Shannon’s law
2. Spectral analysis
3. AM, FM, phase modulation
4. Wire media characterization
5. Transmission lines
6. A/DCs & DACs
7. ASCII, NRZ, RZ
8. Error detection & correction
9. Digital channel characterization
10. Digital channel testing
11. Serial links
12. Cellular systems
13. Multiplexing
14. Fiber optics

Computer Equipment used: Programs in suitable HLL (C, C++, Java) for lab #8.

Lab Equipment used:

• Advanced test equipment (100 MHz oscilloscope; function generator with AM, FM; DMM)
• TIMS, by Emona (a full-capability digital communications modular lab setup)
• Spectrum analyzers; Time-Domain Reflectometer; Analog RF sweep generator; several types of wire media including coax, twisted pair, ribbon cable.

Written and oral communication requirements: Requires three 1-page reports on outside reading in related professional periodicals. No oral requirements

Math Analysis: Calculus is used in Fourier analysis; algebra is used extensively in describing mathematical relationships.

Lifelong Learning Exercises: As mentioned previously, this class requires that students engage in outside reading (in technical periodicals) and submit reports based on this reading.

Library or other Research Projects: None

Prepared By: Barry M. Lunt

Date Revised: 1/16/04