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EE20090: Principles of radio and optical transmission

Follow this link for further information on academic years Academic Year: 2015/6
Further information on owning departmentsOwning Department/School: Department of Electronic & Electrical Engineering
Further information on credits Credits: 6
Further information on unit levels Level: Intermediate (FHEQ level 5)
Further information on teaching periods Period: Semester 2
Further information on unit assessment Assessment Summary: CW 20%, EX 80%
Further information on unit assessment Assessment Detail:
  • MCQ's (CW 5%)
  • Laboratories & Logbook (CW 15%)
  • Examination (EX 80%)
Further information on supplementary assessment Supplementary Assessment: EE20090 Reassessment Examination (where allowed by programme regulations)
Further information on requisites Requisites: Before taking this module you must take EE10080 or equivalent.
Further information on descriptions Description: Aims:
To give students an understanding of how electromagnetic waves propagate in typical communication engineering problems. To introduce the basic concepts behind the description of electromagnetic waves in free space, simple dielectrics and on transmission lines. To illustrate the convergence between field and circuit concepts through the understanding of simple modes of transmission on lines.

Learning Outcomes:
After completion of this unit students should be able to determine the propagation constants for waves on TEM transmission lines using circuit concepts and to illustrate the fields occurring in the simple transmission modes for parallel conductors and coaxial lines. Students should also be able to apply solutions of the EM wave equation for plane waves to propagation in dielectric and conducting media. They should be able to characterise reflections on loss-less transmission lines and for plane waves in free space at normal incidence. They should also have a qualitative understanding of reflection and diffraction effects at simple obstacles and be able to calculate the power budget for simple radiating transmission and radar systems.

Skills:
Students will learn the basic principles behind currently used techniques in transmitting radio and optical signals in transmission lines, free space and in dielectrics, and be able to establish the power budget for such transmission paths. Taught, facilitated and assessed.

Content:
Transmission lines: basic concepts; derivation of wave equation, propagation constant for loss-less lines, characteristic impedance and phase velocity from circuit concepts. Voltage, current, impedance and power flow on transmission lines; reflection and transmission, VSWR and return loss. Electromagnetic waves in free space, scalar wave equation. Propagation of plane waves, Huygens wavelets; qualitative illustration of diffraction. IEEE definition of wave polarisation. The impedance of free space. Refractive index. Propagation in dielectrics, lossy dielectrics and conductors; skin depth. Statement of boundary conditions, reflection and transmission at a boundary (normal incidence only). Antennas: antenna modelling parameters, gain and beamwidth in terms of scalar concepts (isotrope and solid angle). Derivation of the Friis formula for link power budget characterization in free space. Extension to the radar equation for point targets. Radar cross section.
Further information on programme availabilityProgramme availability:

EE20090 is Compulsory on the following programmes:

Department of Electronic & Electrical Engineering
  • UEEE-AFB13 : BEng(Hons) Computer Systems Engineering (Year 2)
  • UEEE-AKB13 : BEng(Hons) Computer Systems Engineering with Year long work placement (Year 2)
  • UEEE-AFM13 : MEng(Hons) Computer Systems Engineering (Year 2)
  • UEEE-AKM13 : MEng(Hons) Computer Systems Engineering with Year long work placement (Year 2)
  • UEEE-AFB01 : BEng(Hons) Electrical and Electronic Engineering (Year 2)
  • UEEE-AKB01 : BEng(Hons) Electrical and Electronic Engineering with Year long work placement (Year 2)
  • UEEE-AFM01 : MEng(Hons) Electrical and Electronic Engineering (Year 2)
  • UEEE-AKM01 : MEng(Hons) Electrical and Electronic Engineering with Year long work placement (Year 2)
  • UEEE-AFB12 : BEng(Hons) Electrical Power Engineering (Year 2)
  • UEEE-AKB12 : BEng(Hons) Electrical Power Engineering with Year long work placement (Year 2)
  • UEEE-AFM12 : MEng(Hons) Electrical Power Engineering (Year 2)
  • UEEE-AKM12 : MEng(Hons) Electrical Power Engineering with Year long work placement (Year 2)
  • UEEE-AFB05 : BEng(Hons) Electronic and Communication Engineering (Year 2)
  • UEEE-AKB05 : BEng(Hons) Electronic and Communication Engineering with Year long work placement (Year 2)
  • UEEE-AFM05 : MEng(Hons) Electronic and Communication Engineering (Year 2)
  • UEEE-AKM05 : MEng(Hons) Electronic and Communication Engineering with Year long work placement (Year 2)
  • UEEE-AFB14 : BEng(Hons) Electronic Engineering with Space Science & Technology (Year 2)
  • UEEE-AKB14 : BEng(Hons) Electronic Engineering with Space Science & Technology with Year long work placement (Year 2)
  • UEEE-AFM14 : MEng(Hons) Electronic Engineering with Space Science & Technology (Year 2)
  • UEEE-AKM14 : MEng(Hons) Electronic Engineering with Space Science & Technology with Year long work placement (Year 2)

Notes:
* This unit catalogue is applicable for the 2015/16 academic year only. Students continuing their studies into 2016/17 and beyond should not assume that this unit will be available in future years in the format displayed here for 2015/16.
* Programmes and units are subject to change at any time, in accordance with normal University procedures.
* Availability of units will be subject to constraints such as staff availability, minimum and maximum group sizes, and timetabling factors as well as a student's ability to meet any pre-requisite rules.