RF 1 Flashcards
extremely low frequency (ELF)
30-300 Hz
voice frequency (VF)
300 Hz - 3.3 kHz (intelligible audio)
very low frequency (VLF)
3-30 kHz
low frequency (LF)
30-300 kHz
medium frequency (MF)
300 kHz - 3 MHz
high frequency (HF)
3-30 MHz
very high frequency (VHF)
30-300 MHz
ultra high frequency (UHF)
300 MHz - 3 GHz
super high frequency (SHF)
3-30 GHz
extra high frequency (EHF)
30-300 GHz
human hearing range (audible range)
20 Hz - 20 KHz
Communications System
1) Transmitter
2) Information
3) Channel or Medium
4) Receiver
Communications System Model (Channel/Medium)
1) Most easily intercepted
2) Susceptible to noise and interfering signals
3) Deteriorates over the distance that it travels
4) Usually in an uncontrolled or unprotected space
Communications System Model (Receiver)
1) Easiest to control
2) Located at an unknown listening post
3) Can be specifically designed to match the transmitting requirements
simplex signal
1) One-way
2) Information flows in only one direction
3) Examples: commercial radio and TV, remote controls, GPS, or radio astronomy
duplex signal
1) Two-way
2) Information can flow in both directions
3) Two types: half and full
4) Half duplex only allows one transmitter to communicate at a time, i.e. walkie-talkie
5) Full duplex allows both listening and hearing, i.e. telephone
Analog
1) A continuously varying voltage or current
2) A sine wave is a typical analog signal
3) Ex: voice and video signals
4) Analog and digital can be converted back and forth by an AD Converter and then a DA Converter
Digital
1) A broad term used to describe a signal that sends information by changing discrete values of a wave or from on and off values
2) A pulse is a typical digital signal
3) Ex: HDTV and ASCII Text
4) Digital is replacing analog as bulk of communications
Baseband
Placing the original voice, data, or information directly into the medium without the use of a carrier frequency
Modulation
1) The Process of putting information onto a high frequency carrier for transmission
2) In order to be used by the receiving person it must be DEMODULATED (stripping away the carrier)
3 parameters of a sine wave which can be altered to carry information
1) Amplitude modulation (AM)
2) Frequency modulation (FM)
3) Phase modulation
Types of Internal Noise
1) Thermal
2) White
3) Pink
Thermal Noise
Internal noise caused by thermal interaction between free electrons and vibrating ions in a conductor. (Also known as Johnson-Nyquist Noise)
White Noise
Noise whose frequency content is equal accross the spectrum; prevalent throughout the entire spectrum.
Pink Noise
Noise whose frequency is proportional around a given frequency; prevalent within a portion of the spectrum.
Fast Fourier Transform (FFT)
A technique for converting TIME varying information to its FREQUENCY components.
LC Circuits - Resonance
1) The balanced condition between the inductive and capacitive reactance of a circuit: XL = XC
2) Resonant circuits are the basis of many circuits used to filter and process signals.
LC Oscillator
Oscillating frequency is obtained by specifying capacitor and inductor values to obtain a specific frequency with a tank circuit. (XL = XC)
Crystal Oscillator
A crystal oscillator uses a piezoelectric crystal as the inductive element of an LC circuit. The crystal, usually quartz, is cut to produce a specific frequency. IT IS MORE STABLE THAN AN LC OSCILLATOR.
Best tool to determine if something is working
DMM