Module-1
Introduction to Electronic Communications:
Electronic communications is one of the major applications of electrical technology.
Information data and signals can be either analog or digital which can be represented in time-
domain as well as frequency domain. The propagation of electrical signals through the
communication channel take place in the form of electromagnetic signals. Signals that travel
through free space are called radio-frequency waves or electromagnetic waves. There are two
primary communication resources: the average transmitted power and the available channel
bandwidth. These two resources must be utilized as efficiently as possible. An electronic
communication system comprises of a transmitter and a receiver on its two extreme ends, and
connected with a communication channel. The information from the source is converted to a
suitable form in the transmitter which can travel through a communication channel. The
receiver converts it back to their original form. The wireless communication needs modulation
and demodulation of signals for long-distance communication. Electromagnetic waves
propagate through the space via ground wave, sky wave or space wave. The received RF signal
level at the receiver can be estimated using propagation path-loss model. All these
fundamentals of electronic communications are discussed in this module.
1.1 Historical Perspective: (10 marks)
Prior to appreciating the current communication technology and preparing ourselves to enhance
its development in future, it is always interesting to have a quick glance at its history. A brief
history of electronic communications is given below.
• The development of electronic communication began with telegraphy by Samuel Morse in
the United States and by Sir Charles Wheatstone in Great Britain in 1835.
• Thus, digital communication systems in the form of telegraph systems were developed earlier
to analog communication systems—the telephone.
• Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone in 1876 in USA; then analog electronic
communication became common.
• In 1887, radio/electromagnetic waves were discovered. (Radio waves were originally called
Hertzian waves, named after its inventor, the German physicist Heinrich Hertz).
• In 1896, Marconi successfully experimented to prove that an electromagnetic wave
transmission was possible between two distant points even though there may be obstacles in
between.
• This paved the way for radio communications. The word radio originated from the term
radiated energy.
• The ionosphere reflects the electromagnetic waves which allows a radio signal to travel far
distances, and is fundamental to all long-distance wireless radio communications.
• Experimental radio broadcasts began with Lee De Forest producing a program in New York
city in 1910.
• In 1926, John Logie Baird of Scotland developed several basic concepts of an electronic
television system.
• In 1935, Marconi performed distant search experiments that led to the invention of microwave
and radar communication.
• In 1936, television broadcasting started in Britain.
• In 1946, AT&T introduced the first American commercial mobile radio telephone service to
private customers.
• In 1957, the Soviet Union launched Sputnik 1 satellite, followed by Sputnik 2 which
revolutionized the electronic communications to connect the whole world.
• Translantic television relay started in 1962 when the Telestar I satellite was placed into orbit.
• In 1969, the Bell System developed a commercial cellular radio communication system using
frequency reuse to provide voice communication on the move.
• Computer communications revolution started in 1970s and data exchange became an integral
part of our daily life since then.
• Personal communications revolution started in the 1980s with increasing usage of a pager, a
cellular telephone, a high-speed data connection to the Internet from almost every office and
home.
• The 21st century has started with a unique set of new applications providing fully interactive
compact disc technology, networked laptops with wideband data services, direct satellite
transmission, and the Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) system.
• With advances in optical fiber technology and wireless communication technology,
worldwide high data-rate communication on move is a reality now-a-days.
1.2 Electromagnetic Frequency Spectrum: (10 marks)
The propagation of an electrical signal through the transmitting medium or communication
channel can take place in the form of electromagnetic signals (or waves or energy).
• In wireline type communication channel, the electromagnetic signals can propagate along a
metallic wire in the form of a voltage or current waveforms.
• In a wireless medium through free space, the electromagnetic signals can propagate in the
form of electromagnetic radio waves.
• In an optical fiber medium, the information signals can propagate as light waves.