Analog and Digital Communication
A fifth-semester core course (PCECT502) analyzing analog and digital communication systems — amplitude and angle modulation, receivers, sampling and quantization, baseband transmission, and digital band-pass modulation.
Instructor: Ameenudeen P E
Term: July - November
Location: Department of ECE, College of Engineering Trivandrum
Time: As per class timetable
Course Overview
Analog and Digital Communication (PCECT502) is a core fifth-semester course for the Electronics and Communication Engineering programme, analyzing analog and digital communication systems — from amplitude and angle modulation through to baseband and digital band-pass transmission.
Course Outcomes
- CO1 — Illustrate the principles of analog communication systems.
- CO2 — Explain the basic concepts of digital communication.
- CO3 — Analyze the baseband transmission of digital data through an AWGN channel.
- CO4 — Apply various digital modulation techniques in the design of digital communication systems.
Course Project
Every team must complete a course project as the Assignment/Micro-project component of the CIE (15 marks) — a Python-based simulation of a communication system built on the concepts covered in class, with a written report and a final viva. Full guidelines, grading criteria, and the week-by-week plan are in the Course Project Handbook.
- Teams: groups of 3 (4 only with prior approval)
- Abstract submission: due August 17
- Code repository: each team’s project must be uploaded to GitHub — uploading it into your individual GitHub account is mandatory
Prerequisites
- PCECT402 Signals and Systems
- GBMAT401 Probability, Random Process and Numerical Methods
Course Structure
- Teaching hours: 3 lecture + 1 tutorial hours/week
- Credits: 4
- Evaluation: 40 marks Continuous Internal Evaluation (CIE) + 60 marks End Semester Examination (ESE)
Textbooks
- Simon Haykin and Michael Moher, Communication Systems, Wiley, 5th edition, 2020
- B. P. Lathi and Zhi Ding, Modern Digital and Analog Communication Systems, Oxford University Press, 5th edition, 2018
- Simon Haykin and Michael Moher, Introduction to Analog and Digital Communication, An Indian Adaptation, Wiley, 2nd edition, 2022
Reference Books
- Herbert Taub and Donald L. Schilling, Principles of Communication Systems, McGraw-Hill Education, 4th edition, 2013
- John G. Proakis and Masoud Salehi, Digital Communications, McGraw-Hill Education, 6th edition, 2020
- John G. Proakis and Masoud Salehi, Communication Systems Engineering, Pearson, 2nd edition, 2001
- Simon Haykin, Digital Communications Systems, An Indian Adaptation, John Wiley & Sons, 4th edition, 2021
- George Kennedy, Electronic Communication Systems, McGraw Hill, 6th edition, 2017
- Wayne Stark, Introduction to Digital Communications, Cambridge University Press, 1st edition, 2023
Video Lectures
Grading (CIE — 40 marks)
| Component | Marks |
|---|---|
| Attendance | 5 |
| Assignment / Microproject | 15 |
| Internal Examination 1 (written) | 10 |
| Internal Examination 2 (written) | 10 |
Schedule
| Week | Date | Topic | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jul 16 | Amplitude Modulation Block diagram of a communication system, need for modulation. Amplitude modulation — equation and spectrum of the AM signal, DSB-SC, SSB (pilot carrier), and vestigial sideband systems. | |
| 2 | Jul 23 | Angle Modulation Narrowband and wideband FM and their spectra, relationship between FM and PM, Carson’s rule, pre-emphasis and de-emphasis filtering, comparison of AM and FM, block diagram of an FM receiver. | |
| 3 | Jul 30 | Receivers and Noise Superheterodyne receivers — characteristics of receivers, image frequency. Noise — external, internal, and white noise. | |
| 4 | Aug 6 | Sampling, PCM, and Delta Modulation Sampling and quantization, SQNR for uniform quantization, companding. Pulse code modulation — transmitter and receiver. DPCM transmitter and receiver. Delta modulation, slope overload, and line codes. | |
| 5 | Aug 14 | First Series Examination Written internal examination covering Modules 1 and 2. | |
| 6 | Aug 20 | Baseband Data Transmission Baseband transmission of digital data through an AWGN channel, mathematical model of ISI, Nyquist criterion for zero ISI, signal modelling for ISI, raised cosine spectrum, equalization, zero-forcing equalizer. | |
| 7 | Aug 27 | Signal Space Representation Geometric representation of signals — Gram-Schmidt procedure, signal space, vector model of the AWGN channel. | |
| 8 | Sep 3 | Optimum Receivers Matched filter and correlation receivers, MAP receiver, maximum likelihood receiver. | |
| 9 | Sep 10 | BPSK and QPSK Digital band-pass modulation schemes — BPSK system and signal constellation, BPSK transmitter and receiver. QPSK system and signal constellations, QPSK transmitter and receiver. | |
| 10 | Sep 17 | BER Analysis and QAM BER analysis of BPSK and QPSK in erfc, plots of BER vs SNR. Quadrature amplitude modulation and signal constellation. | |
| 11 | Sep 24 | Comprehensive Revision Consolidation across all four modules ahead of the second series examination. | |
| 12 | Oct 9 | Second Series Examination Written internal examination covering Modules 3 and 4. | |
| 13 | Oct 12 | Final Revision Final consolidation and doubt-clearing session across all four modules. |