ECEU574 Wireless Communication Circuits
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Table of Contents
Meeting Times, Place
Prerequisites
Instructor
Teaching Assistant
Lab Assistants
Course Description
Course Administration
and Workload
Homework Assignments/Due Dates
Handouts
Prerequisites
ECE1341 Introduction to Electronics
ECE1360 Electromagnetic Fields and Waves
Course Credit: 3 SH
Meeting Times: MW 11:45 - 1:25
Class Location: 411 RB
Lab Hours: Fridays 10:30am-12:00, 12:30-2pm (optional lab, see grading
policy).
Lab Location: The Microwave Lab in the 9 Hayden complex.
Textbook: Electronics Of Radio David B Rutledge, Cambridge
University Press, ISBN: 0-521-64645-6 (online, ~$45)
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Instructor: Professor David Brady
Office Hours: Wednesdays 10-1:30
Instructor's Office: 416 Dana
Email: brady@ece.neu.edu
Phone: 617.373.5400
Additional Homework Help: HKN office, Thursdays 10:30-11:30am, 413DA
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Teaching Assistant: Chris Foster
TA's Office: 520 Dana
Email: cfoster@ieee.org
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Lab Assistants: Meli Luz Dinglasa, David
Goncalves
Office Hours: See Lab Hours, above.
LA's Office: microwave lab, 9 Hayden
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Course Description:
This course provides hands-on exploration of analog electronics by
analyzing the design and construction of a 7 MHz radio transceiver (the NorCal
40A). All fundamental ideas in each radio subsystem are reviewed
prior to their application, enabling a strong connection between theory
and practice. Students analyze, build and test a complete digital
transceiver, which might be used subsequently in Capstone projects.
The course begins with an overview of radio designs and radio components.
The phasor analysis of series and parallel resonant circuits is described.
Transmission line concepts are presented, including: phasor analysis for
waves, the telegraphist's equations, dispersion, resonance, quality factor,
and lines with loads. Radio filter designs are introduced, including:
ladder filters, band-pass filters, as well as filters using crystals and
impedance inverters. Students are introduced to working concepts of
transformers and speakers. Transistor switches and amplifiers are
described in detail, as are Class B,C,D,E, and F amplifiers. The fundamentals
of oscillators and mixers are presented. The course also reviews antennas
and propagation fundamentals: impedance, Friis' formula, reciprocity.
Dipole and whip antennae are used as practical examples.
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Course Description by Lecture Topics
- Introduction/ Basic RF components (4 lectures).
- Phasor analysis (2 lectures).
- Transmission lines (2 lectures).
- Filters and Transformers (4 lectures).
- Transistor Switches and Amplifiers (4 lectures).
- Power Amplifiers and Oscillators (4 lectures).
- Mixers and Audio Circuits (4 lectures).
- Antennas and Propagation (4 lectures).
Course Administration
and Student Workload
- Weekly Homework Assignments. Late homeworks will not
be accepted.
- Occasional Quizzes
- Midterm Policy. All examinations are open book and notes.
All devices with communication capabilities, including cell phones, Blackberries,
and pagers, must be turned off during the examination. Stand-alone
calculators may be used during the examination (do not use your cell phone
calculator). Laptops or palmtops are not permitted.
- Grading Policy. 30% Homeworks and Quizzes, 40% Midterm, 30%
Either radio demonstration and report, or final examination.
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Homework Assignments
Assignment 1
Due: Th 15 Jan. '04, in class.
Read: Rutledge, Ch. 1 and 2.
Form lab group:submit names with homework assignment. You must join
a lab group if you do not wish to take the final examination. Maximum 3 members
per group.
Order radio:One per lab group, order ASAP. See Wilderness Radio
for more details. Also, see the NU Wireless Club Website for additional
information on the NorCal 40A construction.
Assignment 2
Due: Th 22 Jan. '04, in class.
Read: Rutledge, Ch. 3 and 4.
Do problems in: Assignment 2
Assignment 3
Due: Th 29 Jan. '04, in class.
Read: Rutledge, Ch. 4 and 5.
Do problems in: Assignment 3
Assignment 4
Due: Th 5 Feb. '04, in class.
Read: Rutledge, Ch. 5 and 6.
Do problems in: Assignment 4
Assignment 5
Due: Th 12 Feb. '04, in class.
Read: Rutledge, Ch. 5.
Do problems in: Assignment 5
Assignment 6
Due: Th 19 Feb. '04, in class.
Read: Rutledge, Ch. 5.
Do problems in: Assignment 6
MIDTERM EXAM: Thursday, 26 Feb, 2004. In class, 4
problems, open book, open notes.Practice Midterm
(solutions given in lecture)
Assignment 7
Due: M 22 Mar. '04, in class.
Read: Rutledge, Ch. 6,7.
Do the non-optional problems in: Assignment
7
Assignment 8
Due: Th 1 Apr. '04, in class.
Read: Rutledge, Ch. 8,9.
Do the problems in: Assignment
8
Assignment 9,10
Due: Th 15 Apr. '04, email to brady@ece.neu.edu.
Read: Rutledge, Ch. 10,11.
Do the problems in: Radio Report
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Important Handouts
Syllabus
Lab Report Format
Lecture Notes
Homework Solution Sets
Assignment 2
Assignment 3
Assignment 4
Assignment 5
Assignment 6, part 1
Assignment 6, part 2
Assignment 7
Midterm Solutions
Quiz Solution Sets