---
title: Idiot's guide to ELEC4402 Communications Systems
author: peter
date: 2024-10-29 16:11:34 +0800
categories: [University, Guides] # 0-2 categories. Blogging | Electronics | Programming | Mechanical | SelfHosting
tags: [ELEC4402, communications systems, guide, formula sheet, datasheet, notes] # 0-\infty. systems | embedded | rf | microwave | electronics | solidworks | automation | tip
# image: assets/img/2024-10-29-Idiots-guide-to-ELEC/2024-10-29-Idiots-guide-to-ELEC/preview.png
math: true
---
These notes should provide a printable summary of all the formulas and procedures required to solve questions in the exam and tests. This unit allows you to bring infinite physical notes (except books borrowed from the UWA library) to all tests and the final exam. You can't rely on what material they provide in the test/exam, it is very _minimal_ to say the least. Hope this helps.
If you have issues or suggestions, [raise them on GitHub](https://github.com/peter-tanner/IDIOTS-GUIDE-TO-ELEC4402-communication-systems/issues/new). I accept [pull requests](https://github.com/peter-tanner/IDIOTS-GUIDE-TO-ELEC4402-communication-systems/pulls) for fixes or suggestions but the content must not be copyrighted under a non-GPL compatible license.
## [Download the latest PDF revision 📄](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/peter-tanner/IDIOTS-GUIDE-TO-ELEC4402-communication-systems/refs/heads/master/README.pdf)
It is recommended to refer to use [the PDF copy](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/peter-tanner/IDIOTS-GUIDE-TO-ELEC4402-communication-systems/refs/heads/master/README.pdf) instead of this webpage for offline viewing/printing.
### License and information
Notes are open-source and licensed under the GNU GPL-3.0. **You must include the [full-text of the license](https://github.com/peter-tanner/IDIOTS-GUIDE-TO-ELEC4402-communication-systems/blob/master/COPYING.txt) and follow its terms when using these notes or any diagrams in derivative works** (but not when printing as notes)
Copyright (C) 2024 Peter Tanner
GPL copyright information
Copyright (C) 2024 Peter Tanner
This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
(at your option) any later version.
This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the
GNU General Public License for more details.
You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
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## Other advice for this unit
### Get more exam papers on OneSearch
- You can access up to **6** more papers with this method (You normally only get the previous year's paper on LMS in week 12).
- Either [search "Communications" and filter by type "Examination Papers"](https://onesearch.library.uwa.edu.au/discovery/search?query=any%2Ccontains%2Ccommunications&tab=Everything&search_scope=MyInst_and_CI&vid=61UWA_INST%3AUWA&facet=rtype%2Cinclude%2Cexampaper&lang=en&offset=0)
- Or search old unit codes
- ELEC4301 Digital Communications and Networking
- ENGT4301 Digital Communications and Networking
- ELEC3302 Communications Systems
- Note that ELEC5501 Advanced Communications is a different unit.
- To be honest, you select (relevant) questions from these for class test study as well.
Listing of examination papers on OneSearch
- Communications Systems ELEC3302 Examination paper [2008 Supplementary]
- Communications Systems ELEC4402 Examination paper [2014 Semester 2]
- Communications Systems ELEC3302 Examination paper [2014 Semester 2]
- Communications Systems ELEC3302 Examination paper [2008 Semester 1]
- Digital Communications and Networking ENGT4301 Examination paper [2005 Supplementary]
- Digital Communications and Networking ELEC4301 Examination paper [2009 Supplementary]
### Tests
- A lot of the unit requires you to learn processes and apply them. This is quite time consuming to do during the semester and the marking of the tests will destroy your wam if you do not know the process (especially compared to signal processing and signals and systems), I do not recommend doing this unit during thesis year.
- This formula sheet will attempt to condense all processes/formulas you may need in this unit.
- **You do not get given a formula sheet**, so you are entirely dependent on your own notes (except for some exceptions, such as the $\text{erf}(x)$ table). So bring good notes.
- Doing this unit after signal processing is a good idea.
- Try to practice questions from the exam papers on OneSearch mentioned above before class test, since you don't get past questions for the tests.
### Final exam 2024
As quoted from the lectures:
- No short questions
- 10 calculation questions
- From exam front page: Any printed or written material (e.g. dictionaries, textbooks, statutes, cases, legislation, annotations, lecture notes, tutorials with solutions, notes) except UWA Library books. Photocopied or printed eBook of a textbook is permitted.
- So yes you can still bring as many papers as you want to the final, unlike in signals and systems/signal processing where the final only allowed two pages.
## Printable notes begins on next page (in PDF)
Code
tBitstream[bitstream_, Tb_, title_] :=
Module[{timeSteps, gridLines, plot},
timeSteps =
Flatten[Table[{(n - 1) Tb, bitstream[[n]]}, {n, 1,
Length[bitstream]}] /. {t_, v_} :> { {t, v}, {t + Tb, v}}, 1];
gridLines = {Join[
Table[{n Tb, Dashed}, {n, 1, 2 Length[bitstream], 2}],
Table[{n Tb, Thin}, {n, 0, 2 Length[bitstream], 2}]], None};
plot =
Labeled[ListLinePlot[timeSteps, InterpolationOrder -> 0,
PlotRange -> Full, GridLines -> gridLines, PlotStyle -> Thick,
Ticks -> {Table[{n Tb,
Row[{n, "\!\(\*SubscriptBox[\(T\), \(b\)]\)"}]}, {n, 0,
Length[bitstream]}], {-1, 0, 1}},
LabelStyle -> Directive[Bold, 12],
PlotRangePadding -> {Scaled[.05]}, AspectRatio -> 0.1,
ImageSize -> Large], {Style[title, "Text", 16]}, {Right}]];
tBitstream[{0, 1, 0, 0, 1, 0, 1, 1, 1, 0}, 1, "Bitstream Step Plot"]
tBitstream[{-1, -1, -1, -1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1}, 1, "I(t)"]
tBitstream[{1, 1, -1, -1, -1, -1, 1, 1, -1, -1}, 1, "Q(t)"]
Remember that $T=2T_b$
| | |
| ----------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| $b_n$ | ![QPSK bits](/assets/img/2024-10-29-Idiots-guide-to-ELEC/qpsk-bits.svg) |
| $I(t)$ (Odd, 1st bits) | ![QPSK bits](/assets/img/2024-10-29-Idiots-guide-to-ELEC/qpsk-it.svg) |
| $Q(t)$ (Even, 2nd bits) | ![QPSK bits](/assets/img/2024-10-29-Idiots-guide-to-ELEC/qpsk-qt.svg) |
## Matched filter
### 1. Filter function
Find transfer function $h(t)$ of matched filter and apply to an input:\
Note that $x(T-t)$ is equivalent to horizontally flipping $x(t)$ around $x=T/2$.
$$
\begin{align*}
h(t)&=s_1(T-t)-s_2(T-t)\\
h(t)&=s^*(T-t) \qquad\text{((.)* is the conjugate)}\\
s_{on}(t)&=h(t)*s_n(t)=\int_\infty^\infty h(\tau)s_n(t-\tau)d\tau\quad\text{Filter output}\\
n_o(t)&=h(t)*n(t)\quad\text{Noise at filter output}
\end{align*}
$$
### 2. Bit error rate of matched filter
Bit error rate (BER) from matched filter outputs and filter output noise
$$
\begin{align*}
Q(x)&=\frac{1}{2}-\frac{1}{2}\text{erf}\left(\frac{x}{\sqrt{2}}\right)\Leftrightarrow\text{erf}\left(\frac{x}{\sqrt{2}}\right)=1-2Q(x)\\
E_b&=d^2=\int_{-\infty}^\infty|s_1(t)-s_2(t)|^2dt\quad\text{Energy per bit/Distance}\\
T&=1/R_b\quad\text{$R_b$: Bitrate}\\
E_b&=PT=P_\text{av}/R_b\quad\text{Energy per bit}\\
P(\text{W})&=10^{\frac{P(\text{dB})}{10}}\\
P_\text{RX}(W)&=P_\text{TX}(W)\cdot10^{\frac{P_\text{loss}(\text{dB})}{10}}\quad \text{$P_\text{loss}$ is expressed with negative sign e.g. "-130 dB"}\\
\text{BER}_\text{MatchedFilter}&=Q\left(\sqrt{\frac{d^2}{2N_0}}\right)=Q\left(\sqrt{\frac{E_b}{2N_0}}\right)\\
\text{BER}_\text{unipolarNRZ|BASK}&=Q\left(\sqrt{\frac{d^2}{N_0}}\right)=Q\left(\sqrt{\frac{E_b}{N_0}}\right)\\
\text{BER}_\text{polarNRZ|BPSK}&=Q\left(\sqrt{\frac{2d^2}{N_0}}\right)=Q\left(\sqrt{\frac{2E_b}{N_0}}\right)\\
\end{align*}
$$