course-details-portlet

TTT4145 - Radio Communications

About

Examination arrangement

Examination arrangement: Aggregate score
Grade: Letter grades

Evaluation Weighting Duration Grade deviation Examination aids
Project 50/99
Oral exam 49/99 1 hours A

Course content

In order to communicate everywhere and at all times, very flexible and cost-effective communication solutions are needed that can only be offered by radio systems. In the course Radio Communication, students are given a system overview of how radio communication systems are built up, with detailed knowledge of important system trade-offs and in-depth understanding of radio propagation. The course describes which aspects of the channel are important for different types of radio systems, such as mobile radio and broadcasting, and measures to improve communication quality. Most of the learning activities are in the project.

In the project you will design, implement and test a radio communication system for ISM bands. The system is implemented on the ADLAM-PLUTO or NI USRP 2901 radio platform and is programmed with Matlab/LabView/GNU radio or any other language you chose and can make work.

The course describes the construction of some types of radio systems such as radio LAN, radio line and mobile communication. The emphasis is on the lowest layers of digital radio communication, physical layers and MAC layers, in the OSI model and in what way the radio channel affects design choices.

Learning outcome

The course gives the candidates introduction to radio technical topics that are important for communication systems based on the use of radio waves.

Knowledge

The candidate has

- In-depth knowledge of radio propagation (small-scale fading, large-scale fading and propagation loss)

- Knowledge of the construction of radio systems for mobile communication, radio LAN, and radio line

- Good knowledge of what aspects of the radio channel are important for different types of radio systems (channel correlation and system functions)

- Good knowledge of how fading can be overcome, understanding the behavior and the limitations of methods such as frequency hopping, diversity, interleaving and coding.

- Detailed knowledge of trade-offs in the design of digital radio communication systems. Use of bandwidth, broadcast power, bitrate and bit error probability, as well as complexity.

- Basic knowledge of link budget

- Good knowledge of multiple access like FDMA and TDMA

Skills

The candidate can

- Design, implement and test a radio communication system on a Software Defined Radio.

- Make design trade-offs for radio systems

- Set up a link budget

General competence: The candidate can

- write a project report

Learning methods and activities

The main emphasis in the course is on the project, where a radio system is implemented with SDR. The lectures provide information on the design of radio systems. Both ordinary lectures and video lectures are used. Exercises and labs provide the necessary skills for the project.

Compulsory assignments

  • Lab

Further on evaluation

Obligatory parts.

Laboratory exercises

Demonstrating ability to work with the SDR equipment

Implementing and testing of different blocks in the digital communications signal chain on SDR.

Preliminary link budget with loss and gains for the signal (estimated and measured) and noises (estimated and measured). Measurements to verify the link budget

The grades are based on:

Project report 50/99

The project report should describe and motivate the chosen design of the implemented radio system and the components in the system.

The report has to contain sufficient information for any other engineer to implement a compatible transmitter and receiver to work with the proposed system.

Students receive feedback via joint assessment. Delivery deadlines are announced in Blackboard.

Oral exam 49/99

Includes three parts.

1. Demonstration of the implemented radio system. 10%

2. Questions related to the implemented radio system. 20%

3. General questions on radio communications. 20%

The obligatorisk lab assignments have to be passed to get the report evaluated and to take the exam. Once passed, the lab assignments do not have to be repeated if retaking the course.

Pass on both the project report and the oral exam is required to pass the course.

When retaking the course, with a previous pass on the project report, only the oral exam has to be retaken. In case of retaking the course, without a previous pass on the project report, requires both a new report and retake of the oral exam.

Required previous knowledge

No compulsory courses as prerequisites.

It is recommended to have a good understanding of signal processing, communication and programming to take this course.

Course materials

Online resources.

Credit reductions

Course code Reduction From To
SIE2040 7.5
More on the course

Facts

Version: 1
Credits:  7.5 SP
Study level: Second degree level

Coursework

Term no.: 1
Teaching semester:  SPRING 2025

Language of instruction: English

Location: Trondheim

Subject area(s)
  • Electronics
  • Telecommunication
  • Signal Processing
  • Telecommunications
  • Communication and Information Science
  • Technological subjects
Contact information
Course coordinator: Lecturer(s):

Department with academic responsibility
Department of Electronic Systems

Timetable

List view
Calendar view

Examination

Examination arrangement: Aggregate score

Term Status code Evaluation Weighting Examination aids Date Time Examination system Room *
Spring ORD Project 50/99 INSPERA
Room Building Number of candidates
Spring ORD Oral exam 49/99 A 2025-05-10 09:00
Room Building Number of candidates
Summer UTS Oral exam 49/99 A
Room Building Number of candidates
  • * The location (room) for a written examination is published 3 days before examination date. If more than one room is listed, you will find your room at Studentweb.
Examination

For more information regarding registration for examination and examination procedures, see "Innsida - Exams"

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