Communication System Components

A Typical Communication System

• A communication system consists of a source, input transducer, transmitter, channel, receiver, and output transducer.
• The source originates a message, which can be human voice, television picture, teletype message, or data.
• If the data is non-electrical, it must be converted into an electrical waveform by an input transducer.

Components of a Communication System

• The transmitter modifies the baseband signal for efficient transmission.
• The channel is a medium through which the transmitter output is sent, such as wire, coaxial cable, or radio link.
• The receiver reprocesses the signal received from the channel and undoes the signal modifications made at the transmitter and channel.
• The output transducer converts the electrical signal back to its original form.

Types of Messages

• Messages can be either digital or analog.
• Digital messages are constructed with a finite number of symbols, such as printed language.
• Analog messages are characterized by data whose values vary over a continuous range, such as temperature or atmospheric pressure.

Digital Communication Systems

• The task of the receiver is to extract a message from a distorted and noisy signal at the channel output.
• Message extraction is often easier from digital signals than from analog signals.
• Repeater stations are used in digital systems to detect and retransmit pulses, preventing the accumulation of noise and distortion.

Advantages of Digital Communication

• Digital communication is more rugged and can withstand channel noise and distortion.
• Regenerative repeaters can be used to improve signal quality.
• Digital hardware implementation is flexible and can be coded to yield extremely low error rates.
• Digital signals can be multiplexed more efficiently.
• Digital communication is inherently more efficient in realizing the exchange of SNR for bandwidth.
• Digital signal storage is relatively easy and inexpensive.
• Digital messages can be reproduced extremely reliably without deterioration.

Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR)

• The fundamental parameters that control the rate and quality of information transmission are channel bandwidth and signal power.
• The bandwidth of a channel is the range of frequencies available for transmission.

This quiz covers the components of a typical communication system, including the source, input transducer, transmitter, and more. Learn about the role of each component in the communication process.