Electronic Communications Systems and the Frequency Domain: An Illustrated Primer for C3 Students

This thesis is a tutorial for Command, Control, and Communications C3 students and synthesizes the essence of electronic communications systems and related frequency spectrums into an integrated set of illustrations. The objective is to help the C3 student focus his or her attention on the performed operations and transformations in order to acquires a better understanding for the processes involved. The first major illustration show how the various components of a communication system are related. These components include analog and digital signals, multiplexing, modulation, and various transmission mediums. Central to any communications system is the limitations imposed by bandwidth and noise. The concept of bandwidth is developed through Fourier analysis. An integrated set of graphics shows the relationship between the time and frequency domains and illustrates how the bandwidth increases as the pulse width decreases. Transmitting information often requires higher data rates which, in turn, require higher frequencies. Radio wave propagation is frequency dependent and a chart is developed showing the different categories of radio wave propagation as they relate to atmospheric layers and frequency. Finally, a chart relating transmission medium attenuation, noise sources, and various radio wave terminology is given.