Communication Engineering Tutorial

Principles of Communication Engineering is a core subject in electronics and communication engineering discipline that deals with the study and design of principles and technologies for transmitting information from one point to another. This subject explains various communication methods using electrical signals, optical signals, and electromagnetic waves for transmitting information.

Communication engineering plays an important role in the development of modern technologies, ranging from mobile phones to internet communication and cloud computing.

In this tutorial on Principles of Communication Engineering, the basic concepts of communication engineering along with the important concepts of analog and digital communication systems have been covered. This tutorial is very helpful for beginners who want to acquire knowledge on how communication systems function.

What is Communication?

Communication is defined as the process of transmitting, processing, and receiving data and information between two points using electronic systems. Electronic components like transmitters, communication channels, and receivers are the fundamental components of an electronic communication systems.

What is Communication Engineering?

Communication Engineering is a core engineering discipline that deals with the study, design, and applications of systems and technologies for transmitting information from one point to another. It is also referred to as electronic communication engineering because it dependent on electronic circuits and signals for the operation.

In communication engineering, signals in their different forms like electronic or optical or electromagnetic waves are used for conveying information from one point to another. Some common examples of communication devices include smartphones, telephone, TV broadcasting systems, internet, etc.

Components of Communication Engineering

Some of the key components of electronic communication engineering are as follows −

Source of Information − It could be a voice, text, image, or video message.
Transmitter − It is device that converts information into a suitable form like electronic signal, optical signal, or electromagnetic wave for transmission and performs operations like modulation, encoding, encryption, etc.
Transmission Channel − It is a medium through which the information signals travels to the destination. Examples of transmission channels include radio waves, electric cables, optical fiber, etc.
Receiver − It is another electronic device used at the destination point for collecting signals from the transmission channel. It also performs operations like demodulation, decoding, and decryption.
Noise − It is also known as electronic noise and is defined as the unwanted signals that degrade the quality of communication.

Types of Communication Systems

Electronic communication systems are broadly classified into the following two main types −

1. Analog Communication System

A type of electronic communication system in which information is transmitted from one point to another using continuous-time signals (analog signals) is referred to as analog communication system. This type of communication system first converts data or information into electric signals and then transmit them using a communication cable. The most significant advantage of analog communication is its simple operation and low bandwidth requirement. However, analog communication is highly susceptible to noise and interferences.

2. Digital Communication System

Digital communication systems involve the use of discrete-time signals (digital signals) for conveying information from one point to another. In digital communication, the information is first converted into digital pulses and then transmitted to the destination using suitable medium. Digital communication is known for its high resistance to noise and interference. However, it consumes more bandwidth and operates at a high data rate.

Communication Engineering Terminology

This section defines some important terms related to principles of communication engineering. These definitions will be very useful in grasping the concepts covered in this tutorial.

Signal Processing

The process of analyzing and modifying signals to enhance them for efficient transmission and storage is referred to as signal processing. Signal processing is one of the key techniques used in communication engineering. Removing noise, compressing an image or a video, etc. are common examples of signal processing.

Wireless Communication

Wireless communication is a type of electronic communication which involves the transmission of information without using physical cables or optical fibers, instead it uses electromagnetic waves. Some common examples of wireless communication include, Wi-Fi, 4G, 5G, mobile communication, satellite communication, Bluetooth communication, etc.

Analog Modulation

The process of superimposing a continuous-time (analog) information signal with a continuous-time energy signal for transmitting over long distances is termed as analog modulation. Amplitude Modulation (AM) and Frequency Modulation (FM) are common examples of analog modulation.

Digital Modulation

The process of superimposing a discrete (digital) information signal with a digital energy signal for transmission is called digital modulation. Examples of digital modulation include Phase Shift Keying (PSK), Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM), etc.

Telecommunication Networks

A group of devices interconnected by telecommunication links which are used for exchanging data and information among the devices is called a telecommunication network. These telecommunication networks can be wired like Ethernet or wireless like cellular networks. The internet is an example of global telecom network.

Network Protocols

Network protocols are nothing but rules and regulations defined for a communication network to ensure data accuracy and security. HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol), TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) are common examples of network protocols widely used in internet communication.

Error Control Coding

The methods or techniques used for identifying and rectifying errors in transmission of information to provide accurate and reliable communication are called error control coding.

Spectrum Management

In communication, the process of regulating the utilization of radio wave frequencies to ensure efficient frequency band usage and avoid interferences is termed as spectrum management. Hence, the primary objective of spectrum management is to optimize the use of limited resources of radio spectrum.

Optical Communication

Optical communication is a modern communication technology that involves the use of light signals traveling through optical fibers for conveying information from one point to another. It is one of the fast and reliable communication system for long distances.

Satellite Communications

When transmission and reception of information is done through satellites in the space, it is known as satellite communication. Satellite communication is based on the electromagnetic waves and it is suitable for communicating information over very long distances across the globe. GPS based navigation and satellite TVs are common examples of satellite communication.

Emerging Trends

Emerging trends are nothing but new or upcoming technologies. Some common examples of emerging trends in communication engineering include quantum communication, green communication, AI-driven networks, etc.

Why Principles of Communication Engineering Important?

The following are some key reasons highlighting the importance of principles of communication engineering −

Providing a foundation for all communication technologies and modern connectivity.
Defining rules and standards for optimized and efficient use of resources.
Enabling global interactions and collaborations.
Improving security and reliability by developing advantages technologies.
Driving technological advancements by integrating different fields, etc.

Applications of Communication Engineering

Principles of communication engineering have a wide range of applications in the real-world. Some of the key examples highlighting the applications of principles of communication engineering are given here −

In telecommunication networks, it is used for providing technologies like modulation, demodulation, channel allocation, transmission of voice and data signals, etc.
Principles of communication engineering are also enabling advanced communication technologies like wired or wireless communication of large amount of data, cloud computing and IoT services, etc.
It is also used to provide techniques for broadcasting radio and TV signals.
Principles of communication engineering are also being used for GPS navigation, satellite TV, etc.
In healthcare sector, principles of communication engineering are used for providing high speed communication in services like remote consultation and robotic surgeries.
Transportation industry is also using principles of communication for developing vehicle-to-everything communication.

What You Will Learn in Communication Engineering?

The topics covered in this tutorial on principles of communication engineering are explained in the following list −

Principles of Communication Introduction − This chapter explains the basic meaning of communication, its needs, and different types of signals used for communication.
Modulation − This chapter provides a detailed explanation on modulation, types of modulation, needs and advantages of modulation in communication.
Noise − In this section, you will learn about electronic noise in communication and its effects.
Analyzing Signals − This chapter explains the process of analyzing a communication signal.
Amplitude Modulation − In this chapter, you will understand the amplitude modulation and its mathematical analysis.
Sideband Modulation − This section provides an overview of sideband modulation, with its advantages, disadvantages, and applications.
VSB Modulation − This chapter is for explaining the concept of VSB (Vestigial Side Band) modulation and its applications.
Angle Modulation − In this chapter, you will explore angle modulation and its types.
Multiplexing − This chapter explains the concept and role of multiplexing in communication engineering.
FM Radio − In this section, you will learn about FM radio and functions of its different components.
Pulse Modulation − This chapter explains the fundamentals of pulse modulation such as concept of sampling, sampling rate, and sampling theorem.
Analog Pulse Modulation − This section is meant for explaining different analog pulse modulation techniques.
Digital Modulation − In this chapter, you will understand the digital modulation and its main components.
Modulation Techniques − This chapter provides an overview of some important concepts in modulation techniques.
Delta Modulation − This section is for explaining the concept of delta modulation and its advantages.
Digital Modulation Techniques − This chapter provides an overview of different types of digital modulation techniques.
M-ary Equation − This section discusses about M-ary equation and different types of M-ary techniques in modulation.
Information Theory − This chapter explains some important concepts of information theory such as entropy, source coding, channel coding, etc.
Spread Spectrum Modulation − In this chapter, you will explore about theory of spread spectrum modulation and its advantages.
Principles of Optical Fiber Communications − This section provides a detailed explanation of optical fiber communication, from its basic definition to real-world applications.
Principles of Satellite Communications − This chapter discusses the fundamentals of satellite communication and principles important for satellite communication.

Who Should Learn Communication Engineering?

This tutorial is mainly prepared for beginners who are interested in the basics of communications and who aspire to acquire knowledge regarding analog and digital communications. However, this tutorial can be a valuable resource for any of the following −

Beginners in the field of communication engineering.
Academic students having principles of communication in their syllabus.
Students preparing for technical competitive exams like GATE/ESE/PSU.
Practicing engineers and technicians working in communication industry.

Prerequisites to Learn Communication Engineering

This is a completely beginners tutorial and requires no prior knowledge of the subject. However, to benefit from this tutorial and easily understand the concepts covered, a basic knowledge of the terms involved in Electronics and Communications would be an added advantage.

FAQs on Communication Engineering

In this section, we have collected some of the most Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) related to Principles of Communication Engineering, followed by their answers.

Communication engineering is a core field in the electronics and communication engineering discipline that deals with the study, design, and implementation of technologies for transmitting information from one point to another, efficiently and securely.

No, communication engineering and ECE (Electronics and Communication Engineering) are not the same, but they are related domains in engineering.

Communication engineering is a discipline that deals with the study and applications of principles in communication processes. While ECE deals with design, implementation, and applications of electronic systems for communication.

Modulation is needed in communication to modify the information signals so that they can travel over long distances without degradation in their quality.

FM (Frequency Modulation) signal is a modified signal which produced by changing the instantaneous frequency of the carrier wave so it can travel over long distances.

The key difference between AM and FM is that AM (Amplitude Modulation) is a modulation technique in which the amplitude of the signal is altered with keeping phase and frequency as it is, while FM (Frequency Modulation) is the modulation technique in which the frequency of the signal is modified with keeping the amplitude and phase constant. Both AM and FM are widely used in communication systems.

Print Page