MASINDE MULIRO UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY ECE 523E - ANTENNA & RADIO WAVE PROPAGATION SENATE APPROVED SYLLABUS

Pre-requisites:

ECE 321 – Principles of Communication Systems

 ECE 424 – Digital Communication Systems

Course Purpose:

To enable students perform a range of antenna and array designs and apply relevant methods used in their various parameter measurements   

Expected Learning Outcomes:

 Upon completion of this course, a student should be able to:

1. make basic calculations of propagation loss, taking into account free-space loss and polarization effects, and extend this to a link budget analysis;
2. analyse, from first principles, the basic properties of a range of antennas, such as dipoles, parabolic reflector antennas, horn antennas, printed patch antennas;
3. apply numerical modeling tools (by means of the lab experiment) to design antennas, with particular reference to a printed patch antenna;
4. perform antenna measurements using facilities such as far-field antenna ranges (to measure radiation pattern and/or gain) and network analysers (to measure impedance bandwidth);
5. explain the effect of ground on electromagnetic waves propagation;
6. explain properties of ionospheric layer used for electromagnetic wave propagation;
7. explain different modes of wave propagations;
8. select the antennas for specific mode of wave propagation.
9. explain principle of operations of video signal generation and transmission
10. explain the operation of visual display systems

Course Content:

Antenna theory: Electromagnetic fields and radiation theory; pattern synthesis, near and far field patterns and focused apertures. Properties of Antenna: Antenna Impedance, Radiation  Resistance, Radiation Pattern, Beam  area and beam efficiency, gain, directivity and Gain,  radiation intensity, half power BW,  polarization, antenna losses, antenna  efficiency, effective aperture, effective  length of antenna, effects of antenna  height, antenna temperature, front to  back ratio, antenna field zones. Antenna synthesis: Fourier transform method; Woodyard method; Problems in antenna design. Basic Antennas and Arrays: Radiation characteristics of wire antennas: Resonant wire antennas (λ, 2λ), Non Resonant (Rhombic) Antenna; Loop antenna; Folded dipole; Yagi-uda antenna; Antenna Arrays-Uniform linear array, Broad side array, End fire array. VHF/UHF antennas: Helical antenna, Parabolic reflector antenna, Horn antenna, Micro strip (patch) antenna, Turnstile and super turnstile antenna, slot antenna. Terrestrial mobile communication antennas: Base station antennas, Mobile station antennas. Smart Antennas. Propagation principles: Friis transmission formula, atmospheric effects, fading, tropospheric scatter, link budget calculation. Ionosphere Layers and Sky wave propagation: Virtual Height, Critical frequency, Maximum usable frequency (MUF), Skip distance, Lowest Usable frequency (LUF), Optimum Usable frequency (OUF) Space Wave propagation:  Tropospheric scattered propagation, Duct Propagation. Application: Principles of colour TV transmission and display systems.

Mode of Delivery

Lectures, Class discussions, e-learning and laboratory tests

Instructional Materials

Handouts, textbooks, lecture notes, e-materials, Chalkboard, Whiteboard, LCD/Overhead Projector, Computer with simulation software

Course Assessment

Continuous assessment:             40%

Written Examination:                60%

Lab Outline:

Lab assignments provide students with practical experience to design, analyze, simulate, implement, and evaluate antennas; and use of engineering techniques, skills, and tools, including software methods.

Recommended books:

1. Warren L. Stutzman, Gary A. Thiele, Antenna Theory and Design, 3rd Edition, John Wiley and Sons (2013).
2. Simon Saunders, Alejandro Aragón-Zavala, Antennas and Propagation for Wireless Communication Systems, John Wiley and Sons, ISBN: 978-0-470-84879-1
3. William Gosling, Radio Antennas and Propagation: Radio Engineering Fundamentals, ISBN-10: 0750637412
4. Louis E Frenzel, Principles of Electronic communication Systems, McGnaw Higher Education 3^rd Edition.
5. S. P Sh, Basic Radio and Television, 2^nd Edition Tata McGraw –Hill Publishers