TY - GEN
T1 - An inexpensive method to teach hands-on digital communications
AU - Wright, Cameron H.G.
AU - Welch, Thad B.
AU - Morrow, Michael G.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2003 IEEE.
PY - 2003
Y1 - 2003
N2 - Some of the more subtle concepts related to digital communication systems such as signal constellation imbalance, intersymbol interference, pulse shaping ramifications, and performance with in-band interference are quite difficult for most students to grasp from a textbook or lectures alone. This paper describes an inexpensive approach to providing a real-time, hands-on laboratory experience for the students covering these same topics using the Texas Instruments C6711 digital signal processing starter kit along with custom software the authors have developed in MATLAB and C/C++. Expensive specialized test equipment such as a vector signal generator or a vector signal analyzer is not needed using this method. Our initial teaching experience has shown this new method to be highly successful yet very inexpensive when compared to purchasing traditional dedicated test equipment. The software described herein is freely available to educators and students.
AB - Some of the more subtle concepts related to digital communication systems such as signal constellation imbalance, intersymbol interference, pulse shaping ramifications, and performance with in-band interference are quite difficult for most students to grasp from a textbook or lectures alone. This paper describes an inexpensive approach to providing a real-time, hands-on laboratory experience for the students covering these same topics using the Texas Instruments C6711 digital signal processing starter kit along with custom software the authors have developed in MATLAB and C/C++. Expensive specialized test equipment such as a vector signal generator or a vector signal analyzer is not needed using this method. Our initial teaching experience has shown this new method to be highly successful yet very inexpensive when compared to purchasing traditional dedicated test equipment. The software described herein is freely available to educators and students.
KW - Digital communications
KW - Digital signal processing
KW - Low cost
KW - Real-time DSP
KW - Test equipment
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84946036344&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1109/FIE.2003.1264712
DO - 10.1109/FIE.2003.1264712
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:84946036344
T3 - Proceedings - Frontiers in Education Conference, FIE
SP - F2E20-F2E25
BT - 33rd Annual Frontiers in Education
PB - Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.
T2 - 33rd Annual Frontiers in Education, FIE 2003
Y2 - 5 November 2003 through 8 November 2003
ER -