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RF and Wireless Made Simple - On Demand

Course 192

  -  On Demand, Besser Associates Online Academy / Rex Frobenius

$299

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Summary

Learn how to speak engineer…or at least understand them!

…and learn at your own pace.…

RF & Wireless Made Simple online course can teach a basic understanding of RF and wireless technology in as little as 8 hours, or up to six months whenever you need a "refresher".
Frequently used terms will be explained, as well as how to calculate dB. The names and functions of RF system components are discussed and a description of how they interact to generate and process signals is provided. The course explains the basic principles of signal processing and multiple access techniques in wireless telecommunications. A variety of relevant topics will be covered including a comparison of the specifications of commercial wireless systems. The course concludes with a discussion on the future of wireless technology and its applications.

Learning objectives

Upon completing the course you will be able to:

  • Describe the integral relationship of the EM spectrum, basic wave theory, and power calculations with RF and wireless technology.
  • Define and elaborate on impedance, resistance, reactance, and mismatch.
  • List the names and functions of RF system components and describe how they interact to generate and process signals.
  • Explain the basic principles of signal processing.
  • Identify and describe the basic principles of multiple access techniques in wireless telecommunications.
  • Explain the process underlying propagation of electromagnetic waves.
  • List and compare the specifications of commercial wireless systems.
  • Discuss the future of wireless technology and its applications.

Target Audience

Marketing, sales, instructors, and all other nontechnical personnel working with the RF and wireless industry will benefit from this course. No prior technical knowledge is required to learn from this online course.

Outline

Module 1: Key Concepts

 • Electromagnetic spectrum and waves • Multiple and fractional units of measure • Bandwidth • RF power • dB calculation

Module 2: Factors Affecting RF System Design

 • Wires and PCBs in RF • Intra-system transmission of RF signals • Waveguide, coaxial cable, and microstrip circuit and their applications • Impedance matching • Percent reflected power • Return Loss • Standing wave ratio • The Smith Chart • Mismatch elimination

Module 3: Elements of the RF System

 • Signal flow through an RF system • Oscillator • Attenuator • Modulator • Upconverter • Power amplifier • Directional coupler • Detector • Duplexer • RF antenna • Filter • Low noise amplifier • Mixer • Demodulator • RF and microwave integrated circuits

Module 4: Signal Processing

 • Analog and digital signals • Analog to digital conversion • Nyquist's Theorem • Sampling rate • Quantization error and noise • Bit error rate • Error detection • Speech coders • Modulation techniques

Module 5: Access Methods

 • Cellular mobile phone architecture • System capacity • Mobility • Cell sectoring • FDMA, TDMA, CDMA

Module 6: Signal Propagation

 • Antenna types and properties • Transmission line impedances and free space • EIRP • Propagation • Free space path loss • Reflection loss • Multipath fading • Calculating path loss

Module 7: Wireless Communication Systems

 • Cellular phone system design considerations • Voice quality and channel capacity • Mobile size • Battery life • Existing cellular systems - AMPS, DAMPS, GSM, PCS • Multi-mode mobile units • Mobile satellite communication systems • Wireless LANS • Paging systems • Global Positioning System (GPS)