Advanced Communication Laboratory

Learn practical communication system experiments including FM modulation, oscillators, signal analysis, and circuits.

Created byDr P Rajeswari

Last updated 2/2026

English

What you'll learn

Design and implement analog and digital communication systems using laboratory equipment such as function generators, oscilloscopes, spectrum analyzers.
Generate and analyze modulation techniques including AM, FM, PM, ASK, FSK, PSK, and QAM, and evaluate their performance parameters such as bandwidth, SNR
Perform signal analysis using time-domain and frequency-domain methods, including FFT analysis and spectral measurements.
Design and test communication circuits such as modulators, demodulators, mixers, and PLL-based systems using simulation tools and hardware setups.

Course content

1 section • 9 lectures • 45m total length

Introduction3:03
Explore the optical fibre trainer kit and three experiments, including the analog and digital communication link, frequency response, numerical aperture, and bending, attenuation, and recoupling losses.
Experiment 1a : Fiber optic Analog Communication Link3:33
Demonstrate the fiber optic analog communication link by applying a 2 V, 2 kHz sinusoid, measuring gain 20 log(V0/Vin), and plotting bandwidth from the frequency response.
Experiment 1b : Fiber optic Digital Communication Link2:52
Set up a fiber optic digital communication link with TTL input, connect transmitter and photodiode, and estimate bit rate from on/off times around 0.8 ms to ~625 Hz.
Experiment 2(a): Measurement of attenuation loss in optical fiber4:18
Experiment 2(b) Measurement of bending loss in optical fiber2:39
Measure bending loss in optical fiber with a trainer kit. Track output voltage as bend radii shrink from 3 cm to 1 cm using a 850 nm LED.
Experiment 3(a) Measurement of Numerical Aperture4:24
Experiment 4(a): Study of DC characteristics of LED4:14
Explore the dc characteristics of a light emitting diode by measuring forward voltage and current, optical power, and plotting VI and PI curves using LED, optical fiber, and meters.
Experiment 4(b)# Study of DC Characteristics of Photo diode12:36
Analyze the dc characteristics of a photodiode under zero, forward, and reverse bias by plotting VI and PI curves from measured voltage and current responses to varying optical power.
Experiment 5# VI Characteristics of Gunn Diode#7:44
Investigate the ba characteristics of a GaN diode through a hands-on experiment. Observe the transferred electron mechanism and current–voltage behavior, including a threshold and negative resistance.

Requirements

Basic knowledge of Analog and Digital Communication concepts

Description

This course is designed to help students understand the practical aspects of communication systems through laboratory experiments and hands-on learning. In many engineering courses, students study communication theory in detail, but they often do not get enough exposure to how these concepts are applied in real circuits and experiments. This course aims to bridge that gap.

In the Advanced Communication Laboratory course, you will explore important communication concepts through guided experiments and simulations. The course focuses on understanding how signals behave in different communication systems and how electronic circuits are used to generate, modulate, and analyze these signals.

Throughout the course, you will work with practical experiments related to topics such as FM modulation, oscillators, signal frequency analysis, and communication circuit design. You will also learn how to use circuit simulation tools to observe signal behavior and verify theoretical calculations. These practical activities will help you develop stronger analytical and troubleshooting skills.

This course is especially helpful for electronics and communication engineering students who want to strengthen their laboratory knowledge and improve their understanding of communication systems. By the end of the course, you will be more confident in performing communication experiments, analyzing results, and applying theoretical concepts in real-world scenarios.

Whether you are preparing for laboratory exams, improving your practical skills, or simply curious about communication systems, this course will provide a clear and structured learning experience.

Who this course is for:

Engineering students preparing for university laboratory exams and viva