What is a Communication System?

The process of transmission and reception of information is called communication. The

communication system is a system which describes the information exchange between
two points.

Types Of Communication Systems

Depending on Signal specification or technology, the communication system is classified
as follows:
(1) Analog
Analog technology communicates data as electronic signals of varying frequency or
amplitude. Broadcast and telephone transmission are common examples of Analog
technology.
(2) Digital
In digital technology, the data are generated and processed in two states: High
(represented as 1) and Low (represented as 0). Digital technology stores and transmits
data in the form of 1s and 0s.

Depending on the communication channel, the communication system is categorized as

follows:
1. Wired (Line communication)

• Parallel wire communication

• Twisted wire communication
• Coaxial cable communication
• Optical fibre communication
2. Wireless (Space communication)

• Ground wave communication

• Skywave communication
• Space wave communication
 • Satellite communication

Examples Of Communication Systems

The following are a few examples of communication systems:
1. Internet
2. Public Switched Telephone network
3. Intranet and Extranet
4. Television

Elements Of Communication Systems

The definitions of the terms used in the communication system are discussed below.
Information
Message or information is the entity that is to be transmitted. It can be in the form of
audio, video, temperature, picture, pressure, etc.
Signal
The single-valued function of time that carries the information. The information is
converted into an electrical form for transmission.
Transducer
A device or an arrangement that converts one form of energy to the other. An electrical
transducer converts physical variables such as pressure, force, temperature into
corresponding electrical signal variations. Example: Microphone – converts audio signals
into electrical signals. Photodetector – converts light signals into electrical signals.
Amplifier
The electronic circuit or device that increases the amplitude or the strength of the
transmitted signal is called an amplifier. When the signal strength becomes less than the
required value, amplification can be done anywhere in between transmitter and receiver.
A DC power source will provide for the amplification.
Modulator
As the original message signal cannot be transmitted over a large distance because of
their low frequency and amplitude, they are superimposed with high frequency and
amplitude wave called carrier wave. This phenomenon of superimposing of message
signal with a carrier wave is called modulation. And the resultant wave is a modulated
wave which is to be transmitted.
Again there are different types of Modulation.
i. Amplitude Modulation (AM)
The process of changing the amplitude of the signal wave by impressing or
superimposing it on a high-frequency carrier wave, keeping its frequency constant is
called amplitude modulation.
ii. Frequency Modulation (FM)
Frequency modulation is a technique in which the frequency of the message signal is
varied by modulating with a carrier wave. It is better than deficient than amplitude
modulation because it eliminates noise from various sources.
iii. Phase Modulation (PM)
The phase of the carrier wave changes the phase of the signal wave. The phase shift
after modulation is dependent on the frequency of the carrier wave as well. Phase
modulated waves are immune to noise to a greater extent.
Transmitter
It is the arrangement that processes the message signal into a suitable form for
transmission and subsequently reception.
Antenna
An Antenna is a structure or a device that is radiate and receive electromagnetic waves.
So, they are used in both transmitters and receivers. An antenna is basically a metallic
object, often a collection of wires. The electromagnetic waves are polarised according to
the position of the antenna.
Channel
A channel refers to a physical medium such as wire, cables, space through which the
signal is passed from transmitter to the receiver. There are many channel impairments
that affect the channel performance to a pronounced level. Noise, Attenuation and
distortion to mention the major impairments.
Noise
Noise is one of the channel imperfection or impairment in the received signal at the
destination. There are external and internal sources that cause noise. External sources
include interference, i.e. interference from nearby transmitted signals (cross talk),
interference generated by natural source such as lightning, solar or cosmic radiation,
from automobile generated radiation, etc. The external noise can be minimised and
eliminated by appropriate design of the channel, shielding of cables. Also by digital
transmission external noise can be much minimised.
Internal sources include noise due to random motion and collision of electrons in the
conductors, thermal noise due to diffusion and recombination of charge carriers in other
electronic devices. Internal noise can be minimised by cooling and using digital
technology for transmission.
Attenuation
Attenuation is a problem caused by the medium. When the signal is propagating for a
longer distance through a medium, depending on the length of the medium the initial
power decreases. The loss in initial power is directly proportional to the length of the
medium. Using amplifiers, the signal power is strengthened or amplified so as to reduce
attenuation. Also, digital signals are comparatively less prone to attenuation than
analogue signals.
Distortion
It is also another type of channel problem. When the signal is distorted, the distorted
signal may have frequency and bandwidth different from the transmitted signal. The
variation in the signal frequency can be linear or non-linear.
Receiver
An arrangement that extracts the message or information from the transmitted signal at
the output end of the channel and reproduces it in a suitable form as the original
message signal is a receiver.
Demodulator
It is the inverse phenomenon of modulation. The process of separation of message
signal from the carrier wave takes place in the demodulator. The information is retrieved
from the modulated wave.
Repeaters
Repeaters are placed at different locations in between the transmitter and receiver. A
repeater receives the transmitted signal, amplifies it and send it to the next repeater
without distorting the original signal.
Block Diagram of Communication Systems
The block diagram given below represents the flow of the signal from the source to the
destination. The role of every device and arrangement discussed above is better
understood.