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E207 – Communication Systems

Worksheet for Lesson 07: Standing Waves

1. As we learnt in P06, The Voltage Reflection Coefficient, rv, is a useful

indicator of the line and load match, and is given by the formulas,

V reflected V −¿
ρV = = ¿ --- Eq. (1)
V incident V +¿ ¿

Or

Z L −Z O
ρV = --- Eq. (2)
Z L + ZO

Where
ZL = Load Impedance
ZO = Characteristic impedance of transmission line.

Figure 1 below shows the connection of a coaxial transmission line.

Figure 1

Given that the transmission line has characteristic impedance of 75Ω is

terminated with a 75Ω load. Calculate the voltage reflection coefficient.
(75Ω - 75Ω) / (75Ω + 75Ω) = 0 Ω

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Fact Box

a) Pulse Input (Matched Load)

 When a transmission line is terminated with a matched load

 The load absorbs energy and there is no reflection.
 The reflection coefficient, rv = 0
 The internal resistance of the generator (RS) formed a voltage divider
with the characteristic impedance of the transmission line (ZO).
 Hence only half of the input voltage (Vs/2) is delivered across the
transmission line.

b) Pulse Input (Open Circuit Load)

 When a transmission line is terminated with an open circuit

 The reflection is positive (same polarity or in-phase)
 The reflected voltage is having the same magnitude as the
incident voltage ideally
 The reflection coefficient, rv = +1

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c) Pulse Input (Short Circuit Load)

 When a transmission line is terminated with a short circuit

 The reflection is negative (opposite polarity or out-of-phase)
 The reflected voltage is having the same magnitude as the
incident voltage ideally
 The reflection coefficient, rv = -1

2. A 100 kHz square wave is applied to the input of a 100m coaxial

transmission line with a dielectric constant of 2.3, the following waveforms
were observed at the input when the output of the transmission line is:
(for additional resources, you may refer to : Cable Basics; Transmission,
Reflection, Impedance Matching, TDR - YouTube )

i. Open-circuited.

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ii. Short-circuited

The shapes of the new waveforms created in each case are obviously
very different from that of the original waveforms. Study the shape of the
new waveforms carefully and discuss with your teammates how they can
be derived from the original input square waveform.
i) Open-Circuited: V(+) + V(-) = V
Red Line – V(+) / Positive Voltage
Purple Line – V / Resultant Voltage

ii) Short-Circuited: V(+) – V(-) = V

Red Line – V(+) / Positive Voltage
Purple Line – V / Resultant Voltage

3. In Q1, you’d realize that the voltage reflection coefficient has a value of 0
when the characteristic impedance of the transmission line is the same as
the load resistance. This is a matched condition and all the power delivered
will be absorbed by the load.

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When the load is mismatched, however, the presence of a reflected wave

leads to standing waves where the magnitude of the voltage on the line is not
constant.

Refer to the website below to help you understand standing waves better.
http://www.acs.psu.edu/drussell/Demos/SWR/SWR.html

Other than the voltage reflection coefficient, another way to measure the
amount of mismatch of a line, called the voltage standing wave ratio
(VSWR), can be defined as,

V max 1+| ρV| ZO ZL

VSWR= ¿= ¿= ( when Z O > Z L ) ¿= (when Z--- Eq. (3)
L > Z O)
V min 1−|ρV| ZL ZO

--- Eq. (4)

a) From what you’ve learnt from the website and the formulas given,
determine the VSWR of the following waveform shown in Figure 2.
--- Eq. (5)

Figure 2
15V / 5V = 3
Ans: 3

b) Determine the VSWR if a transmission line of 50Ω is terminated with

i) a matched load VSWR=1
ii) an open circuit VSWR=INFINITY
iii) a short circuit. VSWR=INFINITY

c) Hence, write down the range of values that VSWR can take.
1<VSWR<INFINITY

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4. A transmission line with a load has the following conditions/parameters

given:
 Incident Voltage, V+ = 100 V
 Transmission Line impedance = 50Ω
 Load impedance = 300Ω

a) Calculate the voltage reflection coefficient.

(300 Ω - 50 Ω) / (300 Ω + 50 Ω) = 0.714 (3sf)
Ans: 0.714 (3sf)

b) Determine the reflected voltage

0.714 x 100V = 71.4V (Ans)

c) Determine the VSWR.

(1 + 0.714) / (1 – 0.714) = 5.99 (2dp)
Ans: 5.99 (2dp)

d) If the incident power is 150 W, calculate the power that is transferred to

the load.
Reflected Power = (0.714) ^ 2 x 150 W = 76.4694W
Power Transferred = 150 W – 76.4694W = 73.53W (2dp)
Ans: 73.53W (2dp)

5. One simple way to match a line to a resistive load is by use of a quarter-

wavelength matching transformer. It is not physically a transformer but
does offer the property of impedance transformation.

Figure 5

With reference to Figure 5 above, to match a resistive load, R L, to a line with

characteristic impedance ZO, a λ /4 section of line with characteristic impedance
Z’O is placed between them. The value of Z’O is given by,

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ZO = √ Z O R L
'
--- Eq. (5)

Calculate the impedance of a quarter–wavelength matching line used to match a

600W feeder to a 70W resistive antenna.
√ ( 600 Ω ) (70 Ω) = 204.94 Ω (2dp)
Ans: 204.94 Ω (2dp)

Going Further…..

6. Consider the figure below where a 100V battery with a 50W source
resistance is applied to an open-circuited 50W characteristic impedance line
at time t = 0.

Input Output

Figure 2

For the length of the transmission line given, it takes 1ms for the DC
voltage level to travel from the source to the open-circuited end.

Sketch the voltage timing diagram at the input and output of the
transmission line for 0 £ t £ 4ms. Explain your answer. Note that the switch
is being closed at t=0.

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7. The 100V battery with a 50 W source resistance is now applied to a short-

circuited 50 W characteristic impedance line at time t = 0.

Figure 3

Again, it takes 1ms for the DC voltage level to travel from the source to the
short-circuited end.

Sketch the voltage timing diagram at the input and output of the transmission
line for 0 £ t £ 4ms. Explain your answer. Note that the switch is being closed
at t=0.

End

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