Lecturer: Marco Bressan  

Course name: Propagation and radiocommunications
Course code: 062264
Degree course: Ingegneria Elettronica e delle Telecomunicazioni, Ingegneria Elettronica
Disciplinary field of science: ING-INF/02
L'insegnamento è caratterizzante per: Ingegneria Elettronica
University credits: CFU 5
Course website: n.d.

Specific course objectives

The main phenomena affecting the propagation of radio waves in the natural/artificial environment are described and simply modelled to make students able to evaluate the performance of radio communication links. Object of the course is also to supply students with the fundamentals of some communication system whose performances are significantly affected by radiowaves propagation phenomena.

Course programme

fundamentals of radio communication links
antenna parameters, environmental noise, signal to noise ratio.

interaction of radiation with the ground
guided, reflected and diffracted waves by the ground surface, the radio propagation path between antennas located over a flat/spherical earth, coverage diagrams, midpath obstacle diffraction loss.

interaction of radiation with the ionosphere
propagation in a magneto-plasma: plasma- and cyclotron-frequency, ordinary and extraordinary waves, Faraday rotation, propagation paths in the stratified ionosphere: minimum skip distance, maximum usable frequency.

interaction of radiation with the troposphere
the refractivity of the non-ionized atmosphere, earth equivalent radius, standard atmosphere, atmospheric ducts and non-standard refraction, tropospheric scatter propagation paths, attenuation by fog, snow, rain, scattering and depolarization by rain, molecular attenuation.

radio communication systems
the radio channel: hints at statistical models of slow and fast fading. Radar principles: radar measurements, cross section of radar targets, radar detection, ground effects, clutter. GPS principles: the space, control and users segments.

Course entry requirements

The lectures require students to know the electromagnetic radiation theory, the ray optic approximation included, together with the basic of antennas.

Course structure and teaching

Lectures (hours/year in lecture theatre): 31
Practical class (hours/year in lecture theatre): 14
Practicals / Workshops (hours/year in lecture theatre): 0

Suggested reading materials

R.E. Collin. Antennas and radiowave propagation. McGraw Hill, 1985. part 2 only.

A. Paraboni, M. D'Amico. Radiopropagazione. McGraw-Hill, Milano, 2002.

M. I. Skolnik. Radar Handbook. McGraw-Hill, 1970. reference book .

M. I. Skolnik. Introduzione ai sistemi radar. Bizzarri, Roma, 1972.

S. Shibuya. A basic atlas of radio-wave propagation. J. Wiley & Sons, 1987. reference book.

Testing and exams

The examination consists on a written and an oral test. The written test requires to solve some simple problems about the physical aspects of radio communication links. Students achieving a largely insufficient mark, are not admitted to the oral test.