Amplitude modulation is a type of modulation where the carrier signal’s amplitude is varied in accordance with the information bearing signal. The amplitude modulated signal’s envelope or boundary embeds the information bearing signal. The total power of the transmitted signal varies with the modulating signal, whereas the carrier power remains constant. A nonlinear device combines …
An LNB (Low Noise Block aka LNC- Low Noise Converter) is used for communications (broadcast) satellite reception. The LNB is usually affixed either in or on the satellite dish. The LNB’s purpose is to utilize the super heterodyne effect and amplify and convert a wide block (band) of frequencies. This helps compensate the signal loss …
A capacitor is used to store energy so that it can provide power to any kind of electrical appliance when it is needed. Over time, though, the capacitor does begin to wear out and when this happens, its effectiveness in powering the appliance can diminish. Therefore, conducting a simple test on the capacitor can provide …
Although radios have become less and less of a household commodity due to television, Internet, and media players, they are still used on a daily basis by millions of people worldwide. We tend to take these little devices, which we find in our cars, offices, or homes, for granted, but rarely think about how they actually …
Downlink is a term in telecommunications that is used to refer to a data transmission in which data flows from an orbital satellite receiver to a ground-based transmitter. Downlink transmissions rely on the C Band between 3.7 and 4.2 GHz, the Ku Band between 11.7 and 12.7 GHz, and the Ka Band between 18.3 and …
Resistors can come in different sizes and shapes allowing for different voltages to go through it. However, unless the size of the resistor is large, the code is rarely written on it because it would require very tiny markings. Therefore, a system was developed to use colors to determine the resistor code. In other words, …
A piezoelectric transducer is a device that converts electricity into mechanical forces or vibrations. Although piezoelectric transducers have other uses, ultrasonic devices require them. Piezoelectric transducers usually converts electricity into vibrations and vibrations into electricity, although this is not always the case. They rely on two phenomena known as “electrostriction” and “the piezoelectric effect.” How …
BGA (Ball Grid Array) is one type of packaging for surface-mounted integrated electronic circuits (integrated circuits whose components are actually ‘mounted’ or affixed on the surface of the printed circuit semiconductor board). A BGA package simply looks like a thin wafer of semi-conducting material that has circuit components on only one face. The Ball Grid …
An IFL, or Interfacility Link, is a cable system that is used in facilities to connect an outdoor unit and an indoor unit. An outdoor unit refers to the satellite receiver or coaxial cable that connects a service provider to a company while an indoor unit refers to the coaxial cables, routers, or transmitters inside …
Pulse Width Modulation, abbreviated as PWM, is a method of transmitting information on a series of pulses. The data that is being transmitted is encoded on the width of these pulses to control the amount of power being sent to a load. In other words, pulse width modulation is a modulation technique for generating variable …