EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS
Communications 101 Textbook
This is a partially-completed textbook on elementary communications. It
covers both analog and digital techniques, and is written in a (hopefully)
simple style which should be easy reading for most students, from a high
school level up through college.
NOTES:
1. This text is copyright (C) 1998 - 2006 by Peter A. Stark, and All Rights
are Reserved.
2. You may read and study this material, print it out for your own
use, or (if you are an instructor in the Verizon Next Step program) you
may also give copies to your students and use it as a text. Other than
that, you may not distribute it or in any way violate our copyrights. The
publication of this material on this site does not release it into the
public domain.
3. Although the latest Telcom I outline puts digital circuits somewhere
between chapters 3 and 4, I'm not quite happy with the resulting flow of
material, so I have put it into Appendix C instead. Feel free to cover
it whenever you'd like.
4. I will add review problems and questions as I get to them.
5. Any comments, suggestions, and corrections will be appreciated.
There are many places where I have kept things intentionally short and
to the point. If you have any additions, or topics you feel should be covered,
please let me know. My email address is stark-at-cloud9-dot-net (deliberately
obfuscated to try to minimize spam ... sorry.)
Introduction
PART I - THE MESSAGE
Chapter
1 - Audio
Chapter
2 - Video
Chapter
3 - Digital Data
PART II - The MEDIUM
Chapter
4 - Wired Communications
Chapter
5 - Fiber Optics
Chapter
6 - Wireless
PART III - TRADITIONAL METHODS
Chapter
7 - Amplitude Modulation
Chapter
8 - FM and PM
Chapter
9 - The Superheterodyne
Chapter
10 - Receiver Fine Points
Chapter
11 - Telephone System Overview
Chapter
12 - Modems
PART IV - DIGITAL METHODS
Chapter
13 - Digital Fundamentals
Chapter
14 - D-A and A-D Conversion
Chapter
15 - Multiplexing and TDM
Chapter
16 - Analog and Digital Subscriber Loops
Chapter
17 - T Carrier
Chapter
18 - DSL and FTTH (still unfinished)
Chapter
19 - Network Fundamentals
Chapter
20 - The ISO / OSI Model (still unfinished)
APPENDICES
Appendix
A - Decibels
Appendix
B - Tuned Circuits
Appendix
C - Digital Circuits
Appendix
D - Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC)
Appendix
E - Queuing Theory and Erlangs