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New Topic # |
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New # Hrs |
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F
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Communications
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15/22
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F1 |
Radio communication |
5 |
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F.1.1 |
Describe what is meant by the modulation of a wave. Students should appreciate that, for information to be carried by a wave, the wave must be changed in some way. |
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F.1.2 |
Distinguish between a carrier wave and a signal wave. |
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F.1.3 |
Describe the nature of amplitude modulation (AM) and frequency modulation (FM). For both AM and FM, students should appreciate how the carrier wave is modified in order to transmit the information in the signal wave. |
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F.1.4 |
Solve problems based on the modulation of the carrier wave in order to determine the frequency and amplitude of the information signal. |
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F.1.5 |
Sketch and analyse graphs of the power spectrum of a carrier wave that is amplitude-modulated by a single-frequency signal. |
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F.1.6 |
Define what is meant by sideband frequencies and bandwidth. |
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F.1.7 |
Solve problems involving sideband frequencies and bandwidth. |
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F.1.8 |
Describe the relative advantages and disadvantages of AM and FM for radio transmission and reception. Students should consider quality, bandwidth, range and cost. |
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F.1.9 |
Describe, by means of a block diagram, an AM radio receiver. Students should be able to identify and describe the function of each block, including aerial and tuning circuit, RF amplifier, demodulator, AF amplifier and loudspeaker. |
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F2 |
Digital signals |
4 |
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F.2.1 |
Solve problems involving the conversion between binary numbers and decimal numbers. Students should be aware of the term bit. An awareness of the least-significant bit (LSB) and most-significant bit (MSB) is required. Problems will be limited to a maximum of five bits in digital numbers. |
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F.2.2 |
Distinguish between analogue and digital signals. |
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F.2.3 |
State the advantages of the digital transmission, as compared to the analogue transmission, of information. |
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F.2.4 |
Describe, using block diagrams, the principles of the transmission and reception of digital signals. Students should be able to name and give the function of each block, including sample-and-hold, clock, analogue-to-digital converter (ADC), parallel-to-serial converter, serial-to-parallel converter and digital-to analogue converter (DAC). |
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F.2.5 |
Explain the significance of the number of bits and the bit-rate on the reproduction of a transmitted signal. |
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F.2.6 |
Describe what is meant by time-division multiplexing. |
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F.2.7 |
Solve problems involving analogue-to-digital conversion. |
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F.2.8 |
Describe the consequences of digital communication and multiplexing on worldwide communications. Students should be able to discuss cost and availability to the general public, quality of transmission, and the development of means of communication and data sharing such as the Internet. |
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F.2.9 |
Discuss the moral, ethical, economic and environmental issues arising from access to the Internet. |
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F3 |
Optic fiber transmission |
3 |
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F.3.1 |
Explain what is meant by critical angle and total internal reflection. |
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F.3.2 |
Solve problems involving refractive index and critical angle. |
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F.3.3 |
Apply the concept of total internal reflection to the transmission of light along an optic fibre. Only step-index optic fibres are to be considered. |
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F.3.4 |
Describe the effects of material dispersion and modal dispersion. Students should appreciate the effects of dispersion on the frequency of pulses that can be transmitted and the development of step-index monomode fibres. |
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F.3.5 |
Explain what is meant by attenuation and solve problems involving attenuation measured in decibels (dB). |
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F.3.6 |
Describe the variation with wavelength of the attenuation of radiation in the core of a monomode fibre. Students should be familiar with attenuation per unit length measured in dB km-1. Specific values of attenuation are not required. |
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F.3.7 |
State what is meant by noise in an optic fibre. |
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F.3.8 |
Describe the role of amplifiers and reshapers in optic fibre transmission. Students should appreciate that reshaping of digital signals being transmitted along an optic fibre reduces the effects of noise. |
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F.3.9 |
Solve problems involving optic fibres. |
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F4 |
Channels of communication |
3 |
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F.4.1 |
Outline different channels of communication, including wire pairs, coaxial cables, optic fibres, radio waves and satellite communication. |
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F.4.2 |
Discuss the uses and the relative advantages and disadvantages of wire pairs, coaxial cables, optic fibres and radio waves. Students should include noise, attenuation, bandwidth, cost and handling. |
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F.4.3 |
State what is meant by a geostationary satellite. |
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F.4.4 |
State the order of magnitude of the frequencies used for communication with geostationary satellites, and explain why the up-link frequency and the down-link frequency are different. |
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F.4.5 |
Discuss the relative advantages and disadvantages of the use of geostationary and of polar-orbiting satellites for communication. Discussion should include the tracking of satellites, orbital heights and coverage. |
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F.4.6 |
Discuss the moral, ethical, economic and environmental issues arising from satellite communication. |
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Communications HL only |
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F5 |
Electronics |
5 |
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F6 |
The mobil phone system |
2 |
