Beginning Radio Communications: Radio Projects and Theory

Description

Understanding radio communications systems unlocks a new way to look at the world and the radio waves that connect it. Through easy-to-understand instruction and a variety of hands-on projects, this book gives the reader an intuitive understanding of how radio waves propagate, how information is encoded in radio waves, and how radio communications networks are constructed. This book also focuses on the world of amateur, or “ham,” radio, a global network of hobbyists that experiment and communicate with radio waves. The reader can learn what amateur radio is, how one can obtain an amateur radio license, and how various pieces of amateur radio hardware work. Rather than overwhelm with formulas and numerical approaches, this book presents an easy-to-follow qualitative approach to the theory aspects of radio—perfect for those with little to no knowledge of electromagnetism, signal processing, or hardware development. Instead, instruction focuses on hands-on learning. Radio waves are easy and inexpensive to manipulate with modern hardware, so the examples throughout this text provide ample opportunity to develop an understanding of such hardware. A special focus is given to applications of radio communications in the modern world. In every chapter, the reader gains new insight into different radio communications systems and the hardware and software that makes it all possible. Projects include using a software-defined radio to download live images of the Earth from weather satellites, Arduino-based digital radio communications networks, making amateur radio contacts, and more. What You’ll Learn: · Encode information in radio waves · Obtain an amateur radio license · Use important pieces of radio communications hardware, such as antennas, handheld transceivers, software-defined radios, radio repeaters, and more Who This Book Is For Anyone interested in modern communications, from high school and college students pursuining STEM to professionals looking to broaden their understandings of radio Front Matter ....Pages i-xi Introduction and Materials (Alex Wulff)....Pages 1-22 Basic Radio Theory (Alex Wulff)....Pages 23-43 Antennas (Alex Wulff)....Pages 45-67 Project: Satellite Imagery (Alex Wulff)....Pages 69-90 Communications and Modulation (Alex Wulff)....Pages 91-111 Exploring Radio (Alex Wulff)....Pages 113-134 Amateur Radio (Alex Wulff)....Pages 135-154 Handheld Transceivers and Repeaters (Alex Wulff)....Pages 155-172 Amateur Radio Satellites (Alex Wulff)....Pages 173-194 Ham Nets, Volunteering, and More (Alex Wulff)....Pages 195-217 Back Matter ....Pages 219-223