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Virginia Tech

ECE-3614: Introduction to Communication Systems

Description: Analysis and design of communication systems with an emphasis on digital communications based on time and frequency domain analysis. Fourier transform techniques, linear systems, and filtering are reviewed. Power and energy spectral density of communication signals. Sampling and quantization of analog signals. Baseband and binary bandpass digital modulation including line coding, pulse shaping, and both pulse and carrier modulation techniques. Wireless communication system concepts including link budgets and multiple access. Transmitter and receiver design concepts. Signal-to-noise ratio, bit error rate, and their relationship. Analog techniques such as Amplitude Modulation (AM) and Frequency Modulation (FM) radio will be reviewed for conceptual and comparative purposes.

Pathways: N/A

Course Hours: 3 credits

Corequisites: N/A

Crosslist: N/A

Repeatability: N/A

Sections Taught: 15

Average GPA: 3.08 (rounds to B)

Strict A Rate (No A-) : 27.72%

Average Withdrawal Rate: 2.69%

Timothy J Talty202448.1%28.4%13.7%6.7%2.0%1.1%3.167
Chen Ching Liu201927.5%35.0%22.5%12.5%2.5%0.0%2.751
Harpreet Singh Dhillon202328.6%48.1%18.1%2.3%0.0%2.8%3.014
Jazi Ahmad Safaai20207.1%42.9%28.6%0.0%0.0%21.4%2.751
Solmaz Niknam201942.8%50.0%7.1%0.0%0.0%0.0%3.291
Walid Saad202145.5%33.4%12.1%9.1%0.0%0.0%3.161

Grade Distribution Over Time

1234GPA
Spring 2019Summer I 2019Fall 2019Spring 2020Summer I 2020Fall 2020Spring 2021Fall 2021Spring 2022Fall 2022Spring 2023Fall 2023Spring 2024Fall 2024Term050% W