ATTENUATION

Objective:
At the end of the experiment, the student should be able:

To observe the characteristic of a signal as its attenuation is

varied.
To identify the effect of attenuation on the signal.

Equipment:

LEYBOLD AM Trainer
1 DC power supply, 15V 3A (726 86)
1 Function Generator, 0-200 kHz (726 961)
1 CF transmitter, 20 kHz (736 201)
1 CF receiver, 20 kHz (736 211)
1 Digital Oscilloscope
2 Probes, 100 MHz
20 Bridging Plugs
Connecting wires

Theory:
Attenuation is the weakening of the signal as it passes through the
medium. It means a loss of energy. When a signal, simple or composite,
travels through a medium, it loses some of its energy in overcoming the
resistance of the medium. That is why a wire carrying electric signals gets
warm, if not hot, after a while. Some of the electrical energy in the signal is
converted to heat and to compensate for this loss, amplifiers are used to
amplify the signal. Figure 1 shows the effect of attenuation and amplification
on a signal.

Figure 1: Signal attenuation and amplification [1]

ECC101L
1
Principles of Communications
 ATTENUATION

Procedures:

1. Assemble the experiment as specified in figure 2: Experiment set-up.

2. Connect the output of the function generator directly to the modulating
input
3. Set the function generator to sine, Em = 2VRMS and fm = 2 kHz.
4. Set the toggle switch to CARRIER ON setting.
5. Connect channel 1 of the oscilloscope to point 1 (See experiment set-
up). Connect Channel 2 of the oscilloscope to point 2 (See experiment
set-up).
6. Set the attenuation level of the function generator to 0 dB.
7. Sketch the signal from point 1 and 2 (See experiment set-up).
8. Repeat steps 1 to 7, using attenuation levels of 20 dB and 40 dB (of
the function generator).

EXPERIMENT SET-UP

1
2

ECC101L
2
Principles of Communications
 ATTENUATION

Data and Results

Channel 1 0 dB

Amplitude: __________ Frequency:

__________

Channel 2 0 dB

Amplitude: __________ Frequency:

__________

Channel 1 20 dB

Amplitude: __________ Frequency:

__________
ECC101L
3
Principles of Communications
 ATTENUATION

Channel 2 20 dB

Amplitude: __________ Frequency:

__________

Channel 1 40 dB

Amplitude: __________ Frequency:

__________

Channel 2 40 dB

Amplitude: __________ Frequency:

__________

ECC101L
4
Principles of Communications
 ATTENUATION

Questions:

1. What is attenuation?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
2. What is the effect of increasing attenuation to the signal level?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
3. A signal travels from point A to point B. At point A, the signal power is
100 W. At point B, the power is 90 W. What is the attenuation in
decibels?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
4. The attenuation of a signal is 10 dB. What is the final signal power if
it was originally 5 W?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
5. What is the importance of measuring the attenuation of a system?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

Conclusion:
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
ECC101L
5
Principles of Communications