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Radiocommunication Systems

Code: 102710 ECTS Credits: 6
2025/2026
Degree Type Year
Telecommunication Systems Engineering OB 3

Contact

Name:
Jose Parron Granados
Email:
josep.parron@uab.cat

Teaching groups languages

You can view this information at the end of this document.


Prerequisites

It is recommended to have successfully taken the courses of Radiation and Guided Waves, Foundations of Communications and Foundations of Networks. This course is closely related to Telecommunications Transmitters and Receivers although it is not a must to take this course previoulsly.


Objectives and Contextualisation

Once completed the course the student should be able to

  • Describe the components of a radio communication system
  • Obtain the transmission and reception parameters of basic antennas
  • Distinguish the basic propagation mechanisms for each frequency band.
  • Evaluate the performance of a radio communication link
  • Design a radio communication link to meet specifications
  • Convey the conclusions of their work in a proper technical language

Competences

  • Analyse components and specifications for communication systems that are guided or non-guided by electromagnetic, radiofrequency or optical means.
  • Apply the necessary legislation in the exercise of the telecommunications engineer's profession and use the compulsory specifications, regulations and standards.
  • Communication
  • Develop personal work habits.
  • Develop thinking habits.
  • Draft, develop and sign projects in the field of telecommunications engineering that, depending on the speciality, are aimed at the conception, development or exploitation of telecommunication and electronic networks, services and applications.
  • Learn new methods and technologies, building on basic technological knowledge, to be able to adapt to new situations.
  • Select and devise communication circuits, subsystems and systems that are guided or non-guided by electromagnetic, radiofrequency or optical means to fulfil certain specifications.
  • Work in a team.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Analyse and specify components for guided and non-guided communication systems.
  2. Apply design techniques based on radio communication networks, services and applications.
  3. Build, exploit and manage radio communication networks, services, processes and applications understood as systems for receiving and transporting.
  4. Communicate efficiently, orally and in writing, knowledge, results and skills, both professionally and to non-expert audiences.
  5. Describe the principles for the management of the radio-electric spectrum and the allocation of frequencies.
  6. Develop independent learning strategies.
  7. Develop systemic thinking.
  8. Develop the capacity for analysis and synthesis.
  9. Select guided and non-guided electromagnetic and radio-frequency antennas, equipment and systems.
  10. Select radiofrequency, microwave, broadcasting, radio-link and radio-determination circuits, subsystems and systems.
  11. Work cooperatively.

Content

  1. Introduction to radio electric systems
  2. Elements of a radio system
  3. Antenna parameters
  4. Link budget for a radio communication system
  5. Noise
  6. Propagation
  7. Fixed terrestrial radio links
  8. Satellite radio communication systems
  9. Mobile radio communication systems

Activities and Methodology

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Directed      
Lectures 26 1.04 1, 2, 4, 3, 5, 7, 6, 8, 9, 10
Practical work in laboratory 12 0.48 1, 2, 4, 3, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11
Problem solving 12 0.48 1, 2, 4, 3, 5, 7, 6, 8, 9, 10
Type: Supervised      
Tutoring 7 0.28 1, 2, 4, 3, 5, 7, 6, 8, 9, 10
Type: Autonomous      
Personal study 32 1.28 1, 2, 4, 3, 5, 7, 6, 8, 9, 10
Problem solving 24 0.96 1, 2, 4, 3, 5, 7, 6, 8, 9, 10

Directed activities

  • Lectures: explanation of theoretical contents
  • Problem solving: application examples
  • Practical work in laboratory: development of a planned activity using simulation tools and/or instrumentation.

Autonomous activities

  • Personal study of the course contents
  • Solving exercises, preparation of lab activities and reports

Supervised activities

  • Tutoring: individual or small group meetings to clarify concepts, to advise on the development of the course or to attend other specific issues.

Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.


Assessment

Continous Assessment Activities

Title Weighting Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Deliverables 20% 15 0.6 1, 4, 5, 7, 6, 8, 9, 10
Final exam 50% 3 0.12 1, 2, 4, 3, 5, 7, 6, 8, 9, 10
Lab reports 20% 15 0.6 1, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11
Problem solving 10% 4 0.16 1, 2, 4, 3, 5, 7, 6, 8, 9, 10

This course does not provide a single assessment system.

a) Evaluation activities

  • Final exam (ExF): 50%. Short questions and problems. It is compulsory to obtain ExF >= 4 to pass the course.
  • Problem solving (EX): 10%. Short questions and problems will be proposed throughout the course.
  • Deliverables (EpP): 20%. Solving problems and reading the lab document. All the deliverables have the same weight in EpP.
  • Lab reports (InP): 20% Report (per lab group) on the activities developed in the lab. All the reports have the same weight in InP.

Any evaluation activity delivered after the deadline will be qualified with zero.

b) Evaluation activities schedule

  • ExF: final exam dates will be public the first day of the course in the Campus Virtual and the web page of the Engineering School.
  • EX, EpP and InP: schedule of lab sessions and deliverables will be made public in Campus Virtual.

The schedule can be modified due to unexpected events. Please, check Campus Virtual often since any modification will be published there.

c) Second chance procedure

  • ExF: according to UAB regulations there will be one second chance exam for those students with FEx < 4 that have participated in, at least, 2/3 of the evaluation activities of the course.
  • EX, EpP and InP: these evaluation activities do not have second chance procedure.

d) Grades revision procedure

For every evaluation activity it will be scheduled a place, date and time for reviewing the grade. The grade of the activity will not be modified after the scheduled date.

e) Final grade

  • If ExF < 4, Final grade = ExF
  • Si ExF>=4, Final grade =max( 0.5*ExF+0.1*EX + 0.2*EpP + 0.2*InP, 0.8*ExF +0.2*InP)
  • It is mandatory a final grade >= 5 to pass the course
  • Matricules d’honor (MH): the highest grade available can only be awarded by the coordinator of the course to those students with the top final grades. According to UAB regulations final grade should be >= 9 and the number of MH is restricted to the 5% of the students enrolled in the course.
  • “Not evaluated” will be only granted with the student participates in less than 10% of the evaluation activities.

f) Irregularities by the student, copy and plagiarism

Without prejudice to other disciplinary measures considered appropriate, the irregularities committed by the student that can lead to a variation of the grade of an evaluation activity (such as copying, plagiarism, cheating, allowing others to copy …) will be qualified with zero.

g) Use of Artificial Intelligence

In this course, the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies is allowed as an integral part of the development of the work, provided that the final result reflects a significant contribution from the student in analysis and personal reflection. The student must clearly identify which parts have been generated with this technology, specify the tools used, and include a critical reflection on how these have influenced the process and the final result of the activity. Lack of transparency regarding the use of AI is considered academic dishonesty and may result in a penalty in the activity grade, or more severe sanctions in serious cases.

h) Students repeating the course

There is no differential treatment for students repeating the course. No grades of the previous course will be kept.


Bibliography

  • J.M. Hernando Rábanos, “Transmisión por Radio”, Centro de Estudios Ramón Areces, Madrid, 4ª edición, 2003
  • Cardama et al., “Antenas” Edicions UPC, Barcelona, 2ª edición, 2002. https://upcommons.upc.edu/handle/2099.3/36797

Software

  • FEKO from Altair: electromagnetic solver. https://web.altair.com/altair-student-edition
  • Radio Mobile: freeware to predict the performance of a radio system. http://www.ve2dbe.com/english1.html

Groups and Languages

Please note that this information is provisional until 30 November 2025. You can check it through this link. To consult the language you will need to enter the CODE of the subject.

Name Group Language Semester Turn
(PAUL) Classroom practices 331 Spanish second semester morning-mixed
(PAUL) Classroom practices 332 Spanish second semester morning-mixed
(PLAB) Practical laboratories 331 Spanish second semester morning-mixed
(PLAB) Practical laboratories 332 Spanish second semester morning-mixed
(PLAB) Practical laboratories 333 Spanish second semester morning-mixed
(TE) Theory 330 Spanish second semester morning-mixed