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POST-LAB QUESTIONS:

1. What is meant by a balanced and unbalanced transmission line?

The two wires in unbalanced lines consist of one for the signal and the other for the
reference. The wire used for reference is typically the ground and can be used as a
shield against interference, i.e. noise. Unbalanced lines suffer from more problems
with noise than balanced. An example of an unbalanced line is coaxial cable.
Balanced lines use both wires to carry data and therefore one is not used for the
function of a reference or ground. One wire carries the signal as a positive and the
other carries it as a negative. The negative signal is 180 degrees out of phase with the
positive; therefore, equal noise occurs on both and can cancel each other. This is
known as cancellation and an example of a balanced line is UTP cable.

2. Discuss the effect of mismatched transmission line.

Waves traveling down the first line are reflected at the boundary, causing a standing
wave on the line, which is a wave that oscillates but does not appear to travel. It is
actually the combination of two waves (the initial wave, and the reflected wave)
traveling in opposite directions. The second line is properly terminated, so there are
no reflections on that one.

3. Discuss the main factors in selecting either wired or wireless transmission media.

There are many factors contributing to this increase-including cost savings, flexibility
and power consumption. When looking at the big picture, a utility operator will
discover each technology has its own advantages and disadvantages. Many feel the
most reliable option for a communication network is the traditional wired approach.
On the other hand, with so many different types of wireless technologies, the decision
making does not stop once an operator chooses wireless. Communication networks
are not one-size-fits-all, and it is critical that utility operators understand the type of
technology needed to have the most effective communication network for their
individual system. In addition, they need to consider the economic factors when
searching for the best system their budget allows.
POST-LAB QUESTIONS:

1. Explain how the wave propagates inside the waveguide.

In a waveguide a signal will propagate as an electromagnetic wave. Even in a

transmission line the signal propagates as a wave because the current in motion down
the line gives rise to the electric and magnetic fields that behaves as an electromagnetic
field. The transverse electromagnetic (TEM) field is the specific type of field found in
transmission lines. We also know that the term transverse implies to things at right
angles to each other, so the electric and magnetic fields are perpendicular to the
direction of travel. These right angle waves are said to be normal or orthogonal to
the direction of travel.

2. What happens to the propagated wave when the waveguide is terminated by the short
circuit load? What if the reflection-free load is used instead?

The reflection from a short-circuited line can be described in similar terms to that from
an open-circuited line. Just as in the open circuit case the current must be zero at the
end of the line, in the short circuit case the voltage must be zero since there can be no
volts across a short circuit. Again, all of the energy must be reflected back up the line
and the reflected voltage must be equal and opposite to the incident voltage
by Kirchhoff's voltage law. As the reflection travels back up the line, the two voltages
subtract and cancel, while the currents will add (the reflection is double negative - a
negative current traveling in the reverse direction), the dual situation to the open circuit
case.

3. How does the standing wave build-up in the waveguide and which experiment set-up
demonstrate this phenomenon? Why does that particular experiment exhibit the standing
wave pattern?
Whenever there is a mismatch of impedance between transmission line and load,
reflections will occur. If the incident signal is a continuous AC waveform, these
reflections will mix with more of the oncoming incident waveform to produce
stationary waveforms called standing waves. Illustration below shows how a triangle-
shaped incident waveform turns into a mirror-image reflection upon reaching the
lines unterminated end. The transmission line in this illustrative sequence is shown
 as a single, thick line rather than a pair of wires, for simplicitys sake. The incident
wave is shown traveling from left to right, while the reflected wave travels from right
to left.

4. Based on the measurement results in experiment 2, what can you conclude about the
impedance value along the waveguide?

Conclusion that we have made is The wave impedance of an electromagnetic wave is

the ratio of the transverse components of the electric and magnetic fields (the
transverse components being those at right angles to the direction of propagation). For
a transverse-electric-magnetic plane wave traveling through a homogeneous medium,
the wave impedance is everywhere equal to the intrinsic impedance of the medium. In
particular, for a plane wave travelling through empty space, the wave impedance is
equal to the impedance of free space.
5. Using the value for g determined in experiment 1, with the waveguide width of a= 22.9
mm taken into consideration, determine the free space wavelength o and frequency f used
during this experiment. Calculate the resulting standing wave ratio (SWR) of the system.