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Session 1520 Computer Based Antenna Experiments In Telecommunication Engineering Technology Program Willie K. Ofosu and Albert Lozano-Nieto Penn State Wilkes-Barre

Abstract

Engineering technology programs are characterized by strong hands-on experiential instructions that prepare the graduate to be productive in industry with minimal extra training, once employed. For this reason, it is essential to introduce the latest technology into technology curricula. Currently, computers are applied in all fields, and in particular, in electrical and electronic related fields. Such is the case in Telecommunications Engineering Technology (TelT) in which instruction on antennas forms a major component.

This paper describes computer-based antenna experiments in the TelT program at Penn State Wilkes-Barre. Computers are used in these experiments to facilitate the collection of large amounts of data and to convert the data from one set to another for different graphs.

Introduction

Current technology is based largely on the transmission and reception of information. Factors such as speed of transmission and size of memory in computers have propelled the information age forward. Research and developmental work that have been done in the recent past have been directed mostly at such factors in support of data communication.

Factors such as ease of accessibility and unlimited bandwidth have made use of radioelectric space as a medium of transmission in wireless applications attractive to industry. The prominence being experienced by wireless applications makes it important to include in TelT programs with the view of exposing TelT students to current technology. An essential component to any wireless system is the antenna. An antenna has the ability to transform electric energy into electromagnetic waves. It couples energy from a transmitter to the earth’s atmosphere at the transmitting end, and couples energy from the atmosphere to the receiver at the receiving end 1. For an antenna to work effectively, it must be designed to radiate and receive electromagnetic energy in a prescribed manner 2.

Antennas are used for fixed and mobile transmissions in both terrestrial and space communication applications. Many different types of antennas are in use today in a variety of applications. Every antenna in use has been designed based on specifications that make it suitable for a particular application. TelT students are exposed to basic characteristics that are common to all antennas such as gain and radiation pattern. Proceedings of the 2002 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition. Copyright Ó 2002, American Society for Engineering Education. This project was sponsored by the Minority Office and SETCE of Penn State University.

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Lozano, A., & Ofosu, W. (2002, June), Computer Based Antenna Experiments In Telecommunications Engineering Technology Program Paper presented at 2002 Annual Conference, Montreal, Canada. 10.18260/1-2--10968