Unit information: Antennas and RF systems in 2027/28

Unit name	Antennas and RF systems
Unit code	EEMEM0015
Credit points	20
Level of study	M/7
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12)
Unit director	Dr. Hilton
Open unit status	Not open
Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units)	None
Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units)	None
Units you may not take alongside this one	None
School/department	School of Electrical, Electronic and Mechanical Engineering
Faculty	Faculty of Engineering

Unit Information

Why is this unit important?

The antenna and front-end Radio Frequency (RF) electronics are the basis for all wireless communications systems, radar systems and many remote sensing applications. This unit covers RF signal generation to RF signal reception, with some basics of RF propagation to allow end-to-end analysis. In RF systems the interfaces are important to ensure the RF signal is efficiently transmitted and received, and hence understanding the fundamentals of amplifiers, matching circuits, and antenna design are key.

There are three aspects to the unit:

• The antennas part predominantly considers intentional radiators (i.e., antennas), though also provides a basis for analysis of unintentional electromagnetic radiation (i.e., potential sources of interference);
• RF/microwave circuit design, matching, and RF amplifiers;
• and Case study of a Satellite Communications system.

How does this unit fit into your programme of study?

This unit covers key aspects of a communications system. This unit is mandatory for the relevant PGT programmes of study and optional on some undergraduate programmes.

Your learning on this unit

An overview of content

• Antenna characteristics and practical measurements.
• Antenna array theory to show how the antennas radiation pattern can be shaped and steered.
• The application and design of some of the wide variety of antenna configurations is considered, with examples given of practical antennas (dipoles, slots, arrays, reflectors).
• Antenna integration with feed-lines and RF circuitry.
• RF Amplifier design, matching circuits, and device evaluation.
• Satellite communications systems including orbits, tracking, and satellite subsystems.

How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit

Students will be able to appreciate how a communications signal can be transmitted and received in an efficient manner, using examples from satellite communications, mobile communications, and WiFi. Having completed this unit, students will be able to design RF communications systems and evaluate their performance.

Learning Outcomes

Having completed this unit, you will be able to:

1. Design and analyse the performance for a variety of antenna elements and arrays used in RF communications and radar systems.
2. Design and analyse the performance of RF amplifiers and matching circuits.
3. Propose and justify physical layer system-level design of a communications system.

How you will learn

The unit will have a mix of activities. All teaching material is online with guidance as to the progress that should be made each week. Some material will be taught as formal lectures, whilst in other cases the material will be only online videos with the lectures used for applications, specific example questions and feedback. This unit includes system-level design with each student being given a specific task.

How you will be assessed

Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative):

• Online assessments for each aspect of the unit.
• Example sheets and past examination papers.
• Feedback is given on all the above either as online answers or else during lectures (usually weekly).
• Antenna design using CAD design package (optional).

Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):

• Written Examination (70%) assessing LOs 1 and 2.
• Individual Coursework (30%) assessing LO 3. You will make an individual submission of a report on Satellite System Design. The individual coursework is a must-do component and you must make a submission in order to be awarded credit for this unit.

When assessment does not go to plan

Reassessment takes the same form as the original summative assessment.

Resources

If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.

If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. EEMEM0015).

How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks, independent learning and assessment activity.

See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.

Assessment
The assessment methods listed in this unit specification are designed to enable students to demonstrate the named learning outcomes (LOs). Where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, schools will make reasonable adjustments to support a student to demonstrate the LO by an alternative method or with additional resources.

The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit. The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.