AVT 321

 

RADIO THEORY AND PRACTICE

 

FALL 2009

 

Instructor:  Dennis Hannon

                    Aviation Technology Lab 2

                    Tel:  618-453-9208/536-3371

                    Email: dhannon@siu.edu 

                    Web Page: http://mypage.siu.edu/dhannon

 

                    Office Hours:  As posted, by appointment

 

Course Reference and Texts: 

 

General Radiotelephone Operator License (GROL Plus), Maia and West, Master Publishing, Inc., Jan 2000, ISBN: 0790610531, Appox $40 new/ $30 used  (Required)

 

Modern Electronics Communication, Gary M. Miller, Jeff Beasley, Gary Millerskip to next title,

ISBN: 0132251132, Appox $100 New/$25 - 50 used (Optional, Reference)

 

Avionics Fall 2007 Course and Reference Material Disc containing course presentation material, NEETS modules and an FCC License Exam Practice program (optional-provided by the instructor at a nominal cost)

 

Instructor provided handouts and practice tests

 

Course Materials:  Scientific Calculator (TI 30 series, Casio FX-280 or equivalent is adequate).  Students may bring a laptop computer to class if desired

 

Course Description:  This course examines the characteristics of radio frequency circuits, signals and devices and prepares students to take the Federal Communications Commission examination for issuance of the General Radiotelephone Operators License.  Preparation for FCC GROL Elements 1 and 3 are emphasized.  Portions of this course are mathematically intense involving trigonometric functions, Pythagorean Theorem and imaginary numbers; a good working knowledge of college algebra and trigonometry is strongly recommended.

 

Course Objectives: Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:

 

1.      Demonstrate an understanding of FCC Rules and Regulations

 

2.      Exhibit an understanding of basic radio circuit theory, electronic devices and electronic communications circuits

 

3.      Demonstrate an understanding of radiotelephone equipment and components, including amplifiers, oscillators, filters, tuners, receivers, transmitters, feedlines and antennas

 

4.      Identify and describe operating practices for radiotelephone equipment

 

      5.  Successfully complete both Elements 1 and 3 of the FCC General        Radiotelephone Operator License examination

 

Course Format: This 3 credit hour course involves classroom time supplemented by independent study and the use of practice FCC General Radiotelephone Operator License examination test questions as a learning tool. 

 

Classroom time will be 3 hours per week; of this, approximately 2 1/2 hours will be spent discussing radio theory and practice and ½ hour will be devoted to taking practice FCC GROL examinations.  A complete practice exam on FCC Elements 1 and 3 will be given during the last regular week of class.  In addition to classroom discussions and quizzes, students are expected to independently study the FCC test questions, work through problems, and take practice exams. 

 

Topical Outline:

 

      A.  Operating Rules and Procedures

      B.  Capacitive and Inductive Reactance

      D.  Tuned Circuits, Resonance and Filters

      E.  Amplifiers and Oscillators

      F.  Modulation and Demodulation

            1.  Amplitude and Pulse Modulation

            2.  Angle Modulation

      G.  Transmitters and Receivers

      H.  Signal Propagation, Antennas and Feedlines

 

FCC General Radiotelephone Operator Examination Structure:

    

Element 1 - 170 Pool Questions, 24 on exam

 

      Maritime Radio Law & Operating Practices

 

 Element 3 – 916 Pool Questions, 76 on exam

 

A.     Operating Procedures – 40 Pool Questions, 3 on test

B.     Radio Wave Propagation – 42 Pool Questions, 3 on test

C.    Radio Practice – 69 Pool Questions, 6 on test

D.    Electrical Principles – 202 Pool Questions, 17 on test

E.     Circuit Components – 150 Pool Questions, 10 on test

F.     Practical Circuits – 139 Pool Questions, 17 on test

G.    Signals and Emissions – 131 Pool Questions, 10 on test

H.     Antennas and Feed Lines – 143 Pool Questions, 10 on test

 

Total questions for both elements in pool, 1086, total on both exams 100.

 

Taking the FCC Exam:  Students are responsible for contacting an FCC designated examination center to schedule their exam.  Locally, exams may be taken at John A. Logan College in Carterville, IL (618-457-7676 ext. 8617) and should be scheduled early in the semester.  The cost for both exam elements is approximately $70.00 payable to the examination center.  Other sites in the St. Louis, Chicago and other upstate areas also host exams.  See the instructor for additional information on scheduling exams.

 

Grading:  It is strongly suggested that students take the FCC exam during the semester they are registered in AVT 321.  Students who pass both Element 1 and 3 of the FCC exam during the semester in which they complete the course will receive an “A” grade if all other class assignments and examinations are satisfactory.  Students who do not take the FCC exam or fail to pass both exam elements during the semester of the course will receive a grade based on their performance on the in-class periodic quizzes and the FCC practice exams.

 

Grading is in accordance with the Aviation Technologies grading scale:

 

                                         90 – 100%    A

                                         80 – 89%      B

                                         70 – 79%      C

                                         60 – 69%      D

                                         Below 60%    F

 

Attendance:  Regular attendance, attentiveness in class and outside study is essential for success in this class.  While successful completion of the formal FCC GROL Examination is not a course requirement, most students have found that participating in the exam while material is fresh is a definite asset in passing the test elements on the first try.