Communication Laboratory Enhancement for an Undergraduate ECE Program

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The goal of the proposed CCLI-A&I project is to supply equipment for a communication laboratory at the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH). The equipment supports the startup of two new, one-credit-hour, undergraduate laboratory courses in communication technology and data networks. The new laboratory courses are tightly coupled to existing communication-system lecture courses offered by the department. A number of experiments that are currently in use at the University of Michigan, the University of Hartford, the University of Denver and elsewhere will be implemented at UAH. These experiments deal with modulation/demodulation, phase-locked loops (PLLs), filters, oscillators, RF design and analog/digital/computer communication, and they are documented completely on the Educator's Corner web site maintained by Hewlett-Packard (also, a compact disc version is distributed freely by HP). In addition, original material generated by the principal and co-principal investigators will be used in laboratory experiments. Finally, in the areas of PLLs, oscillators, analog/digital communication and related topics, "turn key" experiments from Lab Volt, Inc. will be implemented at UAH. For the laboratories, manuals are to be compiled and disseminated widely. By using the.pdf file-format standard, this information is placed on the world wide web. In addition, original material developed at UAH will be submitted to corporate programs, such as Educator's Corner. Finally, key personnel at Adtran and Dynetics, local technology companies, will serve as independent project reviewers/evaluators. The proposed project addresses several DUE themes, including diversity, faculty development and the integration of technology in education. Its importance follows from the fact that it directly addresses the nation's critical need for engineers trained in the science and technology of communication systems, a major engine for economic growth in the 21st century.