Introduction to Communication System

Communication, in its most general sense, is simply the exchange of information, and human beings have practised it since ancient times in many forms -- speaking, writing, singing, and even body language. The discovery of electricity in the late 19th century changed human communication dramatically, and the modern communication systems in use today are built directly on the discoveries and inventions of a number of scientists working in the 19th and 20th centuries, including J. C. Bose (1858-1937), S. F. B. Morse (1791-1872), G. Marconi (1874-1937) and Alexander Graham Bell (1847-1922).

Through the 20th century, messages could already be sent over large distances using analogue signals, cables and radio waves, but the advent of digitisation technologies has taken this much further: it is now possible to communicate with almost anywhere in the world in near real time. This ability to communicate freely and instantly is a defining feature of modern life -- people can speak directly with others anywhere around the globe, and in the process generate a vast amount of new information every single day. …