Instructor: Prof. Ian Roberts
Spring Quarter 2025

Course Summary

This course combines foundational concepts from linear systems, signal processing, and probability/statistics to mathematically model digital communication systems, establish the elegant techniques by which we communicate information, and assess the performance of such techniques. Ultimately, I hope this course is useful to you in obtaining an internship or full-time job, partaking in extracurricular projects, working in industry, and/or conducting research. It is a privilege to introduce you to digital communication systems, and I am looking forward to class this quarter. We plan to cover the following topics:

  • Review of Essentials and Setting the Stage
  • Digital Modulation, Pulse Shaping, Up/Downconversion
  • Introduction to Random Processes
  • Additive White Gaussian Noise, Signal-to-Noise Ratio, Matched Filter
  • Detection in Additive White Gaussian Noise, Symbol/Bit Error Rates
  • Dispersive Channels, Complex Baseband Channel, Channel Estimation, Equalization
  • Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiplexing
  • Timing and Frequency Synchronization
  • Information Theory and Channel Coding

Software-Defined Radio Lab Assignments

Beginning in Spring 2025, ECE 230B offers students the opportunity to implement concepts learned in class lectures on software-defined radios (SDRs). Rather than provide each student with an SDR (or expect them to buy their own), a custom solution was developed by Prof. Ian Roberts and an undergraduate researcher in the Wireless Lab at UCLA. This solution is called RemoteRF, an active learning SDR platform that students can access from virtually anywhere at anytime via the UCLA network (or its VPN). More about the RemoteRF platform can be found on this page.

List of lab assignments (updated periodically):

If you are interested in using RemoteRF beyond these assigned labs—for fun or for a project—please let me know, as I would be excited to hear about it. I hope you enjoy this opportunity to apply concepts from class on actual wireless platforms.