# Block 3 — Communication Systems, Radar, and Electronic Warfare

<p class="block-meta"><span class="b-block">Block 03</span><span class="b-time">Lessons 28–41</span></p>

<p class="block-synopsis">Put those bits on a radio wave, bounce them off a target, and deny them to an adversary. Modulation and demodulation, antennas and propagation, the Friis equation for a one-way link and the radar range equation for a two-way one. Then pulse-Doppler radar, the signal-to-noise ratio that decides whether anything is detected at all, and the electronic warfare that attacks it.</p>

## What you'll learn

:::{container} obj-list
- **3.1** — I can determine the modulation index, output signal, and output signal bandwidth of an Amplitude Modulation (AM) system and assess whether the system is under-modulated, over-modulated, or fully modulated.
- **3.2** — I can design a demodulator given a modulated signal for envelope and synchronous detection.
- **3.3** — I can calculate the signal wavelength, antenna size, max antenna gain, and basic gain pattern for dipole, monopole, and parabolic dish antennas.
- **3.4** — I can calculate the maximum line-of-sight (LOS) distance between two terrestrial objects.
- **3.5** — I can calculate the maximum communication distance between a transmitter and receiver using the Friis and Line-of-Sight equations.
- **3.6** — I can calculate the maximum detection range from a radar antenna to a target using the Radar Range equation.
- **3.7** — I can calculate the range resolution, unambiguous range, and target velocity for pulse Doppler radar.
- **3.8** — I can calculate signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and determine the effects on wireless communications.
- **3.9** — I can analyze jamming scenarios using the Friis equation, RADAR equation, and SNR.
:::

## In this block

<div class="block-toc">
  <a class="bt-card bt-reading" href="L28.html">
    <span class="bt-kind">Lesson 28</span>
    <h4>Modulation and Amplitude Modulation</h4>
    <p>Why we modulate, the function multiplier, and the modulation index. Objective 3.1.</p>
  </a>
  <a class="bt-card bt-reading" href="L29.html">
    <span class="bt-kind">Lesson 29</span>
    <h4>AM Bandwidth and Multiplexing</h4>
    <p>Under-, full, and over-modulation; AM bandwidth; and frequency division multiplexing. Objective 3.1.</p>
  </a>
  <a class="bt-card bt-reading" href="L30.html">
    <span class="bt-kind">Lesson 30</span>
    <h4>Demodulation</h4>
    <p>Modulation efficiency, envelope and synchronous detection, and designing the filters. Objective 3.2.</p>
  </a>
  <a class="bt-card bt-reading" href="L31.html">
    <span class="bt-kind">Lesson 31</span>
    <h4>Antennas</h4>
    <p>Wavelength and antenna size, gain, dipoles and monopoles, dishes, and phased arrays. Objective 3.3.</p>
  </a>
  <a class="bt-card bt-reading" href="L32.html">
    <span class="bt-kind">Lesson 32</span>
    <h4>Line of Sight and Wireless Channels</h4>
    <p>The maximum line-of-sight distance, with the four wireless propagation modes as context. Objective 3.4.</p>
  </a>
  <a class="bt-card bt-reading" href="L33.html">
    <span class="bt-kind">Lesson 33</span>
    <h4>The Friis Equation</h4>
    <p>The Friis equation, combining it with line of sight, and working a complete radio communication problem. Objective 3.5.</p>
  </a>
  <a class="bt-card bt-reading" href="L34.html">
    <span class="bt-kind">Lesson 34</span>
    <h4>The Radar Range Equation</h4>
    <p>Radar cross section, the two-way path, and why every term sits under a fourth root. Objective 3.6.</p>
  </a>
  <a class="bt-card bt-reading" href="L35.html">
    <span class="bt-kind">Lesson 35</span>
    <h4>Pulse-Doppler Radar</h4>
    <p>Pulse width, PRF and PRI, range resolution, unambiguous range, and Doppler shift. Objective 3.7.</p>
  </a>
  <a class="bt-card bt-reading" href="L36.html">
    <span class="bt-kind">Lesson 36</span>
    <h4>Signal-to-Noise Ratio</h4>
    <p>Where noise comes from, the noise floor, and what minimum detectable signal really means. Objective 3.8.</p>
  </a>
  <a class="bt-card bt-reading" href="L37.html">
    <span class="bt-kind">Lesson 37</span>
    <h4>Electronic Warfare and Jamming</h4>
    <p>ES, EP, and EA; jamming SNR; burn-through; and low probability of intercept. Objective 3.9.</p>
  </a>
  <a class="bt-card bt-slides" href="L38.html">
    <span class="bt-kind">Lesson 38</span>
    <h4>Project 3 Workday</h4>
    <p>Team work time on the Project 3 radar design lab: design on paper, then check it in the EW Simulator.</p>
  </a>
  <a class="bt-card bt-slides" href="L39.html">
    <span class="bt-kind">Lesson 39</span>
    <h4>Course Review</h4>
    <p>Final exam preparation across all three blocks, with common errors and worked problems.</p>
  </a>
  <a class="bt-card bt-slides" href="L40.html">
    <span class="bt-kind">Lesson 40</span>
    <h4>Project 3 Discussion</h4>
    <p>The Project 3 debrief, the individual questions worked in class, then the course wrap-up.</p>
  </a>
  <a class="bt-card bt-slides" href="L41.html">
    <span class="bt-kind">Lesson 41</span>
    <h4>Final Exam Review</h4>
    <p>Last meeting before finals — what is allowed on your desk, three conventions that cost points, a worked ADC problem, and open Q&amp;A.</p>
  </a>
  <a class="bt-card bt-practice" href="Project3.html">
    <span class="bt-kind">Project</span>
    <h4>Project 3 - Radar Design Lab</h4>
    <p>Buy one ground radar from a priced catalog that sees a jamming bomber pair and a low-flying cruise missile in time, within budget, at the lowest cost.</p>
  </a>
</div>

