Reeds Introductions: Essential Sensing and Telecommunications for Marine Engineering Applications

by Christopher Lavers

Overview

Reeds Introductions: Essential Sensing and Telecommunications for Maritime Applications covers all fundamental and essential theoretical maritime physics principles which underpin modern marine sensors and telecommunications devices as needed by marine users, such as those in the navy, coastguard, merchant shipping, and users of pleasure craft. For safety at sea, it is vital that maritime users have at least a basic understanding of the key concepts upon which many essential modern sea-going sensors and communications devices now operate.

Knowledge regarding electromagnetic waves and electromagnetic devices is an established merchant navy sea service requirement, particularly for the Standards in Training and Certification in Watchkeeping (STCW95) qualification in various Maritime Coastguard Agency exams, but it is also a practical matter for the amateur as well. This vital introductory book is written as simply as possible to educate an increasing number of maritime users who wish to become familiar and competent with the latest technologies, as well as a growing number of overseas students for whom English is not their first language.

This volume provides a comprehensive study of maritime sensors and telecommunications principles and provides a firm introduction to the textbooks in the Reeds Marine Engineering series.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781472922182
Publisher:	Bloomsbury USA
Publication date:	06/06/2017
Series:	Reeds Professional
Pages:	256
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Christopher Lavers is a lecturer in Marine Engineering and has taught Maritime and Remote Sensing topics at Britannia Royal Naval College since 1993. He is the Subject Matter Expert (Radar and Telecommunications) at Britannia Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, UK.

Table of Contents

Introduction 1

1 Basic Principles of Communications 3

1.1 The purpose of maritime communications 3

1.2 History of key telecommunications maritime-related advances 3

1.3 The communications channel 7

1.4 Bearers and typical communications devices 9

1.5 Multi-channelling 22

1.6 Multiplexing 23

1.7 Basebands 24

1.8 Noise, amplifiers, filters and signal to noise (S/N) ratio 26

1.9 Networks 31

1.10 Switching 34

1.11 Computer networks 35

Self-assessment questions 37

2 Atmospheric Propagation of Electromagnetic Waves and Antennas 41

2.1 Atmospheric propagation of electromagnetic waves and Antennas 41

2.2 Ground wave propagation 43

2.3 Sky wave propagation 46

2.4 Space wave propagation 51

2.5 Tropospheric and ionospheric scatter communications 54

2.6 Vertical coverage lobes 55

2.7 Tropospheric refraction 57

2.8 Atmospheric ducting 58

2.9 Communications antennas 59

Self-assessment questions 63

3 Analogue Modulation Techniques and Receiver principles 66

3.1 Reasons for modulation 66

3.2 Types of modulation 67

3.3 Angle modulation 73

3.4 Radio receiver principles 80

Self-assessment questions 84

4 Digital Signalling Methods and Digital Keying 86

4.1 The bandwidth of a digital signal 86

4.2 Capacity of a channel 88

4.3 Capacity of a noisy channel 89

4.4 Advantages of digital signalling 89

4.5 Error Detection and Correction (EDAC) 90

4.6 Analogue to digital conversion 91

4.7 Digital bit rate and bandwidth 98

4.8 Keying techniques 99

4.9 Spread spectrum techniques 103

4.10 Wireless technology examples 109

Self-assessment questions 111

5 Radar 114

5.1 Early history of radar 114

5.2 The echo ranging principle 116

5.3 Fundamental radar parameter definitions 117

5.4 Maximum Detection Range (MDR) 120

5.5 Maximum Unambiguous Range (MUR) 121

5.6 Data rate 123

5.7 Angular resolution 124

5.8 Range resolution 126

5.9 Primary and secondary radars 127

5.10 Typical radar characteristics 127

5.11 Doppler radars 129

5.12 Radar antennas 131

5.13 Phased arrays 132

5.14 Radomes 133

5.15 The radar block diagram 134

5.16 Automatic Radar Plotting Aid (ARPA) 137

Self-assessment Questions 138

6 Radar Echo Signal Processing in a Real Operational Environment 140

6.1 Operating environment 140

6.2 Threshold detection 140

6.3 Integration 141

6.4 Clutter 142

6.5 Logarithmic amplification 144

6.6 Differentiation (anti-rain) 145

6.7 Swept gain 146

6.8 Pulse compression 147

6.9 Radiation hazards 148

6.10 Phased array 149

6.11 Synthetic aperture radar 154

Self-assessment Questions 161

7 Electro-Optical and Thermal Systems 164

7.1 Reasons for maritime imaging systems 164

7.2 Image intensifies 165

7.3 The Micro Channel Plate (MCP) image intensifier 166

7.4 Photoelectric emission of electrons 167

7.5 Secondary emission of electrons 168

7.6 Maritime II applications 169

7.7 Colour Image Intensifier (CII) 170

7.8 Future wide-angle night vision systems 172

7.9 Lasers for marine applications 172

7.10 Laser classes 174

7.11 Types of laser 176

7.12 Military and civilian maritime uses of lasers 177

7.13 Infrared emission and transmission 179

7.14 The IR Spectrum 180

7.15 Infrared emission laws 180

7.16 Properties of radiating thermal bodies 182

7.17 Infrared transmission 183

7.18 Thermal imaging 184

7.19 Future infrared systems 185

7.20 Thermal imagers and surveillance 185

7.21 Typical ship's IR emissions 186

7.22 Thermal contrast 187

7.23 Operating environment 189

Self-assessment questions 190

8 Common Maritime System Monitoring Sensors and Transducers 192

8.1 Sensor types coveted 192

8.2 Temperature transducers 193

8.3 Liquid expansion glass thermometers and vapour pressure sensors 201

8.4 Aneroid and manometer pressure transducers 201

8.5 Electrical pressure transducers 204

8.6 Typical optical sensors 205

8.7 Flow meters 206

8.8 Force sensors 210

8.9 Depth gauges 213

Self-assessment questions 214

Appendix 1 Answers to Numerical Questions 217

Glossary 227

Index 239