Lab Report - Lab 4: Special Signals TIMS

Introduction

The goal of this lab is to utilize more TIMS unit modules to produce even more signals. This lab requires measurement of various wave values and the measurement tools that are used to measure these are new to this lab as well. The lab procedure provides steps to making these new signals and utilizing the measurement tools to find the values of these signals. Additionally, the lab shows us how these signals interact with each other under certain conditions.

Procedures


Part A: Digital Pulse Sequence
A.1.5
In the first steps of the lab the procedure introduces the use of a new module called the Audio Oscillator. This allows the user to manipulate the frequency of the signal by turning the knob on the module. In steps A1-5 the lab calls for pluggin in the module and then adjusting the knob to see the output in picoscope. The screenshot below shows the output of the signal in picoscope. Additionally, it shows how to measure places on a signal. The lab procedure asks for the values of one pulse width and the clock cycle at 1kHz.The results below were measured
Pulse Width: 518us
Clock Cycle: 998.8us
A.2
Steps 1 - 5 of A.2 ivnlove utilizing the Audio Oscillator with the tims machine to generate a digital signal to show on the picoscope The minimum time Interval of the signal is one of the measurements required.
Minimum Time Interval: .5ms
A.3 - Baseband Channel Filters
Steps 1 - 5 of A.3 involve using the baseband channel filters to give a variety of different signals jsut by turnign a know to a certain setting. The below table (Table 1) shows the different measurements for each setting of the knob.
In steps A.3 6-8 of the procedure, the lab asks us to look at how the signals don't show a perfect ona nd off when the clock signal is high to low. As the frequency of the clock increased the correspoinding signal was no longer able to keep up and rise in time for the clock signals next pulse. This resulf was achieved when the frequency of the clock got up to 3.87 kHz. The screenshot below shows the result of the indistinguishable signal.
Part B: Step Input
Steps 1 - 4 of the procedure involve utilizign the audio oscillator and the TIMS unit to make another digital signal where the pulses of the output aren't perfect and take time to turn on and off. Picoscope is then used to measure the parts of the signal that are important. Below is a table (Table 2)showing the results of these measurements.

Part C: Impulse
Steps 1 - 4 of part C involve utilizing the sequence generator module in combination with the audio oscillator to create an impulse signal to view on picoscope. The below table and graph show the relationship between frequency and the Pulse Width. THe data was obtained by turning the knob of the oscillator and measuring on picoscope.
Steps C 6 - 9 of the procedure involves increasing frequency of the input signal slowly to see how the amplitude of the output signal decreases. The amplitude of this output is shrinking because the cycles are too fast for the

Part D: Sinusoidal Signals
D1.1 - Basic Sine Waves
Steps D.1 1 - 7 of the procedure call for using the amplifier module in tandem with the rest of the modules utilized prior in the lab to make a signal that displays as one input signal and an amplified output signal on the picoscope. Below are the results of each filter at a variety of frequency and their peak to peak voltages. As the frequency increases for each filter mode, the clarity of the output signal gets worse and worse.
D.2 - Clipping
For D.2 the procedure calls for increasing the amplification using the amplifier module knob. As the output signal was increasingly amplified, the signal is distorted intensely. When I brought the signal slowly to 20 Vpp the output signal hit a limit and would not increase anymore.
Part E: Digital Detector
The final step of this lab was to setup another signal where the input and output were displayed on the picoscope. The operations used made the output signal the inverse of the input clock signal. The next part of the procedure had the frequency increased to see how the inverse output gets distorted. Below is a table showing how distortion effected the binary of the signal.

Conclusion


What did you enjoy about this lab?
I enjoyed the hands on aspect of this lab. I found it interesting to use so many modules and being able to wire up a bunch of different signals that were all unique.
What didn't go well in this lab
Something that did not go well was figuring out how to properly measure the siganls using the picoscope software. After I figured out the measurement tools I found the rest of the lab to be straightforward.
How would you improve the lab experiment for the future classes?
Something that could be improved is the clarity of the pictures in the lab write up. I think they could have indicators as to what part of the picture the procedure is talking about.