ELECTENG 307 : Fields and Waves

Engineering

2024 Semester One (1243) (15 POINTS)

Course Prescription

Transmission lines subjected to AC excitation, the Smith chart, introduction to matching network design and introduction to antennas for radio systems. Maxwell’s equations in differential and integral form, divergence and Stokes’ theorems, skin effect and uniform plane waves (lossless/lossy media, reflection and transmission, polarisation). Case studies in computational electromagnetics.

Course Overview

The course ELECTENG 307 deals with aspects of engineering electromagnetics, transmission line systems and an introduction to antennas. This course follows on from the Part II course ELECTENG 204 Engineering Electromagnetics, and is a prerequisite for the follow-on Part IV course ELECTENG 721 Radio Engineering.

Course Requirements

Prerequisite: ELECTENG 204

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 3: Knowledge and Practice
Capability 4: Critical Thinking

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. An ability to (i) analyse simple transmission lines subject to AC excitation; (ii) perform calculations using complex exponential (phasor) notation to describe voltages and currents on a transmission line; (iii) use decibels and nepers in calculations; and (iv) describe how low-loss transmission lines are characterised. (Capability 3.1 and 3.2)
  2. An ability to (i) calculate reflection coefficients, standing waves and input impedances of transmission line systems; (ii) describe how power flows on transmission lines; and (iii) use a Smith chart to perform calculations for lossless transmission lines and analyze single stub matching networks. (Capability 3.1, 3.2 and 4.1)
  3. An ability to describe the phenomenon of skin effect. (Capability 3.1 and 3.2)
  4. An ability to describe the fundamentals of antennas including basic concepts, radiation characteristics, practical antennas and antenna arrays. (Capability 3.1 and 3.2)
  5. An ability to calculate the charge density and the volume charge distribution for simple geometries. (Capability 3.1 and 3.2)
  6. An ability to (i) apply Maxwell’s equations in differential and integral forms; to perform triple (volume) integrations in Cartesian, cylindrical and spherical coordinate systems; and (iii) to apply the divergence and Stokes’ theorems to solve Maxwell’s equations. (Capability 3.1 and 3.2)
  7. An ability to (i) solve problems related to uniform plane wave propagation in lossless media; (ii) solve problems related to uniform plane wave propagation in lossy media; (iii) to perform calculations of power in an electromagnetic wave; (iv) solve problems involving wave reflection, transmission and polarisation. (Capability 3.1 and 3.2)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Quizzes 15% Individual Coursework
Laboratories 15% Individual Coursework
Tests 30% Individual Test
Final Exam 40% Individual Examination
Assessment Type Learning Outcome Addressed
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Quizzes
Laboratories
Tests
Final Exam

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 15 point course and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week involved in each 15 point course that they are enrolled in.

For this course, you can expect 48 hours of lectures and 60 hours of reading and thinking about the content. Over the duration of the course, you can expect to spend an additional 4 hours on laboratories and 38 hours of work on quizzes and test/exam preparation.

Delivery Mode

Campus Experience

Attendance is expected at scheduled activities including labs to receive credit for components of the course.
Lectures will be available as recordings. Other learning activities including labs will not be available as recordings.
The course will not include live online events including group discussions/tutorials.
Attendance on campus is required for the tests.
The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable.

Learning Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

Health & Safety

All students must complete any required safety induction before attending the laboratories. Students are expected to adhere to the guidelines outlined in the Health and Safety section of the Engineering Undergraduate Handbook.

Student Feedback

At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.

Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.

Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

    

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed for potential plagiarism or other forms of academic misconduct, using computerised detection mechanisms.

Class Representatives

Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Learning Continuity

In the event of an unexpected disruption, we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and course assessment continues to meet the principles of the University’s assessment policy. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator/director, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the university website for information about how to proceed.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course students may be asked to submit coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. In exceptional circumstances changes to elements of this course may be necessary at short notice. Students enrolled in this course will be informed of any such changes and the reasons for them, as soon as possible, through Canvas.