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Digital Communication using GNU Radio

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724 min

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Why enroll

Participants join this course to understand how real-world digital communication systems like mobile networks and wireless devices actually work. It is ideal for learners who want hands-on experience with GNU Radio and hardware radios, not just theory. The course helps build practical skills that are useful for careers in communications, wireless systems, and signal processing.

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Is this course for you?

You should take this if

You work in Automotive
You're a Electrical Engineering professional
You have 3+ years of hands-on experience in this field
You want to build skills in Engineering & Design, Project Management

You should skip if

You're new to this field with no prior experience
You need a different specialisation outside Electrical Engineering
You need live interaction with an instructor

Course details

This course introduces the basic ideas of digital communication and explains how modern communication systems work in everyday technologies like mobile phones, Wi-Fi, and optical fiber networks. Students will learn how information is converted into digital signals, transmitted through a channel, and recovered at the receiver. The course explains key concepts such as modulation, noise, bandwidth, and error performance in a simple and intuitive way. Practical learning is emphasized using the open-source GNU Radio software to design and simulate real communication systems. Students will build and test communication models without needing complex mathematics. The course also introduces software-defined radio concepts and real hardware radios. Learners will gain hands-on experience in receiving, analyzing, and decoding real radio signals. By the end of the course, students will understand both theory and practical implementation of digital communication systems.

Source: NPTEL IIT Bombay [Youtube Channel]

Course suitable for

Key topics covered

Course Introduction
Introduction to Digital Communication
Understanding GNU Radio features for Digital Communication: Basic blocks, input and output
Understanding GNU Radio features for Digital Communication: Advanced blocks, hardware interfacing
Fundamentals of Digital Communication: Signal processing methods, vectors, and examples (Part 1)
Fundamentals of Digital Communication: Signal processing methods, vectors, and examples (Part 2)
Complex Baseband Signal Representation
Real Passband Signal Representation; Up and Down Conversion of Complex Baseband Signals
Random Variables and Random Processes
Fundamentals of Digital Modulation
Linear Modulation Methods: Amplitude Shift Keying (ASK)
Linear Modulation Methods: Phase Shift Keying (PSK)
Linear Modulation Methods: Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM) and Frequency Shift Keying (FSK)
Pulse Shaping for Inter-Symbol Interference (ISI)-Free Signaling
ASK using Raised Cosine and Root-Raised Cosine Pulse Shaping
Basics of Detection: Properties of Gaussian Random Variables
Basics of Detection: Gaussian Random Vectors and Hypothesis Testing
Optimal Receivers for M-ary Signaling
Gram-Schmidt Orthogonalisation
Optimal Reception of M-ary Signals in AWGN
Detection and Optimal Decision for On-Off Signaling in AWGN Channel
Detection and Optimal Decision for M-ary Signaling
Python for GNU Radio
Extending GNU Radio Features Using Python
Constructing and Visualising Constellations Using GNU Radio

Course content

The course is readily available, allowing learners to start and complete it at their own pace.

25 lectures12 hr 4 min

Course Introduction - Digital Communication using GNU Radio
3 min
Introduction to Digital Communication
18 min
Understanding GNU Radio features for Digital Communication: Basic blocks, input and output
25 min
Understanding GNU Radio features for Digital Communication: Advanced blocks, hardware interfacing
28 min
Fundamentals of Digital Communication: Signal processing methods, vectors, and examples (Part 1)
46 min
Fundamentals of Digital Communication: Signal processing methods, vectors, and examples (Part 2)
13 min
Complex Baseband Signal Representation
28 min
Real Passband Signal Representation; Up and Down Conversion of Complex Baseband Signals
26 min
Random Variables and Random Processes
29 min
Fundamentals of Digital Modulation
27 min
Linear Modulation Methods: Amplitude Shift Keying (ASK)
38 min
Linear Modulation Methods: Phase Shift Keying (PSK)
29 min
Linear Modulation Methods: Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM) and Frequency Shift Keying (FSK)
34 min
Pulse Shaping for Inter‑Symbol Interference (ISI)‑Free Signaling
28 min
ASK using Raised Cosine and Root‑Raised Cosine Pulse Shaping
40 min
Basics of Detection: Properties of Gaussian Random Variables
31 min
Basics of Detection: Gaussian Random Vectors & Hypothesis Testing
36 min
Optimal Receivers for M‑ary Signaling
19 min
Gram‑Schmidt Orthogonalisation
30 min
Optimal Reception of M‑ary Signals in AWGN
35 min
Detection & Optimal Decision for On‑Off Signaling in AWGN Channel
32 min
Detection & Optimal Decision for M‑ary Signaling
35 min
Python for GNU Radio
28 min
Extending GNU Radio Features Using Python
31 min
Constructing & Visualising Constellations Using GNU Radio
35 min

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Questions and Answers

Q: You're reviewing a GNU Radio flowgraph screenshot described in a vendor PDF: a GMSK Mod block feeds a Throttle set to 200 kS/s, then a UHD Sink configured for 915 MHz. The block notes say "BT=0.35, samples/symbol=2". Your lead pings you with the exact search phrase "gnu radio gmsk throttle sample rate mismatch" five minutes before DFMEA sign-off. Where is the inconsistency that actually drives the RPN bump?

A: That's the most common mistake — confusing symbol rate with sample rate. The difference matters because the Throttle enforces samples/s, while the modulator is parameterized in symbols/s multiplied by sps, and that mismatch quietly shifts occupied bandwidth and BER, which is exactly what the DFMEA line item is flagging.

Q: On-site for SAT, you're loop-checking a GNU Radio receiver chain before a demo in 30 minutes. The chain is: UHD Source → AGC → Costas Loop → Clock Recovery MM → BPSK Demod. You're googling "gnu radio receiver bring-up order field verification" on your phone. What verification sequence actually reduces risk instead of masking it?

A: That's the most common mistake — trying to tune closed loops before you know the open-loop behavior. The difference matters because AGC and carrier recovery can hide a rate or scaling error, and under time pressure you end up signing off a chain that only works for that one setup.

Q: You're sizing a channel filter and search "gnu radio qpsk occupied bandwidth calculation". A QPSK link runs at 500 ksym/s with RRC roll-off 0.25. What occupied bandwidth should you expect at the modulator output?

A: That's the most common mistake — dragging bit rate or I/Q intuition into a bandwidth formula that’s symbol-rate based. The difference matters because your filter skirt and adjacent-channel leakage hinge on (1+α)Rs, not bits per second or hand-wavy spectrum symmetry.

Q: DFMEA item: the GNU Radio flowgraph controlling a V2X testbench loses time sync when the GPSDO drops out. Someone argues the NTP discipline on the host PC is a sufficient safeguard. You're typing "gnu radio gpsdo loss ntp timing risk". What risk does NTP explicitly NOT protect against here?

A: That's the most common mistake — treating wall-clock sync as sample-clock integrity. The difference matters because NTP can keep timestamps sane while the ADC clock free-runs, and that’s how you end up with silent demod failures that spike severity in the DFMEA.