The Easiest Explanation to the Difference Between Bit Rate and Baud Rate

The world of electronics speaks a language of its own. From the binary foundations to the CNC that runs automated factory floors, the engineers and experts employ an arsenal of terms and concepts to get the job done. Two such terms in the engineering dictionary are bit rate and baud rate. They are also two of the most confusing terms due to their definitions. They’re both measures of data, and they’re both often used in the same context, making the language trickier than necessary. But there is a simple explanation that can set the issue straight, here’s how…


Defining the Terms
Bit Rate: The number of bits transmitted or received per unit time is considered as the bit rate. Usually, the bit rate is calculated on a per-second basis.


Baud Rate: The modulation rate of data transmission that is expressed as ‘bits per second’ is known as the Baud rate. It is directly related to the gross bit rate that is expressed as bits per second.
If you are a beginner, both these definitions may sound like variations of each other. And that’s where the confusion stems from.


This is one of the things that beginners need to figure out before treading over the more complicated aspects of digital communication.


Understanding Line Coding


In digital communication, the terms data and signal mean different things. When we convert digital data into a digital signal, it is called line coding. Essentially speaking, it is the signal that carries the data. Therefore, data is what is being sent, and a signal is what’s sending it.
Imagine a car with four people in it. Each person is equivalent to a data element: the smallest identifiable unit of data. Four data elements are being transported in a car, which is the carrier. The car is thus the signal, and the people in it the data.


Data Rate and Signal Rate
We can now understand data rate and signal rate as:


Data rate: number of data elements per second
Signal rate: number of signal elements per second
Herein lays the true difference between bit rate and baud rate. The base unit of data rate is bit rate, while the base unit of signal rate is baud rate. Incidentally, baud rate is also known as pulse rate or modulation rate. Measuring bit rate and baud rate are therefore two different ways of looking at the same system of data communication. In our above example, the number of cars that pass you per unit time would be the baud rate, while the number of people (in the cars) that pass you per unit time would be the bit rate.


The Bit
Judging by the definitions of bit rate and baud rate, we can still say that there can be cases where both the counts are the same. For example, if you’re connecting two serial devices together with a direct cable, then bit rate will be the same as baud rate. This in effect brings us to one of the foundational characters in electronics, the “Bit”. Short for ‘binary digit’, the bit is the smallest unit of data in a computer. Therefore, the number of bits transferred will make measurement more accurate than simply measuring the number of signal changes.


It is therefore understood that bit rate is always greater than baud rate for a particular signal. Mathematically, baud rate is calculated using the formula (S=N/r Baud). N is the bit rate, while ‘r’ is the number of data elements that each signal element carries. From that, we can also understand that to attain greater signal efficiency, ‘r’ needs to be as large as possible.


In settling one of the most common confusions in digital communication, we’re one step forward in setting the course towards gaining knowledge about the interesting world of electronics. There are many concepts that require attention before tackling the practical side of it, which we shall soon be doing.
Source:http://electronics.wesrch.com/articles-details/articles-paper-EL1SE1000AAAW-the-easiest-explanation-to-the-difference-between-bit-rate-and-baud-rate


About Arun Prabhu:


Arun Prabhu is a writer with Transparency Market Research – a market intelligence firm based in the United States. His area of expertise includes electronics and semiconductors, a field which he has studied for as an engineer. With his background in the theoretical areas of electronics, he seeks to impart knowledge about the realm of circuits and hopes to learn more while doing so.

A Guide for Beginners on How to Setup a Ham Radio Shack

Commonly known as Ham Radio, amateur radio has been the source of endless hours of entertainment for many electronics enthusiasts. It’s almost like a rite of passage for a follower in the ways of the chips; to be able to assemble and operate a ham radio is what quite a few people have already done. And yet, it is what sets the hobbyists from the sincere lovers of electronics. The concept is as complex as the market have made it simple; you can buy an entire ham radio set right off the Internet, or you could wing it like the fanatics of old and start from scratch! This article focuses on the middle road of assembling the different parts and then work on the operation of it all.

THE ARRL

The American Radio Relay League is the official association for amateur radio operators across the U.S. Two books that you need before you start your journey into ham radio are the “ARRL Operating Manual” and the “ARRL Antenna Book”. Consider them your bibles on hamming and refer to them as and when you require.

GETTING A LICENSE

The most critical step in owning your very own ham radio station is to get the operating license. A Technician class license will allow you to use a ham radio, depending on which level of license you earn. Licensing is a tad different in the U.S. and Europe. You can get the details on the Great Britain ham radio licensing procedure from rsgb.org.

For American ham users, this site will guide you in taking the exams and earning the license.

THE HAM SHACK: STARTING UP

Once you get a technician class license, you can operate a ham radio on the 6 meter ham band and higher. You also have operating privileges on a few HF bands. Most new ham operators start out on 2 meters, which is the most popular VHF ham band.

The average 2 meter ham includes a small transceiver, an SWR/power meter, a coax, and connecting cables. The final piece of the puzzle is the trusty armchair that will soon become like a new home for you! Mount your license on the closest wall and operate away!

But first, back to the basics. Are there other ham operators you wish to communicate with? Or would you be only broadcasting from your station? These are the questions that you need to answer before you know exactly which equipment to buy.

Transceiver - Transceivers are commercially available and vary vastly in cost. A single handheld can set you back by almost US$100. If in case you need to set up a mobile station inside a van, the cost for the mobile equipment will be a lot higher. If you’re an absolute beginner in the ham world, my suggestion is to get some hands-on experience before you choose your first rig. Contact your local ham operator or dealer and ask them all the specific questions that you have. Or, you could visit the local junk market or flea market and try to find a used ring for a decent price.

Antenna - One of the most important parts of your ham station is the antenna. The piece that converts electrical signals into radio waves will always be built for a specific band of use. The size of the antenna needs to be just right in order to match the feeder and the transmitter. It is only then that the power from the transmitter be converted and radiated by the antenna. Using the wrong antenna will only mean wastage of power as some of it will be reflected back to the feeder.

SWR Meter - You will need an SWR meter to adjust your antenna and match the frequency you need to operate on.

Power Supply - Larger and powerful radios require a DC vehicle battery or a base power supply with an AC to DC convertor in order to supply the radio. Operating manuals of your equipments will give you their operating voltages, helping you fix the right magnitude for your power supply. Average mobile ham radios require 12 to 15 volts DC.

Coax - The output stage of any ham radio and all modern transceivers needs an attachment of 50 ohm type coaxial cable. Commonly known as “coax”, the cable becomes the main pipe for feeding rf from your radio to the antenna. All in all, a poor antenna and coax will result in a poor output signal, regardless of how good your transceiver is.

OPERATING A HAM STATION: PROPAGATION AND COMPATIBILITY

Once you have set up your ham radio, you can move on to figuring out the band of operation. If your antenna can be mounted high up, you can easily operate with VHF and UHF frequencies. The height reduces the number of obstacles that the radio waves need to clear before hitting on a receiver. The final stage is to attune your ham radio for electromagnetic compatibility. This is necessary to avoid interference between two pieces of electronic equipment. The many things you need to take care of are:

1. Moving the antenna away from household wiring and other antennas
2. Making sure you have grounding in the ham shack
3. Using appropriate filters to prevent RF signals from leaving the shack
4. Using high immunity equipment that can withstand interference, in case you are located in a heavy interference area

And there you have it! Once you’ve set up your own ham radio station, you’ve opened for yourself a world of unlimited fun and contact! So set it up and get ready to talk to the hams!

Source: http://electronics.wesrch.com/articles-details/articles-paper-EL1AB9GRPOVYJ-a-guide-for-beginners-on-how-to-setup-a-ham-radio-shack

About the Author: Arun Prabhu

Arun Prabhu is a writer with Transparency Market Research – a market intelligence firm based in the United States. His area of expertise includes electronics and semiconductors, a field which he has studied for as an engineer. With his background in the theoretical areas of electronics, he seeks to impart knowledge about the realm of circuits and hopes to learn more while doing so.