ELEC 243 Lab

Chapter 1 Introduction

Welcome to the ELEC 243 Lab, the real world companion to the ELEC 243 lectures.

The Grand Plan

We have a number of lofty goals for this lab. Our ultimate goal is the gathering, transmission, and processing of information and our vehicle for that information will be the signal. Along the way we will study how signals carry information, how they arise in circuits and systems, how to characterize them, and how they interact with the components that make up information systems. Finally we will give you a chance to do what engineers do: to put it all together in the design, construction, and analysis of a real-world measurement system.

The Laboratory Schedule

Here's what we have to do:

Project Demos

Date	Laboratory
Jan. 5-9	Lab 0: Getting Ready
Jan. 12-16	Lab 1: Basic Electrical Measurements
Jan. 19-23	Lab 2: AC Signals and Measurements
Jan. 26-30	Lab 3: Computer Aided Measurements I
Feb. 2-6	Lab 4: Computer Aided Measurements II
Feb. 9-13	Lab 5: Op Amps I
Feb. 16-20	Lab 6: Op Amps II
Feb. 23-27	Lab 7: Signal Processing I
Mar. 2-6	Spring Break
Mar. 9-13	Lab 8: Signal Processing II
Mar. 16-20	Lab 9: Design Project I
Mar. 23-27	Lab 10: Design Project I
Mar 30-Apr. 3	Lab 11: Design Project II
Apr. 6-10	Lab 12: Design Project III
Apr. 13-17

The Lab Cycle

As you can see from the schedule, the Laboratory Experience will begin the second week of class and proceed in an unrelenting cycle until we reach Lab 10, the Culmination of our Efforts. Since there will be a new Lab every week (except for the weeks of Spring Break and Recess) it behooves you to establish an effective rhythm as quickly as possible.

The cycle has the following phases:

Before Lab.: Before your come to lab, you should carefully read the lab handout, formulate a plan of action, and do any calculations, design, or construction that you can do before coming to lab.
During Lab.: In lab you will be wiring (and rewiring) circuits, making measurements, making sure you have answers to the questions posed in the lab handout, and writing it all down in your Lab Notebook. Your lab notebook is so important that it has a whole chapter to itself, so more about it later.
After Lab.: Lab work isn't over when you leave the lab. After each lab you will prepare a lab report summarizing your work, discussing the meaning of your results, and answering specific questions posted in the lab handout.
Grading.: Lab reports will be due on the Tuesday following each lab. Only one report is required for the design project (Labs 10-12), but its grade will count as two labs.

Lab Groups

In lab (and outside lab as well) you will work in a team of two or three people. Since lab grades will be given on a per group basis, rather than individually, you should choose your fellow team member(s) with care. If possible, responsibilities should be shared among all members rather than one person always taking the same job. In particular, the task of making entries in the notebook during lab should alternate from week to week.