The Lab in 432 will be like the Lab in 241 in many ways: we will have instruments that generate and measure signals, we will build circuits that will process the signals in analog form, and we will use computers and other digital systems to process them digitally. The difference will be largely in degree: our signals will be much higher in frequency, wider in bandwidth, more complex, and our processing of them more sophisticated. They will also, in many cases be much fainter; we may have to deal with signals in the microvolt, rather than millivolt range. This means we will need more powerful insruments and computers, and more care and sophistication in the design, construction, and testing of our circuits.
Our basic goal for this exercise is to become familiar with the equipment and environment we will be utilizing in exploring digital and RF systems. In other words, to "move up" from the lab skills we developed in 241, both in terms of frequency and sophistication.
More specifically we want to find out: