what are the basic elements of a communication system? explain the function of each
Answers
Elements of a communication system:
As mentioned before, the purpose of a communication system is to transmit intelligence signal from a source to a destination at some point away from the source. Figure 1 is a block diagram of a communication system. This system consists three basic components: transmitter, channel, and receiver.
Fig 1. Communication system.

The transmitter's function is to process the message signal into a form suitable for transmission over the communication channel. This is called modulation. As for the communication channel, its function is to provide a pathway between the transmitter's output and the receiver's input. The job of the receiver is to process the received signal to recover the appropriate message signal. If the different elements do their jobs accordingly, then the output signal should equal to the input message signal. This communication system will be visit again later in this report as we go through the lesson plans for amplitude modulation.
There are two methods in transmitting an intelligent message signal over the communication channel. The two methods are analog or digital. There are both advantages and disadvantages to both methods. For the digital method, its advantages include the following:
Increased immunity to noise in the channel and outside interference which are impossible to prevent in the communication channel.
Offer flexible operation of the system due to the technologies in digital system.
Different types of message signals as voice data, video data, or computer data can be implemented in the same format by the transmitter.
Message signals can be encrypted to provide security for sensitive data.
•The basic elements of a
communication system:
a) Source or sender
b) Receiver
c) Message
d) Channel
• Functions of the elements :
I) Source: To say the person
whose ideas or meanings are to
be transferred to another
person.
(ii) Second element is the receiver,
namely the person to whom the
ideas or meanings are to be
transferred.
(iii) Thirdly, there must be a
message that can be transferred
from the source to the
receiver.
(iv) Finally, message should have to
travel through a channel or
medium in order to
make the passage from source
to the receiver.