About the Labs

Due to restrictions caused by the current crisis, labs will be conducted in a virtual format. You will need to perform all experiments at home. For this purpose you will need to purchase a set of instruments from the list. The total cost for all the instruments should not exceed $200.  In addition, the instructors will send a lab kit to an address provided by you.  In the kit, you will find components and parts needed to conduct the experiments.  Lab sessions will meet in online. They consist of three-hour lab sessions where the TAs will explain and share the procedure for the experiments. Students are expected to attend the lab section for which they have registered. Students are encouraged to read the laboratory assignment instructions and complete any prelab activities before signing in.

To get access to Keysight Advanced Design System (ADS), log into https://my.engr.illinois.edu/labcheck, then select Electrical and Computer Engineering to view current lab usage. Follow instructions on the screen to remotely access one of the EWS lab computers.

Special Instruction for Fall 2020

In the Fall 2020, the lab is moving to online instruction. We strive to deliver the best experience to the students by preparing the lab exercises so that you can do it at home, with the help of your TA. Students must have the following equipment:

  1. Component kit (more details below): contains all electronics parts (resistors, capacitors, transistor, IC, PCB boards etc.) needed to build circuits in the lab exercises.
  2. Portable Spectrum Analyzer (SA): such as this one (any other with the same spec is acceptable, tracking source feature is not required)
  3. Signal generator (SG): we need 2 (two) sources, like this one. If you own a wide band signal generator that can generate CW signals as low as 100Hz to as high as 1GHz, that will work.
  4. DC power supply (PS): we will only use 12V DC power supply to power all of our circuits. Voltage regulator (VRM) will be used to down convert to different DC levels requires by the IC or sub circuitry. Some thing like this will work. If you own a variable power supply like this one, that’s even better. Make sure that the DC adaptor comes with a female barrel so you can solder/connect power rail and ground rail to your circuits.
  5. AD831 High Frequency RF Mixer Inverter
  6. Solder kit and safety glass. If this is the first time you solder, we strongly recommend you go through the introduction to solder note on the course website first. It will provide you an overview about the solder kit and accessories (such as flux, soldering wire, de-soldering gun/wick etc.) as well as important safety information about soldering.
  7. SMA cable (male connectors) (or here)
  8. You have 1 through-hole and 1 surface-mount pot. You will need a trimmer adjust tool, like this one. Or a precision screwdriver set like this one or this one will also work.  From our experience, a 2.4mm flat-head tip will be able to turn the through-hole pot but 1.2mm flat-head tip is required to turn the surface-mount pot. Be mindful about electrostatic discharge (ESD) if you use the screwdriver.

Besides, other instrument such as portable Vector Network Analyzer (VNA) like this one or Oscilloscope like this one are good gears to have. 

Note: All links included above are for reference only. As long as your equipment have the same capability, you should be able to do the lab exercises.

Component kits

Register to get the component kit following instructions provided to you in an email sent by ECE shop.

You will need the following parts

 

Additional Information and Links

ECE supply center catalog: https://my.ece.illinois.edu/storeroom/catalog.asp

Agilent Spectrum Analyzer Mode Measurement Guide: http://courses.engr.illinois.edu/ece453/lab_files/N9060-90035.pdf

Oscillator video #1: https://uofi.box.com/s/t9vebusvtj274e4jk43ebcx136tsp0vv

Oscillator video #2: https://uofi.box.com/s/cubtgy4sw6fo3skkh2j7v0gyvodeywtx

Oscillator video #3: https://uofi.box.com/s/ekt9y6nx1kym84qs7vxgyqujos3ld9nh

FM quadrature demodulation slides: http://courses.engr.illinois.edu/ece453/lab_files/FM_demod_slides.pdf

ECE453 Eagle supplemental part library: http://courses.engr.illinois.edu/ece453/lab_files/ece453.lbr

Additional Eagle use notes: http://courses.engr.illinois.edu/ece453/lab_files/Eagle_Use_Notes_JCG2.txt

Eagle schematic design tutorial video:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1AXwjZoyNno

Eagle layout design tutorial video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCTs0mNXY24