1. Cell to tower

2. How can we transmit information over a distance?
The Year is 2075.
Imagine you are in a spaceship orbiting Ganymede when your engines go down. You spot another ship about to leave orbit and you need to contact them for help.
Brainstorm ways that you can get the ship’s attention.
Any deal with waves? Non waves?

3. What are ways in which we transmit signals?
flashlights
laser
photo/audio speaker
set of walkie-talkies
Remote control
IR detector (grey box and fiber optic cable demo)
What factors most affect the devices above?

4. Electromagnetic Spectrum
Frequency Allocation Chart

5. Virtual Radio Station: How are electromagnetic waves used to send signals?
or tinyurl.com/hoffspangwave2
A radiating electromagnetic signal is produced when the radio station broadcasts. What is producing this signal?
Using the simulation, adjust the transmitter so that is oscillating and choose curve as the field display type.
How does the receiving antenna work to detect the electromagnetic signal produced when radio stations broadcast?
How do properties of the wave change from when it is transmitted to when it is received?
What would happen if you could move the receiver farther way?

6. EM Signals: How can a digital signal be encoded on an electromagnetic wave?
Devise a way in which you can transmit this binary number from the transmitter to the receiver in the simulation:
010010
What method did you use to transmit the signal in the simulation?
Note that changing the amplitude is analogous to AM radio and changing the frequency is how FM is produced. Be sure that both methods are tried and discussed. The diagrams on the following page may be used to illustrate the difference, but should be displayed only after students have had the opportunity to discover these ideas through their explorations.

8. Adjust your model for how cell phones communicate to include the properties of the signal that leaves your cell phone and arrives at a local tower. Include information about how the waves are generated, move through space, and are received.