OVERVIEW

The lectures are aimed to provide basic knowledge on telecommunications technologies employed on board Yachts. In more detail, electromagnetic fields, propagation, communication and networking fundamentals will be introduced and in particular, antennas, radar systems, global positioning systems, satellite communications and on-board networking systems – usually exploited by modern Yachts – will be described from the technological viewpoint.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course will deal with electronic systems that are used and integrated into the yacht's Navigation System

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

Attendance and active participation in the proposed training activities (lectures and exercises) and the
individual study will allow students to:

- acquire a correct terminology for the identification of the main components and functionalities of a telecommunications systems on board the yachts;
- know the structure and functions of the communications and networking systems used in yachts as well as their wireless components;

- know the main mechanisms that guarantee reliable communications via radio and satellite systems and mechanism ralated to navigation support such as the radar;

- identify the main components and functions that allow the transfer of information from/to yachts;
- provide examples of applications of wireless technologies to support applications related to yacht navigation.

PREREQUISITES

Even if not mandatory, useful prerequisites are the basic elements of mathematics, circuit theory and computer science.

Teaching methods

Frontal lessons.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

Fundamentals of electromagnetic fields. Propagation, radiation and antennas. Guided propagation structures. Optical Fibers. Radar systems. Elements on NMEA networking standard and mobile applications for Yachts.Fundamentals of communications systems and networking. Yacht radio, satellite and wired communications systems for voce and data: GSM, 3G, 4G, WiFi, Inmarsat, xDSL. Navigation systems: GPS.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

• F. T. Ulaby, “Fundamentals of Applied Electromagnetics”, (6th Edition), Prentice Hall, 2010 [also in Italian: F. T. Ulaby, “Fondamenti di campi elettromagnetici: Teoria e applicazioni”, McGraw-Hill, 2006].
• B. Carlson, “Communications Systems”, McGraw-Hill.
• W. Stallings, “Data and Computer Communications”, (9th Edition), Prentice Hall-Pearson, Upper Saddle River, NJ, USA, 2011, [Chapters 1-5, 8, 15, 18].
• L. J. Ippolito Jr. “Satellite Communications Systems Engineering”, Academic Press-Elsevier, Murlington, MA, USA, 2009, [Chapters 1-6].
• D. Munoz, F. Bouchereau, C. Vargas, R. E. Caldera, “Position Location Techniques and Applications”, Academic Press-Elsevier, Murlington, MA, 2009, [Chapter 7].
• M. Skolnik, “Introduction to radar systems”, (3rd Edition), McGraw-Hill, 2001.

Exam Board

MATTEO PASTORINO (President)

IGOR BISIO (President)

Teaching methods

Frontal lessons.

LESSONS START

See the Calendar on the web site of the Polytechnic School of the University of Genoa.

Exam description

The exam is written and oral. The written part of the exam concerns in 10 multiple choiches test and 5 open ended questions about the topics described in the course.

Assessment methods

The written exam in the part related to multiple choice tests will verify the effective acquisition of basic knowledge on the technologies presented during lectures. The problems and/or open-ended questions will allow to evaluate the ability to apply the acquired knowledge in practical and applicative situations.

The oral examination will focus on the topics covered during lectures and will have the purpose to assess if
the student has reached an adequate level of knowledge that has acquired the ability to critically analyze the employment of the technologies studied in yacht applications.