5.5.1 Elements of a communication system

There are three basic (essential) elements of every communication system:

a) Transmitter,

b) Communication channel and

c) Receiver

In a communication system, the transmitter is located at one place and the receiver at another place.

The communication channel is a passage through which signals transfer in between a transmitter and a receiver.

This channel may be in the form of wires or cables, or may also be wireless, depending on the types of communication system.

There are two basic modes of communication:

(i) point to point communication and

(ii) broadcast.

In point to point communication mode, communication takes place over a link between a single transmitter and a receiver

e.g. Telephony.

In the broadcast mode there are large number of receivers corresponding to the single transmitter

e.g., Radio and Television transmission.