N. Bello

The relevance of communication in our world today cannot be overemphasized. This project is thus aimed at designing and implementing a GSM Network using OpenBTS software paired with an SDR (Software-defined
Radio), imitating the GSM Network as we know it. This setup can be used in small-scale operations and can solve the major issue of connectivity in rural areas such as villages and small towns. This arrangement involved a USRP B210 and OpenBTS software running on the Ubuntu 24.04 the latest version of the operating system - as of the time of writing. At the end, the network was launched, subscribers were registered on the test network, and they were able to send messages, which is a supported feature on the GSM Network.

The comprehensive study of high-frequency transmission lines, including stripline, microstripline, differential microstriplines and differential striplines configuration is critical for advanced RF and microwave engineering education. Fundamentals of some transmission line phenomenon such as impedance matching, reflection coefficient and the effect of open and short circuits, relies greatly on practical hands-on experience alongside theoretical tools like the Smith chart. Furthermore, many academic institutions face challenges in providing laboratory systems that accurately represent high-frequency transmission line structures on common PCB substrates such as FR4. The absence of versatile and cost-effective experimental circuits limits students’ opportunities to explore and solve real-world transmission line problems, thereby hindering the development of essential engineering skills. This project aims to develop an integrated high-frequency transmission line experimentation systems for university laboratories, incorporating stripline, microstripline, differential microstriplines and differential striplines configuration on FR4 substrates. The system will facilitate direct measurement and analysis of transmission line behavior, enabling students to visualize various experiments, and investigate the proposed applications (e.g. open and short circuit effects, s-parameters, transmission line as a filter etc.) within a controlled environment. By linking theoretical concepts with practical experiments, specifically through the application of Smith chart and transmission line theory, this system will enhance RF engineering education, equipping students with the competence needed to address modern communication system challenges effectively

The rapid expansion of fifth-generation (5G) wireless networks demands antenna arrays with wide bandwidth, high gain, and efficient beamforming capabilities to facilitate ultra-high-definition video streaming, extensive Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity, and communications with minimal latency. Nevertheless, traditional microstrip patch antennas continue to face fundamental challenges, including limited bandwidth, strong mutual coupling in array configurations, and reduced radiation efficiency caused by dielectric and surface wave losses. These challenges hinder their suitability for high-performance 5G applications. This project presents the design and simulation of a 4 × 4 microstrip patch antenna array optimized for sub-6 GHz 5G applications. The Rogers 4350B substrate is utilized because of its low-loss characteristics and stable dielectric properties. To improve performance, U-shaped slots are added to the radiating elements, and a Defected Ground Structure (DGS) is incorporated into the ground plane. The design, analysis, and optimization of the antenna are carried out using ANSYS HFSS, focusing on achieving wide impedance bandwidth, high gain, and improved inter-element isolation without physical fabrication. The selection of materials, substrate parameters, and design dimensions are carefully chosen to facilitate future fabrication and experimental validation. Simulation results show that the proposed antenna achieves a gain of 10.64 dB, a bandwidth of 180 MHz, radiation efficiency of 72.3%, and a return loss (S11) of –19.96 dB at 3.5 GHz. In comparison, the conventional 4 × 4 array of the same dimensions without slots and DGS recorded a gain of 10.31 dB, no substantial bandwidth as the return loss
at the resonance frequency, 3.5 GHz, is above the -10 dB line, efficiency of 64.39%. The observed improvements are primarily attributed to the DGS, which effectively suppresses surface waves, minimizes mutual coupling, and enhances current distribution uniformity, across the array. Overall, the optimized DGS-based antenna demonstrates superior performance in terms of gain, bandwidth, and element isolation, making it a strong candidate for compact and efficient sub-6 GHz 5G base station and user terminal applications. The findings of this study provide a useful framework for further research and practical realization of high-performance antenna arrays for next-generation wireless communication systems.

The relevance of communication in our world today cannot be overemphasized. This project is thus aimed at designing and implementing a GSM Network using OpenBTS software paired with an SDR (Software-defined Radio), imitating the GSM Network as we know it. This setup can be used in small-scale operations and can solve the major issue of connectivity in rural areas such as villages and small towns. This arrangement involved a USRP B210 and OpenBTS software running on the Ubuntu 24.04 the latest version of the operating system - as of the time of writing. At the end, the network was launched, subscribers were registered on the test network, and they were able to send messages, which is a supported feature on the GSM Network.

The rapid expansion of fifth-generation (5G) wireless networks demands antenna arrays with wide bandwidth, high gain, and efficient beamforming capabilities to facilitate ultra-high-definition video streaming, extensive Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity, and communications with minimal latency. Nevertheless, traditional microstrip patch antennas continue to face fundamental challen0ges, including limited bandwidth, strong mutual coupling in array configurations, and reduced radiation efficiency caused by dielectric and surface wave losses. These challenges hinder their suitability for high-performance 5G applications. This project presents the design and simulation of a 4×4 microstrip patch antenna array optimized for sub-6GHz 5G applications. The Rogers 4350B substrate is utilized because of its low-loss characteristics and stable dielectric properties. To improve performance, U-shaped slots are added to the radiating elements, and a Defected Ground Structure (DGS) is incorporated into the ground plane. The design, analysis, and optimization of the antenna are carried out using ANSYS HFSS, focusing on achieving wide impedance bandwidth, high gain, and improved inter-element isolation without physical fabrication. The selection of materials, substrate parameters, and design dimensions are carefully chosen to facilitate future fabrication and experimental validation. Simulation results show that the proposed antenna achieves a gain of 10.64dB, a bandwidth of 180MHz, radiation efficiency of 72.3%, and a return loss (S11) of –19.96dB at 3.5GHz. In comparison, the conventional 4×4 array of the same dimensions without slots and DGS recorded a gain of 10.31dB, no substantial bandwidth as the return loss at the resonance frequency, 3.5GHz, is above the -10dB line, efficiency of 64.39%. The observed improvements are primarily attributed to the DGS, which effectively suppresses surface waves, minimizes mutual coupling, and enhances current distribution uniformity across the array. Overall, the optimized DGS-based antenna demonstrates superior performance in terms of gain, bandwidth, and element isolation, making it a strong candidate for compact and efficient sub-6GHz 5G base station and user terminal applications. The findings of this study provide a useful framework for further research and practical realization of high-performance antenna arrays for next-generation wireless communication systems.

The rapid expansion of fifth-generation (5G) wireless networks demands antenna arrays with wide bandwidth, high gain, and efficient beamforming capabilities to facilitate ultra-high-definition video streaming, extensive Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity, and communications with minimal latency. Nevertheless, traditional microstrip patch antennas continue to face fundamental challen0ges, including limited bandwidth, strong mutual coupling in array configurations, and reduced radiation efficiency caused by dielectric and surface wave losses. These challenges hinder their suitability for high-performance 5G applications. This project presents the design and simulation of a 4×4 microstrip patch antenna array optimized for sub-6GHz 5G applications. The Rogers 4350B substrate is utilized because of its low-loss characteristics and stable dielectric properties. To improve performance, U-shaped slots are added to the radiating elements, and a Defected Ground Structure (DGS) is incorporated into the ground plane. The design, analysis, and optimization of the antenna are carried out using ANSYS HFSS, focusing on achieving wide impedance bandwidth, high gain, and improved inter-element isolation without physical fabrication. The selection of materials, substrate parameters, and design dimensions are carefully chosen to facilitate future fabrication and experimental validation. Simulation results show that the proposed antenna achieves a gain of 10.64dB, a bandwidth of 180MHz, radiation efficiency of 72.3%, and a return loss (S11) of –19.96dB at 3.5GHz. In comparison, the conventional 4×4 array of the same dimensions without slots and DGS recorded a gain of 10.31dB, no substantial bandwidth as the return loss at the resonance frequency, 3.5GHz, is above the -10dB line, efficiency of 64.39%. The observed improvements are primarily attributed to the DGS, which effectively suppresses surface waves, minimizes mutual coupling, and enhances current distribution uniformity across the array. Overall, the optimized DGS-based antenna demonstrates superior performance in terms of gain, bandwidth, and element isolation, making it a strong candidate for compact and efficient sub-6GHz 5G base station and user terminal applications. The findings of this study provide a useful framework for further research and practical realization of high-performance antenna arrays for next-generation wireless communication systems.