FCC Exam Question: 3-82M2
Name two types of spread spectrum systems used in most RF communications applications?
Explanation: Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum (DSSS) and Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum (FHSS) are the two primary methods used to implement spread spectrum technology. DSSS spreads a signal by combining the original data with a high-rate pseudorandom noise (PN) code, significantly widening the signal's bandwidth. FHSS rapidly changes the signal's carrier frequency pseudo-randomly over a wide range of frequencies. Both techniques make signals more resistant to interference, jamming, and interception by spreading the signal's energy over a wider frequency band. AM (Amplitude Modulation) and FM (Frequency Modulation) are conventional narrowband modulation types, not spread spectrum. QPSK (Quadrature Phase-Shift Keying), QAM (Quadrature Amplitude Modulation), and APSK (Amplitude and Phase-Shift Keying) are digital modulation schemes that encode data efficiently but do not inherently spread the signal's bandwidth. While they can be used *within* a spread spectrum system, they are not the *types* of spread spectrum systems themselves.
3-52G2
3-60I6
3-71K4
3-86N4
3-100Q4
Pass Your FCC Exam!
Study offline, track your progress, and simulate real exams with the GMDSS Trainer app.
Includes Elements 1, 3, 6, 7R, 8, and 9.