Common Pitfalls in Communications Systems Simulation

In this paper, we present some common pitfalls students face when simulating communications systems. Over the years, we have found that students consistently make the same mistakes and have difficulty grasping and mastering the same concepts. This presents an excellent opportunity to develop teaching and learning strategies that address these specific pitfalls, especially given that they form a relatively small set. We focus on techniques related to communications and signals concepts, not on the details of operating a particular simulation tool. Along with more detailed descriptions of common pitfalls, we present some teaching and learning strategies we have developed to address them.