Telemetry Course

Lesson 1 • Core System Architecture Overview

Maps the end-to-end telemetry chain from sensor to display. Provides the structural mental model students build on throughout the course.

Lesson 2 • Units, Standards, and Calibration

Introduces SI units, measurement standards, and calibration procedures. Ensures students apply consistent, accurate measurement practices.

Lesson 3 • Physical Quantities and Measurement

Covers measurable physical parameters and how they are converted to electrical signals. Connects measurement theory to sensor selection decisions.

Lesson 4 • What Telemetry Is and Does

Defines telemetry, its purpose, and real-world applications across industries. Anchors all subsequent technical content to practical use cases.

Lesson 1 • Sensor Installation and Verification

Guides proper mounting, wiring, and initial verification of installed sensors. Reduces field failures caused by poor installation practices.

Lesson 2 • Signal Conditioning Techniques

Covers amplification, filtering, and linearisation of raw sensor outputs. Prepares signals for accurate digitisation and transmission.

Lesson 3 • Sensor Specifications and Selection

Teaches how to read datasheets and match sensor specs to application requirements. Prevents costly mismatches between sensor capability and field conditions.

Lesson 4 • Sensor Types and Operating Principles

Surveys resistive, capacitive, inductive, and optical sensor families. Connects operating principle to appropriate application context.

Lesson 1 • Wireless Transmission Fundamentals

Covers radio frequency principles, modulation schemes, and wireless link budgets. Students evaluate wireless options against range and reliability requirements.

Lesson 2 • Wired Transmission Technologies

Examines twisted-pair, coaxial, and fibre-optic cabling for telemetry links. Connects cable choice to bandwidth, distance, and noise immunity needs.

Lesson 3 • Serial and Industrial Protocols

Introduces RS-232, RS-485, HART, and Modbus for industrial telemetry. Enables students to configure and troubleshoot common field bus connections.

Lesson 4 • Data Integrity and Error Management

Teaches checksums, CRC, and retransmission strategies to ensure data fidelity. Students apply error management techniques appropriate to each protocol.

Lesson 1 • Channel Configuration and Multiplexing

Covers input channel types, multiplexer operation, and scan rate management. Ensures students configure multi-channel systems without crosstalk or timing errors.

Lesson 2 • System Integration and Validation

Guides end-to-end integration testing and acceptance validation of DAQ systems. Students produce documented evidence that the system meets specifications.

Lesson 3 • Data Loggers and Remote Terminal Units

Examines standalone data loggers and RTUs used in field telemetry deployments. Students program logging intervals, alarms, and communication schedules.

Lesson 4 • Timing, Synchronisation, and Triggering

Addresses clock sources, hardware triggers, and time-stamping for synchronised acquisition. Prevents data misalignment in multi-node telemetry systems.

Lesson 1 • SCADA and HMI Fundamentals

Introduces SCADA architecture, HMI design principles, and tag databases. Students configure basic displays and control logic for telemetry monitoring.

Lesson 2 • Database Storage for Telemetry

Compares time-series, relational, and NoSQL databases for telemetry storage. Students select and configure storage solutions matched to query and retention needs.

Lesson 3 • Security and Access Control

Addresses authentication, encryption, and role-based access for telemetry systems. Students apply security controls that protect data integrity and system availability.

Lesson 4 • Data Quality and Validation

Teaches range checks, outlier detection, and missing-data handling strategies. Students implement automated quality gates that flag suspect telemetry values.

Lesson 1 • Reporting and Visualisation

Covers dashboard design, automated reporting, and data export for stakeholder communication. Students produce clear, accurate reports from raw telemetry data.

Lesson 2 • Frequency-Domain Analysis

Introduces Fourier transforms, power spectral density, and spectral interpretation. Students identify frequency components linked to physical phenomena.

Lesson 3 • Anomaly and Fault Detection

Applies statistical process control and pattern recognition to detect faults early. Students distinguish genuine faults from sensor noise and transmission errors.

Lesson 4 • Time-Domain Signal Analysis

Covers statistical descriptors, trend analysis, and waveform characterisation in the time domain. Builds the analytical foundation for all subsequent signal processing work.

Lesson 1 • Systematic Troubleshooting Methods

Applies structured diagnostic frameworks to isolate faults in complex telemetry chains. Students use divide-and-conquer and symptom-based approaches effectively.

Lesson 2 • Preventive Maintenance Programmes

Establishes scheduled inspection, cleaning, and calibration routines for telemetry hardware. Reduces unplanned downtime through proactive maintenance discipline.

Lesson 3 • Maintenance Records and Change Management

Covers work order systems, change control procedures, and maintenance history logging. Ensures traceability and supports continuous improvement of maintenance programmes.

Lesson 4 • Reliability Engineering Concepts

Introduces MTBF, MTTR, availability calculations, and redundancy design principles. Students quantify system reliability and justify design improvements.

Lesson 1 • Multi-Site and Distributed Systems

Addresses synchronisation, data aggregation, and management of geographically dispersed nodes. Students design systems that maintain coherence across multiple remote sites.

Lesson 2 • Requirements Definition and Architecture

Translates operational needs into measurable technical requirements and system architecture. Prevents scope creep and misalignment between stakeholders and engineers.

Lesson 3 • Network and Infrastructure Design

Designs communication networks, power infrastructure, and physical layouts for large deployments. Students produce network diagrams and infrastructure specifications.

Lesson 4 • Performance Optimisation and Scaling

Applies profiling, bottleneck analysis, and capacity planning to optimise deployed systems. Students implement improvements that extend system life and accommodate growth.