Introduction to Communication Systems

Although out of date on the newest techniques, this book describes basic techniques very well, and is quite readable. I particularly liked how it describes cross-correlation and autocorrelation and gives some nice figures of how these techniques can be used to pull signals out of noise or measure the delay time of a received signal in noise (e.g. a reflected radar pulse). Perhaps it does not present the most rigorous mathematical descriptions, but it does a good job in describing the basic ideas without getting bogged down in a lot of details. I think it is a very good "introduction".

As an undergraduate student in electrical engineering at the University of Wisconsin - Madison I was fortunate to study communication systems theory from Professor Stremler himself using the previous edition of this book. This book is clearly designed as an undergraduate text, but should serve nicely as a professional reference as well. This book is a good value and is well written.