Understanding Fft Applications: A Tutorial for Students & Working Engineers
This companion volume to Andy Zonst's Understanding the FFT is written in five parts, covering a range of topics from transient circuit analysis to two dimensional transforms. It's an introducton to some of the many applicatons of the FFT, and it's intended for anyone who wants to understand and explore this technology.
The presentation is unique in that it avoids the calculus almost (but not quite) completely. It's a practical "how-to" book, but it also provides down to earth understanding.
This book developes computer programs in BASIC and the reader is encouraged to type these into a computer and run them; however, for those who don't have access to a BASIC compiler you may down load the programs from the internet (contact Citrus Press for URL).
The potential buyer should understand that presentations are frequently started at an elementary level. This is just a technique to establish the foundation for the subsequent discussion, intended for those who don't already understand the subject (the material usually comes quickly to the problem at hand). The book is written in an informal, tutorial style, and should be managable by anyone with a solid background in high school algebra, trigonometry, and complex arithmetic. Zonst has included the mathematics that might not be available in a high-school curriculum; so, if you managed to work your way through the first book, you should be able to handle this one.
For those familiar with the first edition of this book, the most prominant feature of this revised edition will be its improved coherence and readability.
Why Read This Book
You should read this book if you want concrete, engineering-oriented explanations of how the FFT is applied across problems (spectral analysis, convolution, 2‑D transforms, transient circuit work) without wading through heavy calculus. You will get hands‑on, runnable example programs (in BASIC) and clear, down‑to‑earth intuition that you can quickly port to MATLAB, Python or C for your projects.
Who Will Benefit
Practicing engineers, lab engineers, and advanced students who need practical FFT techniques and worked examples to apply FFTs in signal analysis, image transforms, or circuit/transient problems.
Level: Intermediate — Prerequisites: Basic signals and systems concepts (sampling, discrete-time sequences), complex numbers/phasors, and some familiarity with programming; no advanced math required.
Key Takeaways
- Apply FFTs to practical tasks such as spectral analysis, convolution/correlation, and transient circuit analysis.
- Implement and run example FFT programs (BASIC) and port them to modern environments (MATLAB/Python/C).
- Use 2‑D FFTs for image and spatial-domain problems and understand practical considerations.
- Manage windowing, leakage, and resolution tradeoffs in real spectral estimates.
- Exploit FFT-based convolution methods (overlap‑save/overlap‑add) for efficient filtering.
Topics Covered
- Preface and how to use this book
- Intuitive introduction to the DFT and FFT (minimal calculus)
- Complex numbers, phasors, and practical FFT arithmetic
- Practical computation: bit reversal, radix considerations, numerical issues
- Windowing, leakage, and spectral resolution in practice
- FFT-based convolution, correlation, and filtering techniques
- Transient circuit analysis using FFT methods
- Two‑dimensional transforms and image applications
- Selected applications: audio/speech, radar/communications (examples)
- Worked examples and laboratory exercises (type-in BASIC programs)
- Appendices: BASIC source listings and implementation notes
Languages, Platforms & Tools
How It Compares
More application-oriented and less mathematically heavy than Brigham's classic FFT text; similar in practical spirit to Steven W. Smith's 'The Scientist and Engineer's Guide to DSP' but uses type‑in BASIC examples and focuses on a broader set of FFT applications.
