EC 331: COMMUNICATION LABORATORY

Experiment 2

Amplitude Modulation
Group 16 Manzil Zaheer 08010252 Tushar Sandhan 08010251 Navneet Kumar 08010253

To generate a conventional AM signal using the multiplier chip AD633 and to design and implement an envelope detector for appropriate demodulation of the AM signal.

AM Signal Generation
1. Circuit The conventional AM signal generation circuit was assembled as below:
VCC 15V C1 0.1F U1
X1 X2 Y1 Y2 VS+ W Z VS-

C2 0.1F -15V VSS

AD633AN

V1 5 Vpk 1kHz 0

V2 50mVpk 50kHz 0

Parameters used in the laboratory: Modulating signal : o Sine wave o Amplitude o Frequency Carrier signal : o Sine wave o Amplitude o Frequency 2. Modulated Output and Waveforms The output of AD633 four quadrant multiplier is governed by the following equation:

In the linear amplitude modulator setup

So the output will be a conventional AM signal as evident from the following equation ( with modulation index )

3. Modulation index variation Case I: and modulation index

Case II:

and modulation index

Case III:

and modulation index

Case IV:

and modulation index

When modulation index exceeds unity a phase reversal of carrier occurs, i.e. when , absolute value of the message signal is modulated which is for that time period. 4. Spectrum of the Modulated Output For the case of and modulation index

Demodulation using Envelope Detector

1. The demodulation circuit is assembled as below:
VCC 15V C1 0.1F U1
X1 X2 Y1 Y2 VS+ W Z VS-

D1 1N4148 C2 0.1F -15V VSS C3 R1 10nF 7k

AD633AN

V1 5 Vpk 5kHz 0

V2 50mVpk 50kHz 0

With the parameters given, the amplitude of the AM signal generated from the AD633 multiplier is of the order of 100mV. This is too small to drive the diode, i.e. forward bias it. There are two remedies for the problem, either to increase the amplitude of carrier or to replace the diode with a Precision Diode Circuit. The second solution is chosen to stick with the given parameters.
R1 10k D1 1N 4148 V CC 15V
7 3 1 5

U1 D2
6

R2

2 4

2.2k VSS -15V

1N 4148 741

A ratio of 1:10 was maintained between the modulating message signal frequency and the carrier frequency by setting the tone of message signal at

2. Design of RC filter From the prelab, following conclusion can be drawn So, proper choice of RC would be to use the minimum of term of right hand side in the desired range of operation. The bandwidth of the message signal can be considered to be limited to 5 kHz. The modulation index may be assumed to vary between 0.1 and 0.9. Thus, appropriate choice of RC would be Select 3. Given RC filter for and

In this case the precision diode was replaced by normal 1N4148 Si-diode as the gain bandwidth product of LM741 used in the precision diode limits it operation at this frequency range. The other remedy of increasing the carrier wave amplitude was utilized in this case to drive the diode normally and keeping low modulation index. This filter is unsuccessful in tracking the original modulated signal with carrier frequency of because the low pass RC filter has -3dB cut-off at original message signal at properly. . So the gets attenuated heavily and the signal cannot be tracked

4. Application of designed RC filter Output of the demodulator with

With little bit fine adjustment with potentiometer a better result is obtained

5. Dependence of tracking on modulation index Case I: and modulation index

Case II:

and modulation index

Case III:

and modulation index

Case IV:

and modulation index

The tracking depends on the modulation index due to the non-linear operation of the envelope detector. The tracking gets worse with increase in the modulation for a fixed value of RC, as expected from the prelab conclusion.

6. Variation in tracking with frequency Case I:

Case II:

Case III:

As the maximum bandwidth of the RC filter was chosen to be 5kHz the demodulator tracks the message signal quite well within 5kHz, but at 10kHz the tracking is lost as both factors play

against, i.e. the low ratio of message signal frequency to carrier frequency and frequency of message signal being beyond the passband of the RC filter. 7. Overmodulation

In case of overmodulation the signal gets distorted. It appears from the above OSC capture that the portion of message signal for which gets clipped off. But mathematically instead absolute value of message signal, i.e. should be demodulated as the output during this period of time. [This discrepancy in practice maybe due to the very low overmodulation index achieved, diode drop etc.]

Conclusion/Comments
1. Main challenges in the experiment : In the given experimental specifications carrier amplitude specified is . So this is not enough to make diode forward bias. The solution is to use either Precision Rectifier as used with same specified carrier amplitude or to increase at least 700mV or more. The price paid for using precision rectifier is that due to limitation of gain bandwidth product of Op-Amp, the carrier frequency cannot be increased beyond 100 kHz. For removal of ripples in detected signal it is necessary to construct second order filter. But addition of this extra stage alters the working of RC filter in the envelope detector. So this additional stage must be separated by a buffer for which Op-Amp is used. Since the maximum bandwidth of the message signal was assumed to be 5 kHz while designing the envelope detector the second order RC low pass filter with passband of 5 kHz is designed.

Select

and
D2 1N4148 VSS -15V
4

The complete demodulator then becomes

R3 10k VSS -15V
4

U2 R4
6

U1 D1
6

R2
2

2.2k
3 7 1 5

3k
7 1 5

1N4148 741

R1 1.5k

C2 10nF

741

C3 10nF

15V

VCC

15V

VCC

Demodulated output after second order filter with

As max. Voltage that can be given through function generator is limited to 20 V(p-p). So max. Modulation index that we can achieve is 1. So for analysing effect of increase in modulation index we simulated result for those particular cases.

2. Envelop detector problem in practical life situation: If the demodulator has to follow envelop at all the time then modulation index must be less than or equal to given by following formula for given RC and ,

So, performance of the envelope detector depends on both modulation index range and bandwidth of the message signal. In practical life generally message signal is voice signal that need to be transmitted through channel. This signal varies both in amplitude as well as in frequency (20Hz to 20kHz). As RC time constant specification depends upon so its value gets deviated for various frequencies from accurate value. This leads to distortion in detected signal.

3. Alternate demodulation process: Instead of using envelope detector as a demodulator Coherent Demodulator with squaring law device. Simply use phased lock loop to track the incoming carrier frequency exactly and then multiply received signal with this coherently generated new carrier signal at receiver end. Additionally for this detection there is no need to send high amplitude carrier from transmitter.