Modulation

Why use modulation?

Carrying

one signal on another - uses carrier Modulated carrier transmitted Problems with transmitting baseband signals Antennas difficult at low frequencies q Noise and interference at low frequencies Cant share with others Easier E i to transmit i carrier i at hi higher h f frequency Can choose convenient frequency
Antennas can be smaller May be useful propagation effects

Fractional bandwidth much smaller Antennas and other components easier to design
Can have many frequency channels
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Typesofmodulation
Sine wave (carrier) described by 3 parameters: amplitude, frequency and phase. v(t) = A sin ( t + ) So can have : Amplitude modulation (AM) Frequency modulation (FM) Phase modulation (PM) FM and PM closely related AM radio band ~500 to 1600 kHz FM radio band 88 to 108 M
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Amplitude modulation (AM)

Simplest case of AM is where carrier is just turned on or off. off

Amplitude p modulation
Continuous amplitude modulation (eg AM radio) Information contained in the envelope p shape p

Figure : Amplitude Modulation

Fi Figure : AM D Demodulation d l ti
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Modulation by Sine wave v(t) = (Ec + em) sin ct

Where : v(t) = instantaneous amplitude of the modulated signal in volts Ec = peak amplitude of the carrier in volts em = instantaneous amplitude of the modulating signal in volts c = the frequency of the carrier in radians per second t = time in seconds If the modulating (baseband) signal is a sine wave, The Equation has the following form: v(t) = (Ec + Em sin mt) sin ct where Em = peak amplitude of the modulating signal in volts m = frequency of the modulating signal in radians per second and the other variables are as defined for Equation
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The ratio between the amplitudes of the modulating signal g and the carrier is defined as the modulation index, m. Mathematically, m = Em /Ec Modulation can also be expressed as a percentage, by multiplying lti l i m by b 100 100. For example, m = 0.5 corresponds to 50% modulation. Substituting m into Equation gives: v(t) = Ec(1 + m sin mt) sin ct

Amplitude modulation
Modulation by a sine wave:

AC = unmodulated peak carrier amplitude fC = carrier frequency fm = modulation frequency m = modulation index (degree of modulation) m must be between 0 and 1 If m > 1 get t overmodulation d l ti (b (bad d distortion) di t ti )
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Varyingmodulationindex

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Measuringmodulationindex

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AMspectrum Modulation produces two new components called sidebands, at frequencies q above and below the carrier For a fully modulated carrier (m=1), 2/3 of the power is in the carrier, the rest in the sidebands The spacing in frequency between carrier and sideband is equal to fm (the modulating frequency) Hence a bandwidth of 2 x fm is required to transmit the modulated carrier With a more complicated modulating signal (e.g. voice) the sidebands will be extended, so that a bandwidth of twice the highest modulating frequency present is required
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AMspectrum

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AMspectrum

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Wheredothesidebandscomefrom?

Using trig identities to get:

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Demodulation
Detection Most AM detectors are very simple and work by following the peaks of the modulated carrier (peak detector) FM detectors use a phase-locked loop (PLL) which uses a feedback loop to lock an oscillator to the exact frequency of the incoming signal The PLL produces a voltage which is proportional to the frequency shift of the signal

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Peak (envelope) detector for AM Input is rectified (negative half removed) Capacitor is charged up on each peak, then slowly discharges

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