Communications Theory

Q 1 [AM/FM Modulation]

1) Sketch the waveform of AM modulation where message, m(t), is shown in the following figure
for 0 ≤ t ≤ 2 and returns to zeros for t ≤ 0, 2 ≤ t .
2) Derive and draw the spectrum of AM modulation.
3) Sketch the waveform of FM modulation where message, m(t), is the same as above.
4) Derive and draw the spectrum of FM modulation. (Hint: substitute the message into the
definition of FM modulation)
5) By observing the spectra of m(t) and modulation signals, explain which modulation of AM and
FM is linear. (Limit your answers to 1-2 sentences.)
6) Illustrate the noise in both waveforms and spectra in AM and FM modulation and explain which
modulation is more resilient to noise. (Limit your answers to 1-2 sentences.)
7) If carrier is fc = 100kHz, determine the capacitance of the capacitor in the RC filter of demod-
ulation. Assume that Rs = 10Ω, Rf = 470Ω and Rl = 470KΩ. The capacitance satisfies the
following conditions.
1
(Rf + Rs )C 
fc
1 1
 Rl C 
fc W
Where W is the signal bandwidth.
8) Explain how FM modulation can be demodulated by using a RC filter. (Mathematically deriva-
tions.)

Rf

1
Rs
1 2 t(s) C Rl

s(t)
-1

1
Q 2 [Pulse Shaping]

1) If [−3, −1, 1, 3] is used to represent one of the two-bit set of 00, 01, 11, 10, respectively, where
gray coded is adopted, sketch the waveform of bit stream of 00100111.
2) Illustrate the eye diagram in the project 2 and explain how eye diagram is plotted.
3) How can you evaluate the following parameters through observing eye diagram ?

(1) α, the roll-off factor

(2) Rb
(3) SN R

4) For raised cosine pulse with α = 0, determine its first three sidelobe supression (SLS), in dB.
R∞ R∞
5) Derive the energy of a raised cosine pulse. (hint: −∞ g(t)2 dt = −∞ G(f )2 df )

2
Q 3 [MQAM]

1) For 64QAM modulation, if there are 4 symbols of S = [−1 − 3j, 7 − 7j, −3 + 5j, 5 + 1j], what is
the original bit stream it tries to deliver ? If the I channel and Q channel swaps at the receiver
due to malfunction. For example, there happens 900 phase difference between the carriers at
transmitter and receiver. What is the bit stream demodulated at receiver ? If such malfunction
were detected, what operation can be applied to recover the original bit stream from demodulated
one ?
2) For 64QAM modulation, calculate the probabilities of inner symbols, edge symbols and corner
symbols drifting to neighboring ones when noise power is σ 2 = −10dB ?
3) Use the first symbol as example, explain why Gray code is adopted. (Limit your answers to 1-2
sentences.)
4) For 4/16/64QAM schemes, when SNR=18 (linear value), calculate corresponding BERs and
explain the advantage and disadvantage of adopting 64QAM ? Do all BER-SNR curves merge
together when noise goes infinite or zero ? What are the BERs by then ? (Limit your answers
to 1-2 sentences.)

3
Q 4 [OFDM]

1) An OFDM signal can be expressed by,

N
X −1
y(t) = si ej2πif0 t
i=0

where fo = N1Tb . Tb is the bit duration and Si the QAM symbol modulated over the i-
th subcarrier. N is the total number of subcarriers. Explain how Sk , k = 0, . . . , N − 1 is
demodulated at receiver by using FFT.
2) Message of 0X4A57D1 are delivered over an OFDM system with 8 subchannels where BPSK
modulation is adopted. Sketch the waveform over the first and fourth subchannel. What is the
bit stream carried by seventh subcarrier and how to demodulate it. For simplicity, set f0 = 1Hz.
3) Sketch the spectrum of an WiFi systems and explain why the first subcarrier and the 28 − 38th
subcarriers are all zero padded. (Limit your answers to 1-2 sentences.)
4) OFDM shows sensitivity to carrier frequency offset (CFO), as shown in the figure below. Ideally,
the subcarrier takes its peak C = 1 where interference I = 0, resulting in C/I = ∞. Calculate
C/I when CFO is is 5% of the subcarrier spacing. (Hint: In spectrum, each subcarrier follows
sinc function)

Sensitive to carrier frequency offset

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Q 5 (Nyquist Bandwidth and QPSK)

1) If the binary sequence 11100100 is modulated by a QPSK modulator. The bit duration is
Rb = 3M bits/s and carrier is fc = 9M Hz.

(1) List the bits transmitted through I-channel and Q-channel

(2) Sketch QPSK waveform by referring to the QPSK constellation diagram shown below

2) A communications system has a bandwidth of 1MHz where the raised-cosine pulse shaping and
BPSK modulation are adopted.

(1) What are the maximum and minimal data rates such a system can achieve ?
(2) What are the benefit and penalty to adopt the raised-cosine pulse with roll-off factors of 1,
0.5 and 0 ? (Limit your answers to 1-2 sentences.)

Q-ch
√1 b0 b1
2

01/1 00/0
1
(−1 + 1j) (1 + 1j)

I-ch
-1 1

(−1 − 1j) (1 − 1j)

-1
11/3 10/2