A sinusoidal message of frequency 2 KHz and amplitude 3 volts,
amplitude modulates a carrier of frequency 800 KHz and amplitude 2
volts.
a) Write down the expression of AM signal.
b) Sketch the AM signal in time domain and frequency domain
assuming a modulation index of 0.3.
Upper and Lower Side Frequencies
The AM wave is
found to consist of three frequency components :
1. The original carrier frequency component, fc .
2. A higher frequency component (fc+ fm). It is called the sum component.
3. A lower frequency component (fc – fm). It is called the difference component
The amplitude of the side frequencies depends on
the value of m. The amplitude of each side frequency
= mA/2 where A is the amplitude of unmodulated carrier
wave.
A 10-MHz sinusoidal carrier wave of amplitude 10 mV
is modulated by a 5 kHz sinusoidal audio signal wave
of amplitude 6 mV. Find the frequency components of
the resultant modulated wave and their amplitudes.
Solution. Here, fc = 10 MHz and fm = 5 kHz = 0.005 MHz. The modulated carrier
contains the
following frequencies :
1. original carrier wave of frequency
fc = 10 MHz
2. USF of frequency
= 10 + 0.005 = 10.005 MHz
3. LSF of frequency
= 10 – 0.005 = 9.995 MHz
The frequency spectrum is shown in Fig
B=6mv, A=10mv Here, m =0.6
Amplitude of LSF = USF = mA/2 = 0.6 × 10/2 = 3 mV
Upper and Lower Side Bands
it was assumed that the modulating signal was
composed of one frequency component only.
However, in a broadcasting station, the modulating
signal is the human voice (or music) which contains
waves with a frequency range of 20-4000 Hz. Each of
these waves has its own LSF and USF. When
combined together, they give rise to an upper-side
band (USB) and a lower-side band (LSB) as shown
in Fig.
The USB, in fact, contains all sum components of the
signal and carrier frequency whereas LSB contains their
difference components.
Upper and Lower Side Bands
The channel width (or bandwidth) is given by the difference between extreme
frequencies i.e. between maximum frequency of USB and minimum frequency of
LSB.
Channel width = 2 × maximum frequency of modulating signal = 2 × fm (max)
An audio signal given by 15 sin 2p (2000 t) amplitude-modulates a sinusoidal
carrier wave 60 sin 2p (100,000) t.
Determine :
(a) modulation index, (b) percent modulation,
(c) frequencies of signal and carrier,
(d) frequency spectrum of the modulated wave.
A bandwidth of 15 MHz is available for AM transmission. If the maximum
audio signal frequency used for modulating the carrier is not to exceed 15 kHz,
how many stations can broadcast within this band simultaneously without
interfering with each other?
In a broadcasting studio, a 1000 kHz carrier is
modulated by an audio signal of frequency range, 100-
5000 Hz. Find (i) width or frequency range of
sidebands (ii) maximum and minimum frequencies of
USB (iii) maximum and minimum frequencies of LSB
and (iv) width of the channel.
Power Relations in an AM Wave
Power Relations in an AM Wave
It means that single side-band contains 1/6th of the total power radiated out by the
transmitter. That is why single-side band (SSB) transmission is more power efficient.
An AM signal is transmitted through an antenna, the magnitude of the
antenna current is 15 A , when an unmodulated signal is transmitted
and it increases to 17 A for modulated signal.
a) Determine the percentage Modulation.
b) Sketch the spectrum of the modulated signal.
The total power content of an AM wave is 1500 W. For a
100 percent modulation, determine
(i) power transmitted by carrier, (ii) power transmitted by
each side band.
AM – Modulation Efficiency
Definition : The Modulation Efficiency is the percentage of the
total power of the modulated signal that conveys information.
Only “Sideband Components” – Convey
information
Modulation Efficiency:
Highest efficiency for a 100% AM signal : 50% - square wave modulation
Normalized Peak Envelope Power (PEP) of the AM signal:
Ac2
PPEP 1 maxm2
2
% Power saving
Importance of High Percentage Modulation
Let R be the resistance into which the current flow.
2
Pt I R It
2
m2
Then, t
2 1
Pc I R I c
c 2
It m2
Hence 1
Ic 2
m2
It = Ic 1+
2
It = Total transmitted current
Ic = Carrier current
m = Modulating index
If the carrier of a 100 per cent modulated AM wave
is suppressed, the percentage power saving will
be—??
The load current in the transmitting antenna of an
unmodulated AM transmitter is 8A. What will be the
antenna current when modulation is 40%?
The antenna current of an AM transmitter is 8A when
only the carrier is sent but it increases to 8.93A when
the carrier is sinusoidal modulated. Find the %
modulation.
Effective Modulation Index
If a carrier is modulated by more than a single sine wave, the effective
modulation index is given by:
meff 1 2 3 ......
m 2
m 2
m 2
Note that the total modulation index must not exceed 1 or
distortion will occur.
meff can be used in all previously developed equations
using m.
Usage
• Amplitude is susceptible to interference
• This technique in not normally used in modems
• Also used for two-way mobile radio communications, such as citizens
band (CB) radio.
• Use in commercial broadcasting of both audio and video signals.
• A variation of this technique is used in AM radio transmission
• Analog-to-analog modulation takes place
AM Advantages
• Low bandwidth
• Easy to modulate, demodulate signal
AM Disadvantages
• Must maintain linearity of message signal and transmitted signal. Need to use special
filters which are not as efficient as those that do not maintain strict linearity; relates to
battery lifetime
• Interfering signals received additively and must be discriminated during demodulation
• Hard to lock frequency of receiver local oscillator to carrier frequency (esp. in S.C.
systems)
• Can use pilot tone AM to mitigate these effects
• Transmit known pilot tone either in-band or out-of-band
• PLL can detect pilot tone and lock the frequency and amplitude of the local
oscillator
