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Communication Systems
Case Study
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
We would like to thank our Communication Systems teacher Mrs.
Priyanka Gupta ma'am for assigning this case study to our group
which helped us visualize all that was taught in class and understand
the topic better.
The case study helped us in getting familiar with the topic to a whole
new level and understanding everything to a great depth.
It truly was an enriching and knowledgeable experience for both of
us.
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What is Frequency Modulation?
Frequency modulation, commonly referred to as FM is a common term
that we hear in our daily lives, is a process of encoding information on a
particular signal by varying the carrier wave frequency in accordance with
the frequency of the modulating signal. As we know, a modulating signal
is nothing but information or message that has to be transmitted after being
converted into an electronic signal.
Much like amplitude modulation, frequency modulation also has a similar
approach where a carrier signal is modulated by the input signal. However,
in the case of FM, the amplitude of the modulated signal is kept or it
remains constant.
The frequency modulation index is mostly over 1 and it usually requires a
high bandwidth at a range of 200 kHz. FM operates in a very high-
frequency range normally between 88 to 108 MHz.
Advantages & Disadvantages of Frequency Modulation
Advantages Disadvantages
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Less interference and noise. Equipment cost is higher. Has a large bandwidth.
Power Consumption is less as
More complicated receiver and transmitter
compared to AM.
Adjacent FM channels are separated The antennas for FM systems should be kept close for
by guard bands. better communication.
Generation of FM Signals
The FM modulator circuits used for generating FM signals can be divided
into two categories such as:
(I) The direct method or parameter variation method
(II) The Indirect method or the Armstrong method
The classification of FM generation methods is shown below:
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Direct Methods:
A. Reactance Modulator
B. Varactor Diode Modulator
Advantages of Direct Method:
The direct method for FM generation is advantageous as it may be used for
high power FM generation in several applications. Since there is direct
generation of FM carrier in accordance with the modulating signal, the
direct method is a cheaper method for generation of FM.
Disadvantages of Direct Method:
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In direct method of FM generation, as the carrier generation is directly
affected by the modulating signal, it is not easy to get high order stability
in carrier frequency. The non-linear characteristics of varactor diode
produce a distorted FM signal due to harmonics in the modulating signal.
The direct methods cannot be used for the broadcast applications.
Indirect Method:
The direct methods cannot be used for the broadcast applications. Thus,
the alternative method i.e., indirect method called as the Armstrong
method of FM generation is used.
In this method the FM is obtained through phase modulation. A crystal
oscillator can be used hence the frequency stability is very high.
The block diagram of the Armstrong method is shown below:
The crystal oscillator generates the carrier at low frequency typically at
1MHz. This is applied to the combining network and a 90° phase shifter.
The modulating signal is passed through an audio equalizer to boost the
low modulating frequencies. The modulating signal is then applied to a
balanced modulator.
The balanced modulator produced two side bands such that their resultant
is 90° phase shifted with respect to the unmodulated carrier.
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The unmodulated carrier and 90° phase shifted sidebands are added in the
combining network.
At the output of the combining network, we get FM wave. This wave has a
low carrier frequency fc and low value of the modulation index mf.
The carrier frequency and the modulation index are then raised by passing
the FM wave through the first group of multipliers. The carrier frequency
is then raised by using a mixer and then the fc and mf both are raised to
required high values using the second group of multipliers.
The FM signal with high fc and high mf is then passed through a class C
power amplifier to raise the power level of the FM signal.
The Armstrong method uses the phase modulation to generate frequency
modulation.
Submitted by:
Naman Gupta (07811502820)
Sarthak Varshney (21711502820)
ECE-2, 2nd Year
