MODULATION
What is modulation?
• Modulation is the process of encoding information from a message
source in a way that is suitable for transmission.
• This is achieved by superimposing a message on to a high frequency
signal known as a carrier wave (or sinusoidal signal).Thereby video,
voice and other data can be transmitted.
• In the modulation process, a parameter of the carrier wave (such as
amplitude, frequency or phase) is varied in accordance with the
modulating signal. This variation acts as a code for data transmission.
• This modulated signal is then transmitted by the transmitter.
• The receiver demodulates the received modulated signal and gets the
original information signal back.
Need for modulation
Certain types of data such as voice, video, and bit streams from computers have lower
frequency bands and therefore they cannot travel very far wirelessly because they cannot
propagate through space.When using modulation, the carrier wave (which has a much
higher frequency) is used to carry the signal so that it can travel further and more quickly
through space.
• Without modulation, transmission of video, voice or data bit streams being sent on the
same frequency range would cause overlapping of channels (resulting in
interference).Carrier radio waves have a wide range of frequencies which allow you to
select individual non-overlapping channels to carry the information.
• Antenna length would be impractical for voice, video and bit streams without
modulation.By using the high frequency carrier waves, the necessary antenna size is
greatly reduced.
Advantages of modulation
• With the help of modulation, we can increase the quality of reception.
• We can also decrease the height of the antenna.
• Avoid mixing of different frequency signals and increase the range of
communication i.e. without modulation, we can transmit the message up to 100
meters and with modulation, we can transmit the message up to 150 meters.
• Allow the flexibility for adjusting the bandwidth.
Different types of modulation
• There are two main types of modulation that are used in telecommunications
Analog modulation
Digital modulation
Analog modulation
In analog modulation, a continuously varying sine wave is used as a carrier wave that
modulates the message signal or data signal.
How analog modulation works
A carrier wave has three defining properties, which are amplitude, frequency and
phase. These three defining properties are used to create three types of modulatio
Amplitude modulation
Frequency modulation
Phase modulation
Digital Modulation
• Digital modulation is similar analog except base band signal is of discrete
amplitude level. For binary signal it has only two levels, either high or logic
1 or low or logic 0.
• The modulation scheme can be broken down in to three main types.
FSK or Frequency Shift Keying
PSK or Phase Shift Keying
ASK or Amplitude Shift Keying
Amplitude Modulation
• In the amplitude modulation, amplitude of carrier signal wave is varied in
accordance with the modulating or message signal by keeping the phase and
frequency of the signals constant.
• The carrier signal frequency would be greater than the modulating signal
frequency.
• Here the amplitude of the carrier is made proportional to the instantaneous
amplitude of the modulating voltage
• when compared to frequency modulation, the Amplitude modulation is weak,
but still it is used for transmitting messages.
• The first figure shows the modulating signal or message signal which contains
information
• the second figure shows the high frequency carrier signal which contains no
information and the third figure shows the resultant amplitude modulated signal.
• The third figure also shows that the amplitude of both the positive and negative half
cycles of the carrier wave is varied in accordance with the instant amplitude of the
message signal.
• It can be observed that the positive and negative peaks of the amplitude modulated
(AM) wave are interconnected with an imaginary line. This imaginary line on the AM
wave is called envelope. The shape of the envelope of AM wave looks same as the
message signal. Therefore, this envelope helps in recreating the exact shape of the
message signal.
• A modulating signal or message signal m(t) of frequency (ωm) and amplitude (Am) is
given by
m(t) = Am sin ωmt . . . . . . . . . (1)
A carrier wave c(t) of frequency (ωc) and amplitude (Ac) given by
c(t) = Ac sin ωct . . . . . . . . . . . (2)
Where,
m(t) is the modulating signal or message signal
c(t) is the carrier signal
Am is the maximum amplitude of the message signal
Ac is the maximum amplitude of the carrier signal
ωm is the frequency of the message signal
ωc is the frequency of the carrier signal
• The amplitude modulated wave s(t) is given as:
s(t) = (Ac + Am sin ωmt) sin ωct . . . . . . . (3)
This is an equation of amplitude modulated (AM) wave.
Modulation Index
• Modulation index is defined as the ratio of the maximum amplitude of message signal to
the maximum amplitude of carrier signal.
Where,
Am is the maximum amplitude of the message signal
Ac is the maximum amplitude of the carrier signal
• Another equation for modulation index can be calculated as follows
μ
• The modulation index or modulation depth is often denoted in percentage
called as Percentage of Modulation. We will get the percentage of
modulation, just by multiplying the modulation index value with 100.
• For a perfect modulation, the value of modulation index should be 1,
which implies the percentage of modulation should be 100%.
• For instance, if this value is less than 1, i.e., the modulation index is 0.5,
then the modulated output is called as under-modulated wave.
• If the value of the modulation index is greater than 1, i.e., 1.5 or so, then
then the modulated output is called as over-modulated wave
Frequency Spectrum of Amplitude Modulation
• The carrier is an un-modulated sinewave which has a single value of frequency (eg:
3 MHz) and carries no useful information. When such a carrier is modulated with a
message signal, other frequencies can be detected in it. These new frequencies that
are caused by modulation are called sidebands. These sidebands are created above
and below the carrier frequency.
• The sidebands that are created above the carrier frequency are called upper
sidebands and the sidebands that are created below the carrier frequency are called
lower sidebands.
i.e. fUSB = fc + fm and fLSB = fc – fm
Where
fc is the carrier frequency
fm is the message signal frequency
fLSB is lower sideband frequency
fUSB is upper sideband frequency
• Take the example of a carrier of 800 kHz frequency which is modulated by a
message signal (audio signal) of 10 kHz frequency.As a result of modulation, two
sideband frequencies are produced.
• One sideband frequencies are created above the carrier frequency. These
sidebands are known as upper sidebands. The upper sidebands are created due to
the addition of carrier signal frequency (800 kHz) with the message signal
frequency (10 kHz) I.e. 800 kHz + 10 kHz = 810 kHz.
• Another sideband frequencies are created below the carrier frequency. These
sidebands are known as lower sidebands . The lower sidebands are created due to
the subtraction of message signal frequency (10kHz) with the carrier signal
frequency (800 kHz) I.e. 800 kHz – 10 kHz = 790 kHz.
I.e. 10 kHz frequency is produced above and below the carrier.
Consider the expression of AM wave given by equation (3)
s(t)= (Ac + Am sin ωmt) sin ωct . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (1)
We know μ = Am / Ac
Hence Am =μAc.
Putting this value of Am in above equation (1) we get,
s(t) = (Ac + μAc sin ωmt) sin ωct
= Ac (1 + μ sin ωmt) sin ωct
= Ac sin ωct + Ac μ sin ωmt sin ωct . . . . . . . . . . .(2)
s(t) μ μ
In the above equation, the first term represents unmodulated carrier, the
second term represents lower sideband and the last term represents upper
sideband.
• We know ωc = 2πfc and
ωm = 2πfm
Hence, the above equation (3) can also be written as
s(t) = μ μ
s(t) = μ μ
From these above equations (4) and (5), we can prepare the frequency spectrum of AM
wave as shown below
μ μ
Bandwidth of Amplitude Modulation
• The bandwidth of the signal can be obtained by taking the difference between the
highest and lowest frequencies of the signal. From the above figure, we can obtain
the bandwidth of AM wave as,
BW = fUSB – fLSB
= (fc + fm) – (fc – fm)
BW = 2 fm
Therefore bandwidth of amplitude modulation should be twice the frequency of
modulating signal or message signal.
Types of Amplitude Modulation
• The different types of amplitude modulations are
1) Double sideband-suppressed carrier (DSB-SC) modulation
• AM signal is given by
s(t)
In the above equation, the first term represents unmodulated carrier, the second term
represents lower sideband and the last term represents upper sideband.
•The message to be transmitted is present only in LSB and USB (but not present in carrier)
• Inorder to save power we have to suppress the carrier before transmission.This is called double
sideband suppressed carrier technique
• This technique adds complexity at the receiving point to recover message.
•The channel bandwidth required for DSBSC is twice the frequency of modulating signal as in the case
of AM.
FREQUENCY SPECTRUM OF DSBSC WAVE
2) Single sideband (SSB) modulation
•The modulation wave consists only of the upper sideband or the lower sideband.
•To translate the spectrum of the modulating signal to a new location in the frequency
domain.
•SSB technique complicates the receiver structure to recover message.
•The channel bandwidth required for SSB is the frequency of the modulating signal
FREQUENCY SPECTRUM OF SSB WAVE
3) Vestigial sideband (VSB) modulation
•One sideband is passed almost completely and just a trace of
the other sideband is retained.
•The required channel bandwidth is slightly in excess of the
message bandwidth by an amount equal to the width of the
vestigial sideband.
