27.

Modulation Techniques
Modulation techniques are methods used to encode digital information in an analog
world. The 3 basic modulation techniques are:

AM (amplitude modulation)
FM (frequency modulation)
PM (phase modulation)

All 3 modulation techniques employ a carrier signal. A carrier signal is a single

frequency that is used to carry the intelligence (data). For digital, the intelligence is either
a 1 or 0. When we modulate the carrier , we are changing its characteristics to correspond
to either a 1 or 0.

27a. AM - Amplitude Modulation

Amplitude Modulation modifies the amplitude of the carrier to represent 1s or 0s. In the
above example, a 1 is represented by the presence of the carrier for a predefined period of
3 cycles of carrier. Absence or no carrier indicates a 0.

Advantages:

Simple to design.

Disadvantages:

Noise spikes on transmission medium interfere with the carrier signal.

Loss of connection is read as 0s.
27b. FM - Frequency Modulation
Frequency Modulation modifies the frequency of the carrier to represent the 1s or 0s. In
the above example, a 0 is represented by the original carrier frequency and a 1 by a much
higher frequency ( the cycles are spaced closer together).

Advantages:

Immunity to noise on transmission medium.

Always a signal present. Loss of signal easily detected

Disadvantages:

Requires 2 frequencies
Detection circuit needs to recognize both frequencies when signal is lost.

27c. PM - Phase Modulation

Phase Modulation modifies the phase of the carrier to represent a 1 or 0.

The carrier phase is switched at every occurrence of a 1 bit but remains unaffected for a 0
bit. The phase of the signal is measured relative to the phase of the preceding bit. The bits
are timed to coincide with a specific number of carrier cycles (3 in this example = 1 bit).

Advantage:

Only 1 frequency used

Easy to detect loss of carrier

Disadvantages:
Complex circuitry required to generate and detect phase changes.