3.1 0bjectives... .....

3-1

..,,.... ,3,,2,iDiscussion
Of Fundamentals" ... '... 3-1
i'., ,.i.,..,...t'3,:3:Equipments Required.". ...... 3-6
,,, :,,::.:,:,:!/1,:,E.xperimentsAnd
Records........ ...... 3_6
',
Experiment 3*1 Amptitude Modutator
3.5 Questions... "". ". 3-13
Unit 3 AM Modulators

3.1 OBJECTTVES

1. Understanding the principle of amplitude modulation (AM)

2. Understanding the v*aveform and frequency spectrum of AM signal and
calculating the percent of modulation.
3. Designing an amplitude modulator using MC1496.
4. Measuring and adjusting an amplitude modulator circuit.

3.2 DISCUSSION OF FIINDAMENIAIS

Modulation is the process of impressing a low-frequency intelligence signal onto

a high-frequency carrier signal. Amplitude Modulation (AM) is a process that a
high-frequency carrier signal is modulated by a low-frequency modulating
signal (usually an audio). ln amplitude modulation the carrier amplitude varies
with the modulating amplitude, as shown in Fig. 3-1. lf the audio signal is

A,cos(2 f,,t) and the carrier signal is A,cos(2 tr[,t), the amplitude-modulated signal
can be expressed,by

,x,;,,\t),:lAor+A,,cos{2rt',,t))a"cos{zzr7,r)

= A orlt + mcos{z ryf ,,t)),1, 6 "r)

"cos(z 3-l
'( )
= A A,l1 + meos{Z rf ,,r)lco{z 4,t}
^-

where
Aoc = dc level
A* = audio amplitude
Ac = carrier amplitude
f,,, = audio frequency

f, = carr,ier frequency
rz = modulation lndex or depth of modulation = A,,,lApg

3-1
Unit 3 AM Modulators

Carrier signal
N4odulating signal

An-rplitude-mod ulated signal

Fig.3-'1 Amplitude modulation waveforms

l,

Rewriting Eq.(3-1), we obtain

iAor-A, cos(zt6,r) r t-) )

The first term on the right side of Eq.(3-2) represents double sideband signal
and the second term is the carrier signal. According to Eq. (3-2), we ean plot the
spectrum of AM modulated signal as shown in Fig. 3-2. ln an AM transmission
the carrier frequency and amplitude always remain constant, :while the sicie
bands are constantly varying in frequency and amplitude" Thus, the carrier
contains no message or information since it never changes. This means that
the carrier power is a pure dissipation when transmitting an AM signal. Thus,
the transmitting efficiency of amplitude modulation is lov,rer than that of
double-sideband suppressed carrier (DSB-SC) modulation, bui the amplitude
demodulator circuit is simpler.

-)- L
Unit 3 AM Modulators

x(.f .)
(v)

0.5mA p1 A ,. 0.5ntA1r-4,

.t-.1. 1, {,-ln, J (Hz)

Fig.3-2 Spectrum of AM signal

The m in Eq.(3-'l), called modulation rndex or depth of modulation, is an

important parameter. When m is a percentage, it is usually called percentage
modulation. lt is defined as

Mo dul at,in g Atnpl /

m- ,.tt, t-,'t' - ' itud e X 100%
= "''
I
xl00a/ I 1-f I

,,, ',,,
",,,','DC Level. " t)(

It is,difficult to measure the Aoc in a praetical circuit so that the modulation index
is generally calculated by

Er,,r', E,
m = E,,,r, -I "' xla\%
8,,,,,,

where E,,,^:A r+ A,,, ?fid E,,,,,,: A,.^A,,,. as i nd icated n

i Fi g. 3-'1 .

As mentioned above, audio signal is contained in the side bands so that the
greater the sideband signals the better the transmitting efficiency. From
Eq.(3-2), we can also find that the greater the modulation index, the greater the
sideband signals and;..t,he:.;better the transmitting efficiency. ln practice, the
modulation index iS:'usually less or equal to 1, if m > 1, it is called over
modulation.

J-J
Unit 3 AM Modulators

Table 3-1 A cornparison between various balanced modulator outputs under

various input frequency conditions
Carrier Audio Balanced Modulator Circuit
lnput lnput Output Characteristic

t, /; 21, Freq. Doubler

t 1'tl { { AM
'f" .1,' .1. ' J t,. -1,-.t nt

/ t +{ {-+ DSB-SC
/, .lc .tnt\JL.tt|

ln the following experiments we will implement an AM modulator using a

monolithic balanced modulator MC1496. According to different input signal
frequencies, the MC1496 may be used as a frequency multiplier, an AM
modulator, or a double sideband suppressed carrier (DSB-SC) modulator.
Table 3-1 shows the summary of different input, output signals and circuit
characteristics.

Fig. 3-3 shows the:internal configuration of MC1496. The differential amplifier

Qs and Qs is:used to drive the differential amplifiers QrQz and QeQa. The
constant-current source generator Qz ?nd Qa provides the differential amplifier
Qs and Qo with a constant current. Overall gain of MC1496 can be controlled by

externally connecting a resistor between pins 2 and 3. For AM modulation, the

modulating signal should be applied to pins 1 and 4, and the carrier io pins B
and 10. The bias currentto pin 5 is commonly provided by conneCting a series
resistor from this pin to the power supply.

3-4
Unit 3 AM Modulators

( r2)

Output

( 10)
Carrier
input +
(8)
r+)

(t) Gain
adj ust
(3)
Bias adjust Qs
(5)
R3
(14) 500

Fig.3-3 MC'1496 internal circuit

Fig. 34 shows,a.n.,AM modulator circuit whose carrier and audio signals are
single=ended .inputs, carrierto pin 10 and audio to pin 1. The gain of entire
circg|i is determined by the Re value. The Rg determines the amount of bias
:

current, Adjusting the amount of VR1 or the audio amplitude can change the
percentage modulation.
R3 R?
IK 1K

Alt
'3i9K
Cr r
r
1- ^ANl
0.1uF ourPur
Cmier c+
iaprl 0.1uli
Cz
0.1 rF
A-udio
inpul o-t

Rs
6.8t4

Amplitude *oo.]L,or using MC14e6

3-5
Unit 3 AM Modulators

3.3 EQUIPMENT REQUIRED

1 - Module KL-92001
2 - Module KL-93002
3 - Oscilloscope
4 - Spectrum Analyzer
5 - RF Generator

3.4 EXPERIMENTS AilID RECORDS

Experiment 3-1 Amplitude Modulator

I1. Locate AM modulator circuit on Module KL-93002. lnsert connect

plugs in J1 and J3 to set Ra=1kO ?,nd Rg=6.Bkfl.

E2. Connect a 250mVp-p, l kHz sine wave to the audio input (l/P2), and

a 250.,mVp-p, 100kHz sine wave to the carrier input (llPl).

tl3. Connect the vertical input of the oscilloscope to the AM output (O/P).
Observe the output waveform and adjust the VRr for the modulation
index of 5O%. Record the result in Table 3-2.

14. Using the spectrum analyzer, observe and record the out:pui signal
spectrum in Table 3-2.

15. Using the results above and Eq. (3-4), calculate and record the
percentage modulation of output signal in Table 3-2.

E6. Using the:,oscilloscope, observe the output signals for the audio
amplitudes:::of:200 mVp-p and 150 mVp-p and record the results in
Table 3-2.
Unit 3 AM Modulators

[_.17, Repeat steps 4 and 5.

f_lB. Connect a 150mVp-p, 1 kHz sine wave to the input (l/P2), and a 100
mVp-p, 100kHz sine wave to the carrier input (l/P1).

[9. Using the oscilloscope, observe the AM signal at output terminal

(O/P) and record the result in Table 3-3.

fl10. Using the spectrum analyzer, observe and record output spectrum
in Table 3-3.

Ll11 Using the results above and Eq. (3-4), calculate the percentage
modulation of output signal and'record the results in Table 3-3.

;112 Repeat steps 9 to 11 for carrier amplitudes of 200mVp-p and

300mVp-p.

[13.:ConneCt a 150mVp-p,3kHz sine wave to the audio input (l/P2),

, :,: rnd a 250mVp-p, 100kHz sine wave to the carrier input (l/P1).

1f14. Using the oscilloscope, observe the modulated signal at output

terminal(o/P)andrecordtheresultinTable3-4.......:.:.

tr15. Using the spectrum analyzer, observe and record,the,output signal

spectrum in Table 3-4.

[16, Using the results abo,ve and Eq. (3-4), calculate and record the
percentage ,rn'odula:tion of output signal in Table 3-4.

nl7.Repeat steps 14 ta 16 for the audio frequencies of 2kHz and 1kHz.

Unit 3 AM Modulators

[18. Connect a 150mVp-p,Zk1z sine wave to the audio input (llP2),

and a 250mVp-p, 500kHz,sine wave to the carrier input (l/P1)'

I19. Using the oscilloscope, observe the modulated signal at output

terminal (O/P) and record the result in Table 3-5.

tr20 Using the spectrum analyzer, observe and record the output
spectrum in Table 3-5.

[21.Using the results above and Eq. (3-4), calculate and record the
percentage modulation of output signal in Table 3-5.

n22.Repeat steps 19 to 21 for the :Carrier',r frequencies of lMHz and

ZMHz.

3-8
Unit 3 AM Modulators

Table 3-2

(V"=250mVp-P, f.=1 00kHz, f,=1 kHz)

Audio Percentage
Output Waveform Output Signal Spectrum
Amplitude Modulation

250 mVp-p

E-
Lni6

t:-

200 mVp-p

Dnt6
F

150 mVp-p

Lrr^-
E*ir:

3-9
Unit 3 AM Modulators

Table 3-3

(V*=1 SOmVP-P, f"=1 00kHz, f.=1 kHz)

Carrier Percentage
Output Waveform Output Signal Spectrum
Amplitude Modulation

100 mVp-p

n-

200 mVp-p

'Lmtr
D tntn
:

300 mVp-p

n_

E^iu:

3- 10
Unit 3 AM Modulators

Table 3-4

(V.=250nrvP-P, V*=1 50mVp-p. f"=1 00 kHz)

Audio Percentage
Output Waveform Output Signal Spectrum
Frequency Modulation

3 kHz

t:
L r,,r-

2k{z

.!..:::
p
ll: l:: ::

l k{z

Eru*:
E.in:

3-l 1
Unit 3 AM Modulators

Table 3-5

(V"=250mVp-p, V*=1 50mVp-p, f,=2 kHz)

Carrier Percentage
Output Waveform Output Signal Spectrum
Frequency Modulation

500 kHz

r;=
a-
L ntn'

1 MHz

r-
L nat-
i

2 MHz

t:
tr:

3-12
Unit 3 AM Modulators

3.5 QUESI'IONS

1. ln Fig. 3-4, tf we change the value of Rs from 1 kO to 2 kf), what is the

variation of the AM output signal?

2. ln Fig. 3-4, if we change the value of Rg from 6.8 kA to 10 kA, what is

the variation in the dc bias current of the MC1496?

3. Determine the ratio of E*urla E*6 tt m=507o.

4. What is the function of the VRr?

3-l 3