PRINCIPLES OF

COMMUNICATIONS
 The input signal is being transmitted with the help of a
carrier wave.
 Carrier wave is generated by the help of oscillator.

 The electrical signals are changed to electromagnetic

wave with help of antenna.
 A radio transmitter takes the information to be
communicated and converts it into an
electromagnetic signal compatible with the
communication medium.
 This process involves carrier generation,
modulation, and power amplification.
 The signal is fed by wire, coaxial cable or
waveguide to an antenna that launches it into
free space.
 Typical transmitter circuits include oscillators,
amplifiers, frequency multipliers and impedance
matching networks.
 Everytransmitter has four basic
requirements:
1. It must generate a carrier signal of the correct
frequency at a desired point in the spectrum.
2. It must provide some form of modulation that causes
the information signal to modify the carrier signal.
3. It must provide sufficient power amplification to
ensure that the signal level is high enough to carry
over the desired distance.
4. It must provide circuits that match the impedance of
the power amplifier to that of the antenna for
maximum transfer of power.
 RF Section
• It is consist of an oscillator feeding a buffer,
which in turn feeds a system of frequency
multipliers and/or intermediate power
amplifiers.
• If frequency multiplication is unnecessary, the
buffer feeds directly into the intermediate power
amplifiers which, in turn, drive the final power
amplifier.
• The input to the antenna is taken from the final
power amplifier.
 Modulator
• It converts the frequency of the input signal
from audio range (0-5kHz) to the carrier
frequency of the station (i.e..605kHz – 615kHz).
 Modulator

Time-domain
Antenna
• It converts a current or voltage signal to an
electromagnetic signal which is radiated
throughout space.
 High Power Level Modulation System
• The carrier voltage is modulated at the highest
power level.
• The required power level is obtained by using
class C amplifiers.
• Widely used at present.

 Low Power Level Modulation System

• The carrier voltage is modulated at low power
level.
• The required power level is obtained by using
class B Tuned power amplifiers.
 Blockdiagram of a typical High Power
Level AM Transmitter
 Block
diagram of Low Power Level AM
Transmitter
 Block diagram for a low-level AM DSBFC
 Low-level AM DSBFC:
 Preamplifier
• Linear voltage amplifier with high input
impedance.
• To raise source signal amplitude to a usable
level with minimum nonlinear distortion and
as little thermal noise possible.
 Modulating signal driver
• Amplifies the information signal to an
adequate level to sufficiently drive the
modulator.
Low-level AM DSBFC:

 RF Carrier Oscillator
• To generate the carrier signal.
• Usually a crystal-controlled oscillator is used.

 Buffer amplifier
• Low gain, high input impedance linear amplifier
• To isolate the oscillator from the high power amplifiers.
 Intermediate and final power amplifiers (pull-push
modulators)
• Required with low-level transmitters to maintain
symmetry in the AM envelope.
 Low-levelAM DSBFC:
 Coupling Network
• Matches output impedance of the final amplifier to the
transmission line/antenna
 Applicationsare in low-power, low-
capacity systems:
• Wireless intercoms,
• Remote control units
• Pagers
• Short-range walkie-talkie
 Blockdiagram for a high-level AM DSBFC
transmitter
 High-level AM DSBFC:
• Modulating signal is processed similarly as in
low-level transmitter except for the addition of
power amplifier
 Power amplifier
• To provide higher power modulating signal
necessary to achieve 100% modulation.
 Same circuit as low-level transmitter for
carrier oscillator, buffer and driver but
with the addition of power amplifier.
 High-levelAM DSBFC:
 Primary functions of modulator circuit
• Provide the necessary circuitry for the
modulation to occur
• The final power amplifier
• Frequency-up converter: translates low-
frequency information signals to radio
frequency signals that can be efficiently
radiated from the antenna and propagates
through the free space.
 Block diagram of a circuit that produce
AM
 The product of the carrier and modulating
signal can be generated by applying both
signals to a nonlinear component such as
diode.
 Diodes and transistors produce third, fourth
and higher-order harmonics, which are
sometimes referred to as intermodulation
products.
 Tunes circuits filter out the modulating
signal and carrier harmonics, leaving only
carrier and sidebands.
A simple circuit producing low-level AM
A simple circuit producing low-level AM
with tuned circuit
 High-level AM: Series Modulator
High-level AM: Series Modulator
• It produces high-level modulation without a
large and expensive modulation transformer.
• It improves frequency response
• The modulating signal is applied to the
emitter follower.
• The emitter follower is in series with the
collector supply voltage.
• The collector voltage changes with variations
in the amplified audio modulating signal.
 Balanced Modulator
• It is a circuit that generates a DSB signal,
suppressing the carrier and leaving only the sum
and difference the frequencies at the output.
• The output of a balanced modulator can be
further processed by filters or phase-shifting
circuitry to eliminate one of the sidebands,
resulting in a SSB signal.
• Types of balanced modulators include lattice,
1496/1596 IC, and analog multiplier.
 Lattice-type Balanced Modulator
 Lattice Modulator

• The carrier signal is applied to the center taps

of the input and output transformers.
• The modulating signal is applied to the input
transformer.
• The output appears across the output
transformer.
Lattice Modulator

• The carrier sine wave is used as a source of

forward and reverse bias for the diodes.
• The carrier turns the diodes off and on at a
high rate of speed.
• The diodes act like switches that connect the
modulating signal at the secondary of T1 to
the primary of T2.
Generating SSB Signals: The Filter
Method
• An SSB signal is produced by passing the DSB
signal through a highly selective bandpass
filter.
• With the filter method, it is necessary to select
either the upper or the lower sideband.
 An SSB transmitter using Filter Method
Example

An SSBSC generator has the following

specifications:
Filter center frequency: 5.000 MHz
Filter bandwidth: 3 kHz
Carrier oscillator frequency: 4.9985 MHz
(a) Which sideband will be passed by the filter?
(b) What frequency should the carrier oscillator
have if it is required to generate
the other sideband?
 AM transmitters are a mature technology,
but are still in widespread use such as in :

• Standard AM broadcast stations

• CB radio
• VHF aircraft Radio
END