BBE-503-Analog and Digital Communication

Assignment No-2

Date: 18/7/2021

Answer the following questions:

Q-1] Write a short note on FM Demodulators.

FM demodulators are also known as FM detectors. As the name suggests it demodulates

the FM waves. It is a key process in the reception of a frequency modulated signal. Once the
signal has been received, filtered and amplified, it is necessary to recover the original modulation
from the carrier. It is this process that is called demodulation.

It converts frequency to amplitude.

There are several types of FM demodulators that can be used.

Slope detection: It relies on the selectivity of the receiver itself to provide the demodulation.

Ratio detector: It is widely used when discrete components were used in transistor radios. The
ratio detector used two diodes along with a few resistors and capacitors.
Foster Seeley FM: Similar to radio detector but instead of using a third winding on the
transformer, it used a separate choke.

Phase locked loop demodulator: It is easily incorporated within an integrated circuit. The loop
is set to track the instantaneous frequency of the incoming FM signal.

Q-2] Describe Superheterodyne receiver.

 The RF amplifier amplifies the received signal intercepted by the antenna. The amplified
signal is then applied to the mixer stage. The second input of the mixer comes from the local
oscillator. The two input frequencies of the mixer generate an IF signal of 10.7 MHz. This signal
is then amplified by the IF amplifier shows the block diagram of an FM receiver.

The output of the IF amplifier is applied to the limiter circuit. The limiter removes the noise in
the received signal and gives a constant amplitude signal. This circuit is required when a phase
discriminator is used to demodulate an FM signal.

The output of the limiter is now applied to the FM discriminator, which recovers the modulating
signal However, this signal is still not the original modulating signal. Before applying it to the
audio amplifier stages, it is de-emphasized.

De-emphasizing attenuates the higher frequencies to bring them back to their original amplitudes
as these are boosted or emphasized before transmission. The output of the de-emphasized stage
is the audio signal, which is then applied to the audio stages and finally to the speaker.

Advantages: It can be used to improve signal isolation by arithmetic selectivity. It allows many
components to operate at a fixed frequency. There is no variation in bandwidth. The BW remains
constant over the entire operating range. It has high adjacent channel rejection.

Q-3] Explain the direct method of FM generation.

In direct method, modulating signal directly modulates the carrier. The carrier signal is
generated with the help of an oscillator circuit. This oscillator circuit uses a parallel tuned L-C
circuit. Thus, the frequency of oscillation of the carrier generation is governed by the expression:
1
ωc =
√Lc

Here, the instantaneous frequency of the carrier is changed directly in proportion with the
message signal.

An oscillator circuit whose frequency is controlled by a modulating voltage is called voltage-

controlled oscillator. The frequency of VCO is varied according to the modulating signal simply
by putting a shunt voltage variable capacitor with its tuned circuit. This voltage variable
capacitor is called varactor or varicap. This type of property is exhibited by reverse biased
semiconductor diodes.

The electron tubes may also provide variable reactance which is proportional to modulating or
baseband signal. This type of tubes is called reactance tubes and may be used for FM generation

Q-4] Describe Varactor Diode PM modulator.

A varactor diode is a semiconductor diode whose junction capacitance varies linearly

with applied voltage when the diode is reverse biased.

Varactor diode modulator is the direct method of FM generation wherein the carrier frequency is
directly varied by the modulating signal. Varactor diodes are used along with reactance
modulator to provide automatic frequency correction for an FM transmitter.

Varactor diode is arranged in reverse bias to offer junction capacitance effect. The modulating
voltage which is in series with the varactor diode will vary the bias and hence the junction
capacitance, resulting the oscillator frequency to change accordingly. Frequency of oscillations
are changed due to external modulating AF voltage.

Positive alternations of the modulating signal increase the reverse bias on the varactor diode,
which decreases its capacitance and increases the frequency of oscillation. The negative
alternations of the modulating signal decrease the frequency of oscillation.

The RFC and capacitor C b act as a filter which transmits only the AF variations to the varactor
diode and blocks high frequency RF voltage from reaching the AF stage. The voltage applied
across the varactor diode varies in proportion with the modulating voltage.

Varactor diode modulator is used for automatic frequency control and remote tuning.