Laboratory Activity 1: Pulse Amplitude Modulation

Juan Glicerio C. Manlapaz

Department of Electronics, Computer,and Communications Engineering
Ateneo de Manila University
Quezon City, Philippines
juan.manlapaz@obf.ateneo.edu

I. THEORETICAL BACKGROUND II. METHODOLOGY

A. Overview of Pulse Amplitude Modulation A. List of Materials utilized

Pulse amplitude modulation is a process of changing the
amplitude of a binary pulse to represent the information to be
transmitted [1]. This is done by first sampling the analog
signal with a sampling rate that is at least twice the highest
frequency component of the analog signal, also known as the
Nyquist limit. This sampling is needed in order to discretize
the analog signal for analog-to-digital conversion (ADC).
Once the analog signal has been converted into its digital
equivalent, the amplitudes of discretized and regularly spaced
pulses are varied in proportion to the corresponding sample
values of the analog signal as seen in Figure 1.
For this experiment, a laptop with LabVIEW Version 21.0
was used.
B. Procedure
Using LabVIEW, the block diagram seen in Figure 3 was
constructed. The said block diagram consists of two signal
simulator modules for the Input Signal (in this case a sine
configuration is used) and Carrier Signal (in this case a square
wave configuration was used), two numeric double inputs for
each signal simulator modules representing the Amplitude and
Frequency for each signal, totaling to four numeric double
inputs, a multiplication block used to convolve the Input and
Carrier Signal to return the PAM Signal, an addition block
with a constant input used for demodulation, a demodulator
input to recover the Input Signal from the PAM Signal, and
four oscilloscope modules to measure the Input Signal, Carrier
Signal, PAM Signal, and the Demodulated Signal.

Fig. 1. Graph demonstrating the process of pulse amplitude modulation

(PAM)
Fig. 3. Block diagram of the experimental setup
One way to demonstrate a simulation of PAM signals is
Once the block diagram has been constructed, it is then
the use of software such as LabVIEW.
simulated with the following cases with each case having an
B. Overview of LabVIEW independent variable:
LabVIEW stands for Laboratory Virtual Instrument
TABLE I. CASE 1 (CARRIER SIGNAL FREQUENCY AS THE
Engineering Workbench and is a system design platform for a INDEPENDENT VARIABLE)
visual programming language developed by National
Instruments [2]. One of the areas that this software is capable Input Signal Carrier Signal
on is digital signal processing and communications. The main
Amplitude Frequency Amplitude Frequency
advantage of this software is its graphical approach as no code
is needed for execution of programs. 10
20
1 10 1 60
100
400

TABLE II. CASE 2 (INPUT SIGNAL AMPLITUDE AS THE INDEPENDENT

VARIABLE)
Fig. 2. LabVIEW logo
Input Signal Carrier Signal
 Amplitude Frequency Amplitude Frequency
1
4
10 1 100
6
10

TABLE III. CASE 3 (CARRIER SIGNAL FREQUENCY AS THE

INDEPENDENT VARIABLE)

Input Signal Carrier Signal

Amplitude Frequency Amplitude Frequency Fig. 5. PAM and Demodulated Signal with Carrier Signal Frequency = 20
1
4
1 10 100
6
10

TABLE IV. CASE 4 (INPUT SIGNAL FREQUENCY AS THE INDEPENDENT

VARIABLE)

Input Signal Carrier Signal

Amplitude Frequency Amplitude Frequency
10
Fig. 6. PAM and Demodulated Signal with Carrier Signal Frequency = 60
40
1 1 100
100
200

The PAM signal and the demodulated signal was then

examined for each sub case in each case.
III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
A. Findings from the Experiment
Figures 4 to 8 show the results of manipulating the carrier
signal frequency as detailed in Case 1.
Fig. 7. PAM and Demodulated Signal with Carrier Signal Frequency = 100

Fig. 4. PAM and Demodulated Signal with Carrier Signal Frequency = 10

Fig. 8. PAM and Demodulated Signal with Carrier Signal Frequency = 200

The figures show that an increase in carrier signal

frequency shows an increase of the frequency in the PAM
signal as evidenced in the decrease in wavelength. However,
the demodulated signal only resembled the input signal when
the carrier signal frequency is at 400 Hz. It is also noted that
the demodulated signal did not have a similar amplitude to the
input signal.
Figures 9 to 12 show the results of manipulating the input
signal amplitude as detailed in Case 2.
Fig. 9. PAM and Demodulated Signal with Input Signal Amplitude = 1
Fig. 10. PAM and Demodulated Signal with Input Signal Amplitude = 4
Fig. 11. PAM and Demodulated Signal with Input Signal Amplitude = 6
Fig. 12. PAM and Demodulated Signal with Input Signal Amplitude = 10
The figures show that an increase in input signal amplitude
shows an increase in the amplitude of the PAM signal as
evidenced in the increase in PAM amplitude scale at the scope.
The demodulated signal also increased in amplitude.
However, the carrier signal frequency was not able to fully
recover the input signal/demodulated signal.
Figures 13 to 16 show the results of manipulating the
carrier signal amplitude as detailed in Case 3.
Fig. 13. PAM and Demodulated Signal with Carrier Signal Amplitude = 1
Fig. 14. PAM and Demodulated Signal with Carrier Signal Amplitude = 4
Fig. 15. PAM and Demodulated Signal with Carrier Signal Amplitude = 6
 Fig. 19. PAM and Demodulated Signal with Input Signal Frequency = 100
Fig. 16. PAM and Demodulated Signal with Carrier Signal Amplitude = 10

Similar to what was observed in case 2, the figures show

that an increase in carrier signal amplitude shows an increase
in the amplitude of the PAM signal as evidenced in the
increase in PAM amplitude scale at the scope. The
demodulated signal also increased in amplitude. However, the
carrier signal frequency was not able to fully recover the input
signal/demodulated signal.
Figures 17 to 20 show the results of manipulating the input
signal frequency as detailed in Case 4.

Fig. 20. PAM and Demodulated Signal with Input Signal Frequency = 200

The figures show that an increase in input signal frequency

shows an increase of the frequency in the PAM signal as
evidenced in the decrease in wavelength. Each demodulated
signal for each subcase exhibited similar frequencies to the
input signal. An interesting phenomenon arose at input signal
frequency = 200 Hz where there is a DC offset in the
demodulated signal.
IV. CONCLUSION
Fig. 17. PAM and Demodulated Signal with Input Signal Frequency = 10 The lab activity successfully demonstrated the process of
pulse amplitude modulation through the use of LabVIEW.
Throughout the experiment, the manipulation of the four
parameters stated in each case showed a change in behavior of
the PAM signal.
REFERENCES

[1] L. Frenzel, Principles of Electronic Communications

Systems, New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education,
2016.
[2] "LabVIEW - Wikipedia," Wikipedia, [Online].
Available: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LabVIEW.
[Accessed 21 February 2022].
Fig. 18. PAM and Demodulated Signal with Input Signal Frequency = 40