Saint Louis University

SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE

Department of Electronics Engineering

LABORATORY MANUAL

ECE 2231L Experiment 3-1

FREQUENCY MODULATION

I. EQUIPMENT/ MATERIALS NEEDED:

PC with Comm1 Simulator

II. PROCEDURES:

OBJECTIVE A. Demonstrate function of a varactor diode in a variable frequency

oscillator.

1. a. Open the simulator—select Experiment 1, Modulator, Objective A. Inspect the

FM generator circuit shown on the monitor screen.

Figure 1-2: Objective A button

The Vcc is a power supply used to supply voltage to the Colpitts Oscillator. The Vv is a
0-20Vdc power supply used to vary the voltage across the varactor diode, and thereby
vary its capacitance.

ECE 2231L EXPERIMENT 3 1

 Saint Louis University
SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE
Department of Electronics Engineering

LABORATORY MANUAL

Circuit 1-3: FM Generator Circuit

2.a. The Colpitts oscillator will produce a carrier signal with the center frequency when
the bias voltage of the varactor diode D1 is 15Vdc. To do this, click the node Vv, set the
bias voltage to 15Vdc then click “ok”.

Figure 1-3: Objective A, Input Node

ECE 2231L EXPERIMENT 3 2

 Saint Louis University
SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE
Department of Electronics Engineering

LABORATORY MANUAL

Observe the waveform of the output signal by clicking the node OUTPUT. Adjust the
time/div of the display to measure the period of the output signal, then calculate the
center frequency

(a) (b)
Figure 1-4: a) Objective A, Output Node; b) Carrier Waveform

Period, T = ____________ sec

Center frequency, fc = 1 / T = ___________kHz

2.b. Calculate the total tank circuit capacitance at the center frequency of the Colpitts
oscillator.

CT = ______ pF

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 Saint Louis University
SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE
Department of Electronics Engineering

LABORATORY MANUAL

2.c. Calculate the varactor capacitance at 15V bias.

Cvaractor = CT – C4
CT=______pF
2.d. Refer to Table 1-1. Record in the appropriate columns your value of varactor
capacitance calculated in (2.c) and the center frequency measured in (2.a) opposite the
15Vdc varactor bias voltage value. Since the frequency measured in (2.a) is the center
frequency, the carrier frequency deviation is 0Hz.
2.e. Click Node Vv to change the varactor bias voltage (Vv) to 19Vdc. Click the
OUTPUT node, measure the period of the new output signal and calculate the new
carrier frequency of the Colpitts oscillator. With the new carrier frequency, calculate the
varactor capacitance using the formula given in 2.b and 2.c. Calculate the carrier
frequency deviation. Record data on Table 1-1.

Table 1-1

Carrier Varactor Carrier Frequency

Varactor Bias deviation (kHz)
Frequency Capacitance
Voltage (Vdc)
(kHz) (pF)
19

18

17

16

15

14

13

12

11

2.f. Repeat 2.d for each value of varactor bias voltage listed in Table 1-1.
2.g. Inspect Table 1-1. What are the maximum and minimum values of varactor
capacitance?

ECE 2231L EXPERIMENT 3 4

 Saint Louis University
SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE
Department of Electronics Engineering

LABORATORY MANUAL

Max. Capacitance=__________pF
Min. Capacitance=___________pF
2.h. What are the maximum and minimum values of carrier frequency?
Max fc=_______Hz
Min fc=______Hz
2.i. Can a varactor diode control the frequency of the output signal of the Colpitts
oscillator? ____________.

Objective B: Demonstrate the operation of a FM generator using variable

frequency oscillator.
3.a. Click the “File” tab, select FM, Objective B. Inspect the circuit shown on the
screen.

Figure 1-5: Objective B

ECE 2231L EXPERIMENT 3 5

 Saint Louis University
SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE
Department of Electronics Engineering

LABORATORY MANUAL

Circuit 1-4: FM Generator Circuit with AF Generator

An AF generator is connected parallel to the input bias voltage (Vv) of the varactor
diode. The AF generator is the source of the modulating signal. The varactor bias
voltage is fixed to 15Vdc.
3.b. Click the OUTPUT node. Observe the output signal. This is the unmodulated carrier
signal. Determine the frequency.
Frequency of carrier signal = ____________ Hz
Is the frequency constant? ___________
3.c. Point the cursor to the AF generator symbol; the INPUT node will appear. This node
will be used to set the parameters of the AF generator signal. Click the INPUT node, set
the voltage to 3V and the frequency to 200Hz then click “ok”. A window will appear
containing the waveform of the modulating signal.

Figure 1-6: Objective B, AF Generator node

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 Saint Louis University
SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE
Department of Electronics Engineering

LABORATORY MANUAL

3.d. With the AF generator set to 3V and 200Hz, observe the output signal by clicking
the OUTPUT node. Is the frequency of the output signal constant?
3.e. What causes the Oscillator frequency to change?
Objective C: Demonstrate the effect of varying the frequency and amplitude of the
modulating signal to the FM signal.
4.a. Click “File” tab, select FM, Objective C. An AF generator is connected in parallel
with the Vv varactor bias supply. The varactor diode bias supply voltage is set to 15Vdc.
4.b. Point the cursor to the AF generator symbol, set the input parameters to 3V and
200Hz then click “ok”. A window will appear containing the waveform of the modulating
signal. Click the OUTPUT node. Click the frequency spectrum button beside the
play/pause button to display the frequency spectrum of the FM signal. Determine the
bandwidth of the FM signal from the frequency spectrum.

Figure 1-7: Objective C, FM waveform

Record the bandwidth of the FM signal in Table 1-2.
Table 1-2

Frequency of AF signal,
Amplitude of AF signal, V FM Bandwidth, Hz
HZ

3 200

5 200

10 200

Click the time domain button to see the waveform in time domain.

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 Saint Louis University
SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE
Department of Electronics Engineering

LABORATORY MANUAL

4.c. Adjust the amplitude of the AF signal according to Table 1-2. Determine the
bandwidth of the FM signal for every change in the amplitude of the AF signal. Observe
output waveform in the time domain.
4.d. What changes in the FM waveform did you observe for every change in the
amplitude of the AF signal?

5.a. Adjust the frequency of the modulating signal to 100Hz. (Note: modulating
amplitude = 5V). Click the frequency spectrum button to display the frequency spectrum
of the FM signal. What is the new bandwidth of the FM signal? Record the FM
bandwidth in Table 1-3.
Table 1-3

Frequency of AF signal,
Amplitude of AF signal, V FM Bandwidth, Hz
HZ

5 100

5 200

5 300

Click the time domain button to see the waveform in time domain.
5.b. Adjust the frequency of the AF signal according to the Table 1-3. Determine the
bandwidth of the FM signal. Click the time domain button to see the waveform in time
domain. What changes in the FM waveform did you observe for every change in the
frequency of the AF signal?

ECE 2231L EXPERIMENT 3 8