Radio Transmitters

In electronics and telecommunications a transmitter or radio transmitter is an

electronic device which produces radio waves with an antenna. The transmitter
itself generates a radio frequency alternating current, which is applied to the
antenna.

Classification of Radio transmitters:

According to Type of Modulation:
Amplitude Modulation Transmitters : used for radio broadcasting on long,
medium and short waves.
Ex: Radio Telephony, Radio Telegraphy and Television picture Broadcast

Frequency Modulation Transmitters : Used for radio broadcast in VHF

and UHF range. (30MHz – 3GHz)
Ex: Television sound broadcast, Radio Telephone Communication in VHF and
UHF range over short distances

Pulse Modulation Transmitters : Signal voltage alters the characteristics of

the pulse
According to Type of Service :
Radio Broadcast Transmitters: Designed for Transmitting speech, Music and
Talks etc.
The Broadcast transmitters may be either AM or FM modulated type. For AM
Transmitters the radiated power is as low as 1Kw to as high as 100Kw, whereas for
FM broadcast transmitters operates on VHF and UHF and radiates a carrier power
of 100Kw or so.
Radio Telephone Transmitters : Designed for transmitting telephone signals
over long distances by radio means, may be of either AM or FM type.
A.M telephone transmitters works on short wave having output carrier power of
typically few kilowatts and are used for point to point communications.
F.M telephone transmitters works on VHF having output carrier power usually less
than 1Kw and are used for short distances not exceeding 30Kms.
Radio Telegraph Transmitters: Transmits Telegraph signals from one station to
another station, may be of either AM or FM type.
Radio Television Transmitters: Television broadcast requires two
transmitters one for transmission of picture and the other for transmission of
sound.
Radar Transmitters: Radar (abbreviation for Radio Detection and Ranging)
may be of two types: (i) Pulse Radar and (ii) C.W. (Continuous Wave Radar).
Navigational Transmitters: Used for navigational aids, example: G.C.A
(Ground Controlled Approach)
According to the carrier Frequency:
Long wave Transmitters: Frequencies less than 300 KHz, used for
broadcast in temperature countries. The carrier power required is
100KW or more.
Medium wave Transmitters: operates in the range of 550-1650
KHz. The carrier power may be as low as 5KW to as high as
1000KW.
Short wave Transmitters: 3-30 MHz, Carrier power 1 to 10 KW.
For radio telephone working over long distances the carrier power is
usually of 5kW, whereas for overseas broadcast the carrier power is
10 to 100KW.
VHF and UHF Transmitters: Transmitters operates in the VHF
and UHF range, used for F M Broadcast, Television Broadcast, F M
radio Telephony etc.
Microwave Transmitters: Transmitters operates on microwave
frequencies above 1000MHz. Ex: Radar, Satellite, Television relay,
Microwave link between two adjoining countries and islands.
 To Transmitting
AM Transmitters Antenna

Class C
Harmonic Class C Modulated
Power
Generator Amplifier Amplifier
Amplifier

Buffer Modulating
Amplifier Amplifier

Master Modulating Audio

Oscillator Signal Amplifier

Fig: High Level AM Transmitter

Master Oscillator: Generates oscillations at desired frequencies.
Oscillations remain constant in spite of supply variations, ambient
temperature etc.
Buffer Amplifier: It then isolates the oscillator and harmonic
generator.
Harmonic Generator: Frequency multiplier generates higher
harmonics of carrier oscillator frequency.
Class C power Amplifier: RF voltage generated by master
oscillator has usually very small power, of order of few volts. The
power level is required to be raised to the final value in a chain of
class c amplifiers.
Modulated Amplifier: Class C push-pull Amplifier, Modulation
takes place at this stage.
Modulating Amplifier: Class B push pull Amplifier
 AM Transmitters To Transmitting
Antenna

Tuned
Buffer Harmonic Modulated
Power
Amplifier Generator Amplifier
Amplifiers

Master Modulating
Oscillator Amplifier

Modulating
Signal

Fig: Low-Level AM Transmitter

Modulates the carrier at low power levels and the carrier power is
subsequently raised to desired level in class B tuned power amplifiers.
Carrier Frequency Requirements of Radio
Transmitters
Generated carrier frequency must be exactly at specified value:
Every radio transmitter is allocated to operate at one or more frequencies, to
avoid overlapping of sidebands.
Master Oscillator generates the sub-harmonics of the final carrier.
Carrier Frequency should be readily adjustable:
Cristal oscillators in which the frequency is not adjustable. Conventional LC
tuned circuits are used in place of Cristal oscillators.
Frequency drift and scintillation should be extremely small:
Frequency drift means slow variation in frequency with time.
Maximum frequency drift permitted in radio transmitters is +/-20Hz for
medium wave transmitters and +/- 0.002% for short wave and UHF
transmitters.
The exact value of frequency of oscillation are influenced by the following :
Effect of resistance and reactance coupled to the circuit, Effect of Q of tuned
circuit, Effect of electrode voltage.
Frequency scintillation caused by abrupt change in load, that changes
frequency of oscillations. Master oscillator with buffer amplifier used to
overcome the difficulty, usually available as a single unit MOPA.
 Work outs

Colpitts Oscillator
Master Oscillator
Ordinary L-C Oscillator used as a master oscillator. To reduce
frequency drift and scintillations the necessary precautions are as
follows.
 Oscillator should be enclosed in a constant temperature chamber.
 Stabilized power supply should be used so that electrode voltage do
not vary.
 Effective Q should be as high as possible.
 Amplifying device should have high ratio of mutual conductance gm
to inter electrode capacitance.
 Oscillator should be so arranged that there should be small
coupling from the tank circuit to base and collector of the oscillator
transistor.
 Should operate at sub-harmonics of carrier frequency.
 Master oscillator followed by multistage power amplifiers , the first
stage should be buffer amplifier.
 Operating conditions should be adjusted that the harmonic
generation should be minimum.
 Armstrong Method of FM Modulator
Narrow
Band FM
f(t)
Integrator Narrow Band Frequency Wide
Circuit PM Modulator Multiplier Band FM

Crystal
controlled
Oscillator

Frequency stability of higher order can be obtained because the

crystal oscillator is used as a carrier generator.
The basic principle of this method is to generate a narrow band
FM using phase modulation technique and then converting this
NBFM into WBFM.
The multiplier circuit apart from multiplying the carrier
frequency, also increases the frequency deviation, and thus the
NBFM is converted to WBFM.
 FM Transmitter
Antenna

Pre-
HPF
Amplifier
FM Frequency Power
RF Modulator Multiplier Amplifier
Audio Oscillator
Signal

•The audio signal from the output of the microphone is sent to the pre-
amplifier, which boosts the level of the modulating signal.
•This signal is then passed to high pass filter, which acts as a pre-
emphasis network to filter out the noise and improve the signal to noise
ratio.
•This signal is further passed to the FM modulator circuit.
•The oscillator circuit generates a high frequency carrier, which is sent to
the modulator along with the modulating signal.
•Several stages of frequency multiplier are used to increase the operating
frequency. Even then, the power of the signal is not enough to transmit.
Hence, a RF power amplifier is used at the end to increase the power of
the modulated signal. This FM modulated output is finally passed to the
antenna to be transmitted.
 Receivers
Parameters used to evaluate the ability of a receiver

Sensitivity
Selectivity
Fidelity
Sensitivity of a receiver is its ability to identify and amplify weak signals at
the receiver output.
It is often defined in terms of voltage that must be applied to the input
terminals of the receiver to produce a standard output power which is
measured at the output terminals.

The selectivity of an AM receiver is defined as its ability to accept or select

the desired band of frequency and reject all other unwanted frequencies
which can be interfering signals.
Adjacent channel rejection of the receiver can be obtained from the
selectivity parameter

Fidelity of a receiver is its ability to reproduce the exact replica of the

transmitted signals at the receiver output.
Features of Receivers
Simplicity of operation
Good fidelity
Good selectivity
Average sensitivity
Adaptability to different types of aerials

AM Receivers:

TRF Receiver
Super Heterodyne Receiver