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9 : AM Receiver
AM demodulation is the reverse process of AM modulation.
A conventional double sideband AM receiver converts the amplitude-
modulated waveform back to the original source by receiving, amplifying and
demodulating the wave.
The receiver also functioning to bandlimit the total RF spectrum to a specific
desired band of frequency – tuning the receiver
Simplified block diagram of typical AM receiver
BRF
BI (32)
BIF
where BI = bandwidth improvement
BRF = RF bandwidth
BIF = IF bandwidth
Frequency distortion
Occurs when frequencies that are present in a received signal are not present in the original
source information.
It is a result of harmonic and intermodulation distortion and caused by nonlinear
amplification
Pout
IL ( dB ) 10 log 10
Pin
2. Instability due to large number of RF amplifiers all tuned to the same center
frequency
High frequency, multi stage amplifiers are susceptible to breaking into oscillation.
3. The gains are not uniform over a very wide frequency range.
The nonuniform L/C ratios of the transformer-coupled tank circuits in the RF amplifiers.
2. Mixer/converter section
Consists of a radio-frequency oscillator and a mixer.
Choice of oscillator depends on the stability and accuracy desired.
Mixer is a nonlinear device to convert radio frequency to intermediate frequencies
(i.e. heterodyning process).
The shape of the envelope, the bandwidth and the original information contained in
the envelope remains unchanged although the carrier and sideband frequencies are
translated from RF to IF.
BENG 2413 Communication Principles
Faculty of Electrical Engineering Chapter 2 : Amplitude Modulation (AM) 17
2.9.2.2 : Superheterodyne Receiver
3. IF section
Consists of a series of IF amplifiers and bandpass filters to achieve most of the
receiver gain and selectivity.
The IF is always lower than the RF because it is easier and less expensive to
construct high-gain, stable amplifiers for low frequency signals.
IF amplifiers are also less likely to oscillate than their RF counterparts.
4. Detector section
To convert the IF signals back to the original source information (demodulation).
Can be as simple as a single diode or as complex as a PLL or balanced demodulator.
With high side injection- local oscillator should track above the incoming RF carrier
by a fixed frequency equal to fRF + fIF
With low side injection- local oscillator should track below the incoming RF carrier
by a fixed frequency equal to fRF - fIF
For a radio frequency to produce a cross product equal to IF, it must be displaced
from local oscillator frequency by a value equal to the IF.
With high side injection, the selected RF is below the local oscillator by amount
equal to the IF.
Therefore, the image frequency is the radio frequency that is located in the IF
frequency above the local oscillator as shown above, i.e.
IFRR 1 Q 2 2 (36)