Introductory Communications Systems

Chapter 2:

Amplitude Modulation

Amplitude Modulation 2.1

Objectives

 Describe amplitude modulation with reference to

its physical appearance.
 Identify AM waveforms for various modulating
signals.
 Derive the equation of an AM wave.
 Evaluate the bandwidth of an AM wave from its
frequency spectrum.
 Identifythe importance of the modulation index of
an AM wave, and evaluate its practically feasible
value.
 Evaluate the power distribution in an AM wave.

Amplitude Modulation 2.2

Objectives (cont.)

 Derive an expression for the transmitting current

of an AM wave.
 Identify the forms of AM signals.
 Describe DSB-SC, SSB, ISB, and VSB signals
with respect to:
 Power saving in the signal
 Equation of the signal
 Physical appearance of the signal
 Frequency spectrum of the signal

Amplitude Modulation 2.3

Objectives (cont.)

 Compare the forms of AM signals with respect to

their powers and bandwidths.
 Identify the applications of AM signals.

Amplitude Modulation 2.4

Introduction

 Amplitude modulation (AM) is the modulation

process that varies the instantaneous amplitude of
the carrier signal in accordance with the
instantaneous amplitude of the modulating signal.
 Waveforms related to AM are:
 Modulating signal
 Carrier signal

Amplitude Modulation 2.5

AM Waveforms for Various Modulating
Signals
AM waveforms for various modulating signals are:
e m 1 e m 2

t t

(a ) (b )

e c

E c

e1 (c ) e2
e n v e lo p e
e n v e lo p e
(e m 1)
(e m 2)
E c
E c

C a r r ie r
s ig n a l

t t

C a r r ie r S ig n a l

(d ) (e )

Amplitude Modulation 2.6

Frequency Spectrum and Bandwidth of an
AM Wave
 The amplitude-versus-frequency plot of the signal
is called the frequency-spectrum of the signal.
 The frequency-spectrum of an AM signal is:
C a r r ie r
A m p litu d e
Ec
LSB U SB

m E m E
M o d u la tin g a c a c
s ig n a l 2 2
E
m

0 f (fc - f m ) f (fc + f m )
m c F re q u e n c y

fm fm

BW = 2 f
m

Amplitude Modulation 2.7

Modulation Index

 The modulation index of an AM wave is the ratio

of amplitudes of the modulating signal and the
carrier signal.
 The modulation index is designated as ma, where
a signifies amplitude modulation.
Em
ma 
Ec
 The three possible values of ma are:
 ma = 1 called 100-percent modulation
 ma > 1 called over modulation
 ma < 1 called under modulation

Amplitude Modulation 2.8

Modulation Index (cont.)

The two permissible conditions of ma are:

 (ma = 1)
 (ma < 1)
 According to the definition of the modulation
index, the percentage modulation is given as:

Em
% ma   100%
Ec

Amplitude Modulation 2.9

Power Distribution in an AM Wave

 The capability of the transmitted signal to counter

the channel noise and attenuation depends on the
transmitted power.
 The rule is: the more the transmitted power, the
larger the servicing area; and the lesser the
transmitted power, the smaller the servicing area.
 The total side band power is the sum of the
individual powers of LSB and USB. If Psb is equal
to the total side band power, then:
Psb  Plsb  Pusb

Amplitude Modulation 2.10

Power Distribution in an AM Wave (cont.)

 Transmission efficiency is the percentage of

useful signal power in the total transmitting power.
 Transmission efficiency indicates the percentage
of total transmitting power that is converted to
useful power.
 If  AM  transmission efficiency of the AM
transmitter, then transmission efficiency is:

SidebandPower
 AM   100%
TotalTrans mittingPower

Amplitude Modulation 2.11

Forms of an AM Signal

 The various forms of AM signals are:

 Double Side Band-Suppressed Carrier (DSB-SC)
 Single Side Band (SSB)
 Independent Side Band (ISB)
 Vestigial Side Band (VSB)

Amplitude Modulation 2.12

DSB-SC Signals

 Power saving in a DSB-SC signal:

PT
PC 
 ma 
2
1  
 2 


Amplitude Modulation 2.13

DSB-SC Signals (cont.)

Physical appearance of a DSB-SC signal:

e D SBSC C a r r ie r s ig n a l e n v e lo p e

0
t

P h a s e - r e v e r s e d a t z e r o - c r o s s in g s

Amplitude Modulation 2.14

DSB-SC Signals (cont.)

Physical appearance of a DSB-SC signal:

A m p lit u d e
S u p p re s s e d
c a r r ie r
LSB U SB
m E m E
a c a c
2 2

O (fc - fm ) fc (fc + fm ) F re q u e n c y

(B W )D S B S C = 2 fm

Amplitude Modulation 2.15

SSB Signals

 Power saving in SSB signals:

% Power Saving in SSB = % Power in carrier + % Power in one sideband

Amplitude Modulation 2.16

SSB Signals (cont.)

Physical appearance of an SSB signal:

e L S B - S in g le - t o n e
S S B -L fre q u e n c y = (fc - fm )
m E
a c
2

0 t

(a )
U S B - S in g le - t o n e
e fre q u e n c y = (fc + f m )
S S B -U
m E
a c
2

0 t

(b )

e L S B - M u lt i - t o n e
S S B -L

0 t

(c )
Amplitude Modulation 2.17
SSB Signals (cont.)

Frequency-spectrum of an SSB signal:

e S u p p r e s s e d c o m p o n e n ts e S u p p r e s s e d c o m p o n e n ts
SSB - L SSB - U
Ec Ec
LSB USB

m E m E m E m E
a c a c a c a c
2 2 2 2

0 (fc - fm ) fc (fc + f m ) F re q u e n c y 0 (fc - fm ) fc (fc + f m ) F re q u e n c y

BW = f BW = f
m m
(a ) (b )

Ec

BW = f
m 2 S u p p re s s e d c o m p o n e n ts

e LSB1 U SB1
SSB - L
m E m E
LSB2 a 1 c a 1 c
M u lt i- t o n e S S B 2 2 U SB2
m E
a 2 c m E
a 2 c
E 2
m 1 2
E
m 2

0 fm 1 fm 2 (fc - f m 2 ) (fc - fm 1 ) f (fc + f m 1 ) (fc + f m 2 )

c F re q u e n c y

BW = f
m 2
U S B 's

L S B 's

(c )
Amplitude Modulation 2.18
ISB Signals

 The power in an ISB signal is equal to the power

in a DSB-SC signal because both the side bands
are transmitted with the carrier signal suppressed.
The only difference is that the two side bands
correspond to two different modulating signals,
whereas in a DSB-SC signal both the side bands
are generated by a single modulating signal.

Amplitude Modulation 2.19

ISB Signals (cont.)

Frequency-spectrum of an ISB signal:

S u p p re s s e d
e c a r r ie r
IS B
E
LSB1 c U SB2
m E m E
a 1 c a 2 c
E 2 2
m 2
E
m 1

0 f f (fc - fm 1 ) f (fc + f m 2 )
m 1 m 2 c F re q u e n c y

B W =(f + f )
m 1 m 2

Amplitude Modulation 2.20

VSB Signals

 VSB modulation is exclusively used in transmitting

audio and video signals in TV transmission.
 Frequency-spectrum of a VSB signal is:
e VSB

C a r r ie r
LSB E C U SB
1 .2 5
0 .5 0 .7 5 4 .0 0 .5
m aEc
2

(fc - 4 .5 ) (fc-1 .2 5 ) (fc-0 .7 5 ) fc (fc+ 4 ) (fc+ 4 .5 ) F re q u e n c y (M H z )

F u lly S u p p r e s s e d F u lly T r a n s m it te d
P a rt o f L S B V e s tig e o f P a rt o f U S B P a rt o f U S B
LSB ( T r a n s m it te d w ith
g r a d u a l a tte n u a tio n )

V S B T r a n s m is s io n
( B W )V S B = 5 .7 5 M H z

Amplitude Modulation 2.21

Comparison and Application of Various AM
Schemes
AM Bandwidth Power at 100-percent modulation Percentage of Application
scheme as percentage of total transmitting power savings as
power compared to a
  DSB-FC signal

Carrier power Sideband

power

DSB-FC 2fm 66.66% 33.33% NIL AM Radio

Broadcast

DSB-SC 2fm NIL 33.33% 66.66% Non-commercial

Systems

SSB fm NIL 16.66% 83.33% Carrier Telephony

Systems

ISB fm1 + fm2 NIL 33.33% 66.66% Radio Telephony

and Radio
Telegraphy

VSB Between DSB- 66.66% Between More than SSB Video

FC and SSB DSB-FC and but less than Transmission in
Signals SSB Signals DSB-FC Signal TV
Communication
System

Amplitude Modulation 2.22

Summary

 Amplitude modulation is defined as the modulation

process that varies the instantaneous amplitude of
the carrier signal in accordance with the
instantaneous amplitude of the modulating signal.
 The carrier signal is represented as ec  Ec sin( c t   c ) .

 The amplitude-versus-frequency plot of the signal is

called the frequency-spectrum of the signal.
 The modulation index of an AM wave is defined as
the ratio of amplitudes of the modulating signal and
the carrier signal and is designated as ma.

Amplitude Modulation 2.23

Summary (cont.)

 The first possible value of ma (=1) is obtained

when the amplitudes of the modulating and carrier
signals are equal. The resultant modulation under
these conditions is called 100-percent modulation.
 When ma > 1. This is known as over modulation.
The modulation index is greater than 1 when the
modulating amplitude, Em, is greater than the
carrier amplitude, Ec. The percentage modulation
in this case is more than 100 percent .

Amplitude Modulation 2.24

Summary (cont.)

 Amplitude modulation is called under modulation

when the value of ma is less than 1, and the
percentage modulation is less than 100 percent.
This type of modulation occurs when the
modulating amplitude is less than the carrier
amplitude.
 The service area is also related to the power of
the transmitted signal, especially in case of radio
communication systems, in which, the signal is
transmitted through electromagnetic waves. The
rule is, the more the transmitted power, the larger
the service area; and the lesser the transmitted
power, the smaller the service area.
Amplitude Modulation 2.25
Summary (cont.)

 The normal AM wave or DSB-FC signal contains

three constituents:
 The carrier signal
 LSB
 USB
 The information is carried only by the side bands
while the carrier signal, present in an AM wave,
does not carry any information. This is defined as
the percentage of the useful signal power in the
total transmitting power.

Amplitude Modulation 2.26

Summary (cont.)

 In a DSB-FC signal, the carrier signal does not

contain any useful information. Thus, only the two
side bands can be transmitted by suppressing the
carrier signal, which leads to a savings of 66.66
percent of the total transmitting power at
100-percent modulation.
 In SSB, only one sideband is transmitted by
suppressing the other sideband and the carrier
signal.
 The same carrier signal can be modulated by
many modulating signals. This is known as
multi-tone modulation.

Amplitude Modulation 2.27