FREQUENCY MODULATION

BEE
Who was the inventor that put the grid
in the vacuum tube making the first
voice and music amplifier?
Who was the inventor that put the grid
in the vacuum tube making the first
voice and music amplifier?
Lee Deforest
Who invented Frequency Modulation?
Who invented Frequency Modulation?

Maj. Edwin Howard Armstrong

Name the president of RCA who
manufactured the Superheterodyne
receivers and developed television.
Name the president of RCA who
manufactured the Superheterodyne
receivers and developed television.
David Sarnoff
Why did Armstrong sue RCA for patent
infringement?
Why did Armstrong sue RCA for patent
infringement?

FCC required all sound for television be

transmitted by FM. RCA refused to pay
patent royalties to Armstrong.
Name two advantages of FM over AM
Name two advantages of FM over AM

1. Greater noise immunity; less noise

and static.
2. Less interference due to capture effect.
3. Greater efficiency; more carrier
power shifted to the sidebands
What is the greatest disadvantage to FM
compared to AM?
What is the greatest disadvantage to FM
compared to AM?

Requires greater bandwidth.

Why does FM require more bandwidth
than AM?
Why does FM require more bandwidth
than AM?

More sidebands.
Time
Domain fc
1KHz info
fm LSBS USBS
FM
fc modulator f c  sidebands
carrier
100KHz SIDEBANDS: 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104
KHz

f c  nf m n  all whole # ' s to 

How much bandwidth does each AM
broadcast station get?
How much bandwidth does each AM
broadcast station get?

10 kHz
How much bandwidth does each FM
broadcast station get?
How much bandwidth does each FM
broadcast station get?

200 kHz
How much more bandwidth does
wideband FM require over standard
AM?
How much more bandwidth does
wideband FM require over standard
AM?
5 Times.
Name two applications of FM besides
Broadcast FM radio.
Name two applications of FM besides
Broadcast FM radio.

1. Broadcast TV sound
2. Two-Way Mobile Radio
3. Cellular, paging, cordless phones
4. Data Communication
5. VCR
6. Wireless microphones
Name the sub-circuit in the IC XR-2206
that is used for an FM modulator.
Name the sub-circuit in the IC XR-2206
that is used for an FM modulator.

Voltage Controlled Oscillator (VCO)

VOLTAGE
CONTROLLED
OSCILLATOR

info deviates carrier

modulated FM carrier

sets carrier
free run
frequency
What is the term in FM that means the
amount of frequency change to one side
of the carrier?
What is the term in FM that means the
amount of frequency change to one side
of the carrier?
Deviation
In a voltage controlled oscillator, the
amplitude of the information determines
the ___________ of deviation.

VOLTAGE
CONTROLLED
OSCILLATOR

info deviates carrier

modulated FM carrier

sets carrier
free run
frequency
In a voltage controlled oscillator, the
amplitude of the information determines
the _AMOUNT of deviation.

VOLTAGE
CONTROLLED
OSCILLATOR

info deviates carrier

modulated FM carrier

sets carrier
free run
frequency
In a voltage controlled oscillator, the
frequency of the information determines
the __________ of deviation.

VOLTAGE
CONTROLLED
OSCILLATOR

info deviates carrier

modulated FM carrier

sets carrier
free run
frequency
In a voltage controlled oscillator, the
frequency of the information determines
the ___RATE__ of deviation.

VOLTAGE
CONTROLLED
OSCILLATOR

info deviates carrier

modulated FM carrier

sets carrier
free run
frequency
The number of sidebands generated by
Frequency Modulation are:
The number of sidebands generated by
Frequency Modulation are:

1. 2
2. 4
3. Infinite
The number of sidebands generated by
Frequency Modulation are:

3. Infinite
If the carrier deviates 75 kHz, what is
the carrier swing?
If the carrier deviates 75 kHz, what is
the carrier swing?

150 kHz
If the carrier deviates 75 kHz and
transmits a 15 kHz tone, what is the
modulation index (m)?
If the carrier deviates 75 kHz and
transmits a 15 kHz tone, what is the
modulation index (m)?

deviation
m
info frequency
75kHz
m 5
15kHz
What reference can you use if you know
the modulation index and want to know
how many sidebands are significant?
What reference can you use if you know
the modulation index and want to know
how many sidebands are significant?

Bessel Function Chart

An FM signal has a modulation index of
5 and a carrier of 10Vrms. What is the
amplitude of the second sideband?
An FM signal has a modulation index of
5 and a carrier of 10V rms. What is the
amplitude of the second sideband?

0.5 V rms
The importance of Bessel Functions is
given modulation index (m), you can
determine the bandwidth requirements.

True or False?
The importance of Bessel Functions is
given modulation index (m), you can
determine the bandwidth requirements.

True
Name the type of FM modulation where
the information voltage directly controls
the frequency of the modulated carrier.
Name the type of FM modulation where
the information voltage directly controls
the frequency of the modulated carrier.

Direct FM modulation
Name the type of FM modulation which
is crystal based and uses frequency
multiplication.
An indirect modulator uses the following:
1. 250 kHz crystal deviated 20 Hz
2. Multiplied times 81
3. Mixed with 20 MHz
4. Multiplied times 81
What is the final carrier frequency and
final carrier deviation?
 DIFFERENCE
FREQUENCY
Sum filtered off

250 KHz
X 81 X 81
Carrier Carrier Carrier Carrier

20 Hz
20MHz
Deviation Deviation Deviation Deviation

Final Carrier Frequency =

Final Carrier Deviation =

 DIFFERENCE
40.25 MHz FREQUENCY
Sum filtered off

250 KHz 20.25 MHz 250 KHz 20.25 MHz

X 81 X 81
Carrier Carrier Carrier Carrier

20 Hz 1.62 KHz 1.62 KHz 131.22 KHz

20MHz
Deviation Deviation Deviation Deviation

Final Carrier Frequency = 20.25 MHz

Final Carrier Deviation = 131.22 KHz

Why is indirect FM used more than
direct FM even though it requires more
complex and costly circuitry.
Why is indirect FM used more than
direct FM even though it requires more
complex and costly circuitry.

Crystal provides stable carrier frequency.

Keeps FCC happy.
What does NBFM stand for?
What does NBFM stand for?

Narrow Band FM
Which uses more bandwidth, Wideband
or Narrowband FM?
Which uses more bandwidth, Wideband
or Narrowband FM?

Wideband FM
What is the highest information
frequency transmitted on narrowband
FM?
What is the highest information
frequency transmitted on narrowband
FM?

3 KHz
How much bandwidth is each user
allocated on narrowband FM?
How much bandwidth is each user
allocated on narrowband FM?

10 to 30 KHz depending on the application.

Name three agencies that use
narrowband FM.
Name three agencies that use
narrowband FM.

Police, fire taxis, hospitals, government

and businesses.
Is this signal wideband or narrowband
FM? Narrowband FM
Are these FM signals wideband or
narrowband FM? Wideband FM
Is this signal wideband or narrowband
FM? Wideband FM
Are these FM signals wideband or
narrowband FM? Narrowband FM
Is this FM signal wideband or
narrowband FM? NarrowbandFM
Name the three components of the FM
Stereo transmitted signal.
Name the three components of the FM
Stereo transmitted signal.

1. L + R
2. L – R
3. 19 KHz pilot tone
A monophonic receiver uses which
signal?

1. L + R
2. L – R
3. 19 KHz pilot tone
A monophonic receiver uses which
signal?

1. L + R
Which signal turns on the red stereo
light on the receiver?

1. L + R
2. L – R
3. 19 KHz pilot tone
Which signal turns on the red stereo
light on the receiver?

3. 19 KHz pilot tone

Draw a frequency spectrum of the FM
Stereo components that are multiplexed
together and their frequencies.
Draw a frequency spectrum of the FM
Stereo components that are multiplexed
together and their frequencies.
FM broadcast radio receivers use the
superheterodyne principle.

True or False?
FM broadcast radio receivers use the
superheterodyne principle.

True
What is the IF frequency of FM
broadcast receivers?
What is the IF frequency of FM
broadcast receivers?

10.7 MHz
Name the stage of the FM broadcast
receiver and state it’s function.
Name the stage of the FM broadcast
receiver and state it’s function.

RF
STAGE

RF Stage- amplifies weak antenna signal

and filters desired station
Name the stage of the FM broadcast
receiver and state it’s function.

RF
STAGE

LO

Local Oscillator- produces a sinewave

10.7 MHz above the incoming RF
Name the stage of the FM broadcast
receiver and state it’s function.

RF
MIXER
STAGE

LO

Mixer- combines local oscillator and RF

producing sum and difference
Name the stage of the FM broadcast
receiver and state it’s function.

RF IF
MIXER
STAGE STAGE

LO

IF Stage- filter blocks sum and passes

difference; and amplifies to level needed
by the demodulator
Name the stage of the FM broadcast
receiver and state it’s function.

RF IF
MIXER LIMITER
STAGE STAGE

LO

Limiter- clips off amplitude variations

before demod
Name the stage of the FM broadcast
receiver and state it’s function.

RF IF FM
MIXER LIMITER
STAGE STAGE Detector

LO

FM Detector- removes info from the

carrier
Name the stage of the FM broadcast
receiver and state it’s function.

RF IF FM
MIXER LIMITER
STAGE STAGE DETECTOR

LO AFC

AFC (Automatic Frequency Control) –

keeps the local oscillator from drifting
Name the stage of the FM broadcast
receiver and state it’s function.

RF IF FM DE
MIXER LIMITER
STAGE STAGE DETECTOR EMPHASIS

LO AFC

De-emphasis- low pass filter in receiver

counteracts effects of pre-emphasis
Name the stage of the FM broadcast
receiver and state it’s function.

RF IF FM DE AF
MIXER LIMITER
STAGE STAGE DETECTOR EMPHASIS AMP

LO AFC

AF AMP- power amplifier to drive the

speaker
What is pre-emphasis?
What is pre-emphasis?

High pass filter in transmitter boosts

high frequencies to overcome noise
What is the circuit that quiets an open
receiver channel when no signal is
present?
What is the circuit that quiets an open
receiver channel when no signal is
present?
Squelch
Name the FM demodulation circuit
where a VCO follows the phase
comparator
Name the FM demodulation circuit
where a VCO follows the phase
comparator
Phase Lock Loop (PLL)
Term that means “frequencies over
which PLL can lock to a new signal.”
Term that means “frequencies over
which PLL can lock to a new signal.”

Capture range
Term that means “frequencies over
which PLL can track after lock.”
Term that means “frequencies over
which PLL can track after lock.”

Lock Range
In a PLL which is always greater lock
range or capture range?
In a PLL which is always greater lock
range or capture range?

Lock Range
Draw and label the block diagram of a
Phase Lock Loop.
Draw and label the block diagram of a
Phase Lock Loop.

Phase LowPass
Detector Filter
INPUT

Error
Voltage

VCO
A PLL has a 70 MHz free run frequency.
10% capture range
15% lock range
What is the range of frequencies over
which the PLL can capture and lock?
LOCK RANGE

CAPTURE RANGE

FREE RUN
70 MHz
A PLL has a 70 MHz free run frequency.
10% capture range = 63 to 77 MHz
15% lock range
What is the range of frequencies
over which the PLL can capture and
lock? LOCK RANGE

CAPTURE RANGE

FREE RUN
63 MHz 70 MHz 77 MHz
A PLL has a 70 MHz free run frequency.
10% capture range = 63 to 77 MHz
15% lock range = 59.5 to
80.5 MHz What is the
range of frequencies over which the PLL
can capture and lock?
LOCK RANGE

CAPTURE RANGE

59.5 MHz FREE RUN 80.5 MHz

63 MHz 70 MHz 77 MHz
Name a piece of test equipment which is
essential to the signal analysis of an FM
transmitter.
Name a piece of test equipment which is
essential to the signal analysis of an FM
transmitter.
Spectrum Analyzer