ANALOG MODULATION

TECHNIQUES
Communication System
The transmission of information from the sender to the recipient through some medium is
called as communication.

What is transmitted?

Mainly Audio, video, image and other data. They are mainly in low frequency range.
During communication we face following problems:

1. Long distance transmission:

Low frequency signals get attenuated quickly in space while high frequency do not get
attenuated in space as fast as low frequency and can travel along long distance. This happens as
energy of signal is proportional to frequency. Thus if low frequency are used for some
application then strength will be less, resulting poor reception.

2. Antenna Size:
The antenna size is inversely proportional to the frequency of the radiated signal. The order of
the antenna aperture size is at least 1/10 th ( or ¼ th ) of the wavelength of the signal. Its size is
not practicable if the signal is 5 kHz; therefore, raising frequency by any process is required to
reduce the size of the antenna.
3. Signal to Noise ratio:
Electrical noise is one of the principle limiting factors in the performance of communication
systems. The signal-to-noise ratio indicates the relative strengths of the signal and the noise in a
communication system. The stronger the signal and the weaker the noise, the higher the SNR.

4. Interference of different transmitted wave:

In signal transmission, the signals from various sources are transmitted through a common
channel simultaneously by using multiplexers. If these signals are transmitted simultaneously
with certain bandwidth, they cause interference.

5. Cost of Instruments:
Cost of instruments used in low frequency range is very high compared to high frequency based
instruments.
What is Modulation?
• Modulation is a process of changing some of the parameters of carrier wave (such as amplitude, phase and
frequency) in accordance with the instantaneous value of message signal. Usually, a high frequency sine wave is
used as a carrier wave signal.
• Modulation is also defined as the process of superimposing a low-frequency signal on a high-frequency carrier
signal.
Why modulation is used in communication?

1. Reduction in the height of antenna

2. Avoids mixing of signals
3. Increases the range of communication
4. Multiplexing is possible
5. Improves quality of reception

The above points describe modulation’s importance in communication system. Modulation is important to
transfer the signals over large distances, since it is not possible to send low-frequency signals for longer
distances. Similarly, modulation is also important to allocate more channels for users and to increase noise
immunity.
Message Signal: It contains the information and in general of low frequency.

Carrier Signal: Used to transmit the message signal and of high frequency.

Modulated Signal: The resultant signal due to modulation.

Message Signal
Analog Modulation:
In this modulation, a continuously varying sine wave is used as a carrier wave that modulates the message
signal or data signal. The Sinusoidal wave’s general function is shown in the figure below, in which, three
parameters can be altered to get modulation – they are amplitude, frequency and phase, so the types of
analog modulation are:
Amplitude Modulation:
In Amplitude modulation, the amplitude of the carrier signal varies in accordance with the instantaneous value
of message signal, and other parameters like frequency and phase remain constant.
Amplitude modulation was the earliest modulation technique used to transmit voice by radio. This type of
modulation requires more power and greater bandwidth; filtering is very difficult. Amplitude modulation is used in
computer modems, VHF aircraft radio, and in portable two-way radio system.
Frequency Modulation:
In this type of modulation, the frequency of the carrier signal varies in accordance with the instantaneous value of message
signal, and other parameters like amplitude and phase remain constant.
Frequency modulation is commonly used for broadcasting music and speech, magnetic tape recording systems, two way radio
systems and video transmission systems. When noise occurs naturally in radio systems, frequency modulation with sufficient
bandwidth provides an advantage in cancelling the noise

Phase Modulation:
In phase modulation, the phase of the carrier signal varies in accordance with the instantaneous value of message signal.
It is an essential part of many digital transmission coding schemes that underlie a wide range of technologies like GSM,
WiFi, and satellite television. This type of modulation is used for signal generation in al synthesizers, such as the Yamaha
DX7 to implement FM synthesis.
 Message signal -

Carrier signal -

Modulated signal -

AM signal -
AM signal with 100% modulation,
AM signal with 50% modulation,
Perfect Modulation
Undermodulation

AM signal with more than 100%

modulation, Overmodulation
Modulation Index of AM Wave:
The amplitude modulation index describes the amount by which the modulated carrier envelope varies about the
static level.
It can be expressed in mathematical terms as below:

min{m(t )}
Modulation Index: 
AC
If, m(t )  Am sin(2f mt )

If ,   1 carrier is said to be overmodulated.

If ,   1 carrier is said to be undermodulated.
If ,   1 It is called perfect modulation of 100% modulation.
Power of AM Wave:
x AM (t )  AC cos( C t )  m(t ) cos( C t )
If m(t )  Am cos( m t )

x AM (t )  AC cos( C t )  Am cos( m t ) cos( C t )

x AM (t )  AC cos( C t )  AC cos( m t ) cos( C t )

1 1
x AM (t )  AC cos( C t )  AC cos[( C   m )t ]  AC cos[( C   m )t ]
2 2
1 2
CarrierPow er , PC  AC
2
 2 AC2  2 AC2  2 AC2
Sideband Power , PS   
8 8 4
1 2  2
Transmitted Power, PT  PC  PS  1   AC
2 2 

 2 
PT  PC 1  
 2 
Efficiency of AM Wave:

PS
  100%
PT

 2 AC2
 4  100%
1 2  2
1   AC
2 2 

2
  100%
2 2

 max  33.3% for   1

 FM Modulation
- Note that there are no amplitude variations in the FM.
- The envelope of an FM modulated signal is a constant.

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 Angle Modulation

 Frequency modulation (FM) and phase modulation (PM) are

types of Angle modulation.

 The FM and PM characterized by their superior performance

(compared to AM) in the presence of noise at the expense of
higher bandwidth requirements.

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 Angle Modulation
- For Angle Modulation, modulated carrier is given as
xc(t) = Acos [ωct+φ(t)]
1. A is the (constant) amplitude,
2. ωc is the (constant) frequency
3. Angle φ(t) is the function of message signal m(t).
Let the sinusoid be written as: xc(t) = Acos [θ(t)] where ,θ(t) = ωct+φ(t).

The instantaneous radian frequency of xc(t) is given as

d (t ) d (t )
i   c 
dt dt
The functions φ(t) and d (t ) are known as instantaneous phase deviation and
dt
instantaneous frequency deviation of xc(t), respectively

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 Frequency Modulation
- In FM, the instantaneous frequency deviation of xc(t) is proportional to the message
signal i.e.
d (t )
 k f m(t )
dt
t
 (t )  k f  m ( ) d 

- where kf is frequency deviation constant. Frequency Modulated signal is now
expressed as follows.
 t

S FM ( t )  A cos   c t  k f

  m ( ) d  
- i  c  k f m(t ) for FM
 Phase Modulation
- In PM, the instantaneous phase deviation of xc(t) is proportional to the message
signal i.e.
 (t )  k p m(t )

- where kp is phase deviation constant. Phase Modulated signal is now expressed as

follows.
S PM ( t )  A cos  c t  k p m ( t ) 
dm(t )
- i   c  k p for PM
dt
 Modulation Index
- In message signal is a pure sinusoidal signal i.e.
m(t) = amcos(ωmt)

- Modulation index of angle modulation is defined as

 i  c
  max

m m

-   k p am for PM
k f am
-  for FM
m