🔷 1. What is Digital Modulation?

Definition:
Digital modulation is the process of encoding digital information (0s and 1s) onto a carrier
signal by modifying its amplitude, frequency, or phase. The main goal is efficient and reliable
transmission of data over various channels like air, fiber optics, satellites, etc.

Why Use Digital Modulation?

 Robust to noise
 Supports multiplexing and encryption
 Easier error detection & correction
 Compatible with digital signal processors

Where Used:

 Wi-Fi, 4G/5G, satellite comms, Bluetooth, RFID, Zigbee, software-defined radios

🔷 2. Coherent Binary Modulation Schemes

2.1 ASK (Amplitude Shift Keying)

 Amplitude is varied based on the digital data.

 Binary ASK = On-Off Keying (OOK)

Signal:
Bit 1 → A·cos(2πf_ct)
Bit 0 → 0

Advantages:

 Simple to implement
 Low bandwidth

Disadvantages:

 Very sensitive to noise

 Not power-efficient

Used in:
Optical fiber (LED on/off), RFID tags

2.2 FSK (Frequency Shift Keying)

  Frequency of the carrier changes with data bit
 Binary FSK: Bit 1 = f1, Bit 0 = f2

Signal:
s(t) = A·cos(2πf1t) (bit 1), A·cos(2πf2t) (bit 0)

Advantages:

 Better noise immunity than ASK

 More reliable

Disadvantages:

 Higher bandwidth
 Needs complex receivers

Used in:
Bluetooth, FM radio, modem tones

2.3 PSK (Phase Shift Keying)

 Phase of the carrier is shifted to represent bits

 BPSK: 0° → bit 0, 180° → bit 1

Signal:
s(t) = A·cos(2πf_ct + θ), where θ = 0 or pi

Advantages:

 More power-efficient than ASK, FSK

 Robust in noisy environments

Disadvantages:

 Complex to implement phase synchronizers

Used in:
Satellite comms, Zigbee, Wi-Fi

2.4 MSK (Minimum Shift Keying)

 FSK with minimal frequency spacing for smooth phase transitions

 Continuous phase → no sudden changes

Advantages:
  Narrow spectral width
 Constant envelope → suitable for non-linear amplifiers

Used in:
GSM, telemetry systems

2.5 GMSK (Gaussian MSK)

 MSK + Gaussian filter on input bits

 Reduces sidebands → makes it spectrally efficient

Advantages:

 Used in GSM (2G)

 Power and bandwidth efficient

🔷 3. Coherent M-ary Modulation Schemes

3.1 QPSK (Quadrature Phase Shift Keying)

 4 phases: 00 → 0°, 01 → 90°, 11 → 180°, 10 → 270°

 Transmits 2 bits per symbol

Advantages:

 Doubles data rate of BPSK

 Good BER vs SNR

Used in:
Wi-Fi, LTE, Satellite TV

3.2 DQPSK (Differential QPSK)

 Phase change between symbols encodes bits

 Doesn’t need absolute phase reference

Advantages:

 Simplifies receiver design

Used in:
Bluetooth, optical networks

3.3 OQPSK (Offset QPSK)

 I and Q streams are offset by half symbol time

 Prevents phase shift > 90°

Advantages:

 Constant envelope → suitable for RF amps

Used in:
CDMA, satellite systems

3.4 π/4 QPSK

 Combines two QPSK constellations rotated by 45°

 Prevents sudden 180° shifts

Advantages:

 Easy to filter
 Reduced spectral regrowth

Used in:
TDMA (IS-136), 2G phones

3.5 8-PSK

 8 phase values = 3 bits per symbol

Advantages:

 Higher data rate

Disadvantages:

 Less noise-resistant

Used in:
EDGE (2.5G), satellite links
3.6 16-QAM (Quadrature Amplitude Modulation)

 Amplitude + phase modulation

 4x4 constellation = 16 states → 4 bits per symbol

Advantages:

 Very high data rate

Used in:
WiMAX, DVB

3.7 64-QAM

 8x8 constellation → 6 bits per symbol

Advantages:

 Very high throughput

Disadvantages:

 Needs high SNR

Used in:
Wi-Fi (802.11ac), LTE Advanced

🔷 4. Non-Coherent Modulation
 No carrier phase reference needed
 Used in environments where synchronizing phase is hard

Examples:

 Non-Coherent FSK (detects frequency via energy)

 DPSK (Differential PSK)

Advantages:

 Simple receivers
 Better for fading channels
🔷 5. Average Probability of Error (Pe)
Modulation Pe Approximation
BPSK Q(sqrt(2Eb/N0))
QPSK Q(sqrt(Eb/N0))
FSK 0.5·exp(-Eb/N0)
16-QAM (3/4)·Q(sqrt(4Eb/5N0))

Where Q(x) = tail probability of normal distribution

🔷 6. Power Spectra
 ASK: Narrow bandwidth but power inefficient
 FSK: Broader bandwidth
 PSK: Constant power, narrow spectrum
 QAM: Efficient use of bandwidth, more sensitive to noise

🔷 7. Comparison Table
Scheme Bits/Symbol Bandwidth Power Efficiency Complexity
BPSK 1 Low High Low
QPSK 2 Medium High Medium
8-PSK 3 Medium Lower Medium
16-QAM 4 Low Medium High
64-QAM 6 Very Low Low Very High

🔷 8. Real-Life Applications of Each

Modulation Real-Life Use
ASK RFID tags, fiber comm
FSK Bluetooth, radio
BPSK Satellite TV
QPSK Wi-Fi, LTE
DQPSK Bluetooth
OQPSK CDMA
GMSK GSM
16-QAM WiMAX
Modulation Real-Life Use
64-QAM 5G, LTE Advanced

💬 9. VIVA QUESTIONS (50+)

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🔹 50+ VIVA Questions with Answers

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Perfect, here you go — 📚 50+ Top Viva Questions with Answers for Digital Modulation
Schemes. These are crafted to cover theory, real-world relevance, comparisons, and
tricky technical stuff. Let’s go 🔥

✅ VIVA QUESTIONS & ANSWERS — DIGITAL

MODULATION

🔹 Basics (Q1–Q10)

1. Q: What is digital modulation?

A: Process of varying a carrier signal based on digital data (0s & 1s) to transmit it
effectively.
2. Q: Why is modulation needed?
A: To allow signal transmission over longer distances, reduce antenna size, and allow
multiplexing.
 3. Q: Difference between analog and digital modulation?
A: Analog modulates continuous signals (AM/FM), digital modulates binary bits
(ASK, PSK, etc.).
4. Q: What are coherent schemes?
A: Require phase synchronization between transmitter and receiver.
5. Q: What are non-coherent schemes?
A: No need for phase synchronization; less complex receivers.
6. Q: Name binary modulation types.
A: ASK, FSK, BPSK
7. Q: Name M-ary modulation types.
A: QPSK, 8-PSK, 16-QAM, 64-QAM
8. Q: What is bandwidth efficiency?
A: Number of bits transmitted per second per Hz of bandwidth.
9. Q: What is Eb/N0?
A: Energy per bit to noise power spectral density ratio. Key metric for modulation
performance.
10. Q: What is BER (Bit Error Rate)?
A: Probability of bit being received in error.

🔹 ASK/FSK/PSK (Q11–Q20)

11. Q: How does ASK work?

A: Changes amplitude of carrier signal based on data bit (On for 1, Off for 0 in
OOK).
12. Q: Disadvantage of ASK?
A: Sensitive to noise — noise affects amplitude easily.
13. Q: How does FSK work?
A: Frequency changes for 0 and 1 (f1, f2).
14. Q: Why is FSK better than ASK?
A: More immune to noise — frequency is more robust.
15. Q: How does BPSK work?
A: Shifts phase by 180° to represent bits.
16. Q: Why is BPSK efficient?
A: Very power-efficient and robust to noise.
17. Q: Drawback of BPSK?
A: Needs phase synchronization at receiver.
18. Q: What is the bandwidth of BPSK?
A: Twice the bit rate.
19. Q: In FSK, how much frequency spacing is ideal?
A: Δf = 1/2T (for non-coherent detection), = 1/T (for coherent)
20. Q: Why is PSK used in satellites?
A: Phase modulation is robust in power-limited channels.

🔹 M-ary & QAM (Q21–Q35)

 21. Q: What is QPSK?
A: Quadrature PSK – 4 phases, sends 2 bits per symbol.
22. Q: What is the advantage of QPSK over BPSK?
A: Doubles data rate for same bandwidth.
23. Q: What is DQPSK?
A: Differential QPSK – phase change encodes data, no need for absolute phase
reference.
24. Q: What is OQPSK?
A: Offset QPSK – I & Q bits offset to avoid abrupt phase shifts >90°.
25. Q: What is π/4 QPSK used for?
A: Improves filtering, used in mobile systems like IS-136.
26. Q: What is 8-PSK?
A: 8 phase values = 3 bits/symbol. Higher data rate, less noise tolerance.
27. Q: What is 16-QAM?
A: Combines amplitude + phase → 4x4 grid → 4 bits/symbol.
28. Q: What’s the difference between PSK & QAM?
A: PSK changes phase only; QAM changes both phase and amplitude.
29. Q: What is 64-QAM used in?
A: LTE Advanced, Wi-Fi 802.11ac — high-speed comm.
30. Q: Which has better noise immunity: QPSK or 16-QAM?
A: QPSK — fewer symbol errors due to simpler constellation.
31. Q: Why does QAM require more power?
A: Smaller distance between constellation points → more chance of error → more
power needed.
32. Q: What happens if SNR is low in 64-QAM?
A: High bit errors due to closely packed constellation points.
33. Q: What is Gray coding?
A: Bit sequences arranged so adjacent symbols differ by 1 bit to reduce errors.
34. Q: Why is 16-QAM used in DVB?
A: High data rate + tolerable error rate for TV transmission.
35. Q: What is modulation order?
A: Number of distinct symbols in modulation. (M = 2^n)

🔹 MSK, GMSK, Power Spectra, Performance (Q36–Q45)

36. Q: What is MSK?

A: FSK with minimal spacing, phase-continuous → very spectrally efficient.
37. Q: Advantage of MSK?
A: Narrow spectrum, constant envelope.
38. Q: What is GMSK?
A: MSK + Gaussian filter → smoother transitions.
39. Q: Why is GMSK used in GSM?
A: Power-efficient, reduced adjacent channel interference.
40. Q: Which modulations have constant envelope?
A: FSK, MSK, GMSK, OQPSK
41. Q: How is average error probability calculated?
A: Using Q-function depending on modulation and Eb/N0.
 42. Q: Which has lowest BER at same SNR: BPSK, QPSK, 16-QAM?
A: BPSK.
43. Q: Which is best for high SNR channels?
A: 64-QAM — high throughput.
44. Q: Which modulation is best for low SNR?
A: BPSK or QPSK — more resilient.
45. Q: What is spectral efficiency?
A: Bits transmitted per second per Hz — QAM > PSK > FSK.

🔹 Real-World + Applied (Q46–Q55)

46. Q: Which modulation does Bluetooth use?

A: GFSK or DQPSK
47. Q: Which modulation in 4G LTE downlink?
A: QPSK, 16-QAM, 64-QAM (adaptive)
48. Q: Why do we need adaptive modulation?
A: To switch modulation based on channel SNR.
49. Q: What modulation in satellite TV?
A: QPSK (DVB-S), 8PSK (DVB-S2)
50. Q: Why don’t we always use 64-QAM?
A: Needs very high SNR, not suitable for all environments.
51. Q: Is GMSK linear or non-linear modulation?
A: Non-linear due to Gaussian shaping.
52. Q: Which modulation is more energy-efficient: FSK or QAM?
A: FSK — but uses more bandwidth.
53. Q: How does constellation diagram help?
A: Visualizes symbols, distance between them = error performance
54. Q: What is symbol rate?
A: Number of symbol changes per second.
55. Q: Why do higher-order modulations need better error correction?
A: Higher symbol density = more errors.