GENERATION OF FREQUENCY 5 MODULATION Lo Objectives: 1. To be able to explain the basic principle of Frequency Modulation. 2. To be able to distinguish the characteristics of an FM signal, both in the frequency and time domain. 3. To be able to determine the effect of large modulation index to the bandwidth of an FM signal Practical 1, Frequency Modulation Basics 2, Generation of FM with a VCO 3. Spectrum of a signal with a large Modulation Index Workboard Required: FM Workboard 53-140, which comprises the following blocks * Signal Generation * Modulation * Oscilloscope © Spectrum Analyzer Theory of Frequency Modulation In FM, the carrier amplitude remains constant while the frequency is changed by the instantaneous value of the amplitude of the modulating signal. As the amplitude of the modulating signal increases, the center frequency increase as well. As the amplitude of the modulating signal decrease, the center frequency decreases as well. The amount of change in the conter frequency is referred to as frequency deviation. ‘The frequency of the modulating signal determines the frequency deviation rate, or how many times per second the carrier frequency deviates above and below its center frequency The equation of a sinusoidal voltage waveform is given by : v= Vinx Sin (wt + a) ECOMLAL Page of 18where! v is the instantaneous voltage Vous is the maximum voltage amplitude w is the angular frequency ois the phase A steady voltage corresponding to the above equation conveys little information. To convey information the waveform must be made to vary so that the variations represent the information. This process is called modulation. From the above equation, the basic parameters of such a waveform are: its amplitude, Vmax its frequency, w (or f) its phase, o Any of these may be varied to convey information, Impressing an information signal on a carrier by changing its frequency produces FM. Varying the amount of phase shift that a carrier experiences is called Phase Modulation (PM). Varying the phase shift of a carrier also produces FM. FM and PM are called Angle modulation. FM is widely used because of its advantages over AM. PRACTICAL 1: Frequency Modulation Basics ‘This practical introduces the idea of frequency modulation. Before you start it is ‘sary to appreciate some fundamental concepts. As in amplitude modulation, a carrier frequency is modulated by the information that is being sent. In AM it is the amplitude of the carrier that is varied in time with the modulation, in FM it is the frequency that is varied. The amplitude is constant as we will see. When no modulation is being applied the carrier is at its nominal frequency ie the carrier frequency. The modulating signal causes the frequency to deviate, ie to move above and below its nominal value. With the greatest possible deviation, the minimum frequency could be near zero and, assuming the modulating signal to have no de component, the maximum frequency would then be about twice the carrier frequency. However, this would take a very large amount of frequency spectrum and the bandwidth would have no relationship to the modulating signal bandwidth, A set limit is normally made on the amount that the carrier can deviate from its nominal frequency and this is called the maximum deviation. Different systems uso differont values of maximum deviation, depending on a number of factors some of which are very complex. ECOMLAL Pago 2 of 13.PROC URES: In this practical the hardware is configured as shown. You have an available oscilloseope and a spectrum analyzer. Using this configuration you can see how the oscillator frequency can be controlled by an external signal rt Pe @ Sinn Figure 1— Production of Frequency Modulation Using Variable de Voltage Set Carrier level to about half scale. Set the external de variable voltage to minimum, by varying the manual frequency control. 3. Monitor at 16 to seo the voltage applied to the oscillator and 4 to see the output. Sketch the output waveform from point 4 in the time domain. Determine its corresponding frequency using the spectrum analyzer. Determine the frequency range measured on the spectram analyzer. Repeat steps 1 to 4. Set the external de variable voltage to! a, mid scale b. maximum oe ECOMEA1 Page $ of 13 RXPRRIMENT 5OSCILLOSCOPE: SPECTRUM ANALYZER | Vmax (Point 4): Vax (Point 4) CTI { [es sea | | | a ! j - — Amplitude: Amplit Freque ‘Vmid (Point 4) Vmid (Point 4) , {EBs i Se | fees ee [| | LEf | T i L Amplitude: Amplitude | Frequency: ‘Vmin (Point 4) Vmin (Point 4) I ce t t I | t i | f t t 1 tT i I i L Ll Amplitude: Amplitude’ Frequen ECOMLAI Pago 4 of 18. DRIED 6QUESTIONS: i © State how the frequency of a caxvier varies in an FM system when the modulating signal amplitude and frequency change, Is it easier to measure the frequency range on the oscilloscope or on the spectrum analyzer? Choose two voltages levels at the control input to the oscillator and measure the corresponding output frequencies. Hence calculate the ‘frequency slope! or the deviation constant (k) of the oscillator in kiloherta per volt. When does maximum frequency deviation occur in an FM signal? Can you see any amplitude variation over the frequency range? Should there be any? PRACTICAL 2: Generation of FM with a VCO In this practical a sine wave signal is used to frequency modulate a carrier so that you can investigate the appearance of such signals in both the time and frequency domains. You can adjust the amount of deviation and hence change the modulation index. Notice that the appearance of an FM signal on the spectrum analyzer is similar to that of an AM signal when the modulation index is small. ‘Try to reconcile the explanation of the bandwidth of an FM signal given in the previous background pages with the obse1 ations you make in this practical ‘BCOMLAI Page 5 0f 13PROCEDURES: In this practical the variable voltage used to control the VCO frequency has been replaced by a sine wave oscillator. This sine wave now frequency modulates the carrier Turn the modulation level up and down and observe the effect. 1. Set Carrier level to about half scale. 2. Set the modulating signal voltage to minimum by adjusting the modulation level control 3. Monitor at 16 to see the voltage applied to the oscillator and 4 to see the output. Sketch the output waveform in the time domain and frequency domain, 4, Determine the center frequency amplitude, number of pairs of sidebands(n), and bandwidth. 5. Repeat steps ] to 4 by adjusting the modulating signal level to a, mid scale b. full scale ona Po ers Figure 2— Production of Frequency Modulation Using Wariable Modulating Signal BCOMEA Page 6 of 13 EXPERIMENT 5Vmin: Point 16 Point 16 1 | id | | t i | | | | L 4 l ee L it Amplitude: Frequency? Point 4 Point 4 — 1 I i { | HH EEE 1 [ I T Amplitude? Bandwidth: Vinid' Point 16 Point 16 Hf I | i Paneee T | t T Amplitude: Frequency: a erat EXPERIMENT 5Point 4 Point 4 Amplitude: Bandwidth: nt Vmax Polat 16 Point 16 r | fees] | [i [es ae ee a ea fs te ee | st es ee] i 1 | | 5 ae Amplitude: Frequency: Point 4 Point 4 Amplitude: BW: ECOMLAL Pago 8 of 13. EXPERIMENT 5QUESTIONS: 1.By looking at the spectrum of the modulated signal, can you estimate the frequency of the modulating signal? How? 2, Would it he equally easy to estimate the bandwidth of the modulating signal from the spectrum if the modulating signal were complex, having many frequencies? 3. As the modulation level varies, how constant are? a. the carrier frequency component of the modulated signal? b. the amplitude of the modulated signal? PRA L.3:__ Spectrum of a signal with a large Modulation Index ‘This is a simple practical where the frequency modulator is connected to the spectrum analyzer. The carrier frequency has been reduced to about 5 kHz so, since the maximum deviation is the same as in the other practical of his Assignment, the modulation index is much greater. As we saw, the bandwidth is B=2(6f + fn) where: Bis the bandwidth 6f the deviation fy is the bandwidth of the modulation So if fm is small compared with 6f, i.e. the modulation index is large. then. B=2 8 BCOMLAT Page 9 0f 13 ESPSRIMENT SSOn the analyzer the spectrum appears to be continuous but in reality it is made up of a large number of sidebands spaced at 5 kHz intervals from the carrier up to 6f. This practical simply shows how when the modulation index is large the bandwidth is determined almost exclusively by the deviation. PROCEDURES: In this practical the modulation frequency has been set to 5 kHz. This means that the modulation index can be very high. This enables you to see that under these conditions the bandwidth of an FM signal is almost equal to twice the frequency deviation. Figure 3 — Effect of Varying the Modulating Signal Frequency to the Bandwidth Set Carrier level to about half scale. Set the modulating frequency to minimum Note that the bandwidth is almost proportional to the deviation. Monitor the spectrum analyzer output and sketch the output waveform. Repeat steps 1 to 3, and set the modulating frequency to a. mid stale b. full seale by adjusting the 5 kHz potentionmeter control. ‘BCOMLAL Page 10.0f 19 BXPRRIMENT 5Point 4 Vmin Amplitude! Frequency? Vmid Amplitude: Bandwidth: ECOMLAL EXPERIMBNT 6 Page 1 of 13QUESTIONS: 1. Ifthe modulating frequency is 5 kHz and the deviation is 50 kHz, a. Calculate the modulation index. b. Calculate the signal bandwidth using Carson's rule. 2. What is the difference between the modulation index and the deviation ratio? 3. The AM broadcast band consists of 107 channels for stations 10 kHz wide. The maximum permitted modulating frequency is 5 kHz. Could FM be used on this band? If so, explain what would be necessary to make it happen. 4, The FM radio broadcast band is allocated the frequency spectrum from 88 — 108 MHz. There are 100 channels spaced 200 kHz apart. The first channel conter froquency is 88.1 MHz; the last or 100", channel center frequency is 107.9 MHz. Each 200-kHz channel has a 150-kHz modulation bandwidth with a 25 kHz “guard hancs” on either side of it to minimize the effects of overmodulation (over deviation). The FM broadcast band permits a maximum deviation of * 75 kHz and a maximum modulating frequency cf 15 kHz. a. Draw the frequency spectrum of the channel centered on 99.9 MHz, showing all relevant frequencies, BCOMLAI Page 12 of 13 RNPRRIMENTb. Draw the frequency spectrum of the FM band, showing the details of the three lowest-frequency channels and the three highest frequency channels. ¢. Determine the bandwidth of the FM signal by using the deviation ratio and the Bessel table. a. Determine the bandwidth of the FM signal using Carson's rule. e. | Which of the above bandwidth calculations best fits the available channel bandwidth. 5. Ifa bandpass filter wore to be added at the input of an FM detector what factors determine the bandwidth required? CONCLUSION: ECOMLAT Page 19 of 13.