Islamic University of Gaza Digital Communications Lab.

Faculty of Engineering Prepared by:

Electrical Department Eng. Mohammed K. Abu Foul

Experiment # (9)
PSK modulator

Experiment Objectives:
1. To understand the operation theory of PSK modulation.
2. To understand the signal waveform of PSK modulation.
3. To design the PSK modulator by using MC1496
4. To understand the methods of measuring and adjusting the PSK modulation circuit.

Experiment theory:
In communication system, besides AM and FM, there is another type of modulation which
is the phase modulation. In phase modulation, the amplitude and frequency remain the same,
the only difference is the phase. The binary signal is used to switch the phase between 0o and
180o, which is called phase shift keying (PSK) modulation.

Generally, in order to increase the transmission rate, we need to use more bandwidth.
However, as for the variation of PSK modulation, the signal is hidden in the phase, therefore,
the problem of the consumption of bandwidth will not occur. Figure 9.1(a) is the 1-bit
transmission of the PSK modulation. If the variation located at the zero phase, it represents the
data signal is zero. On the other words, if the variation located at the π phase, it represents the
data signal is 1.

Figure 9.1(b) is the 2-bit transmission of the PSK modulation, which it is also known as
quadrature phase shift keying (QPSK). If the variation located at the zero phase, it represents
the data signal is (00). If the variation located at the π/2 phase, it represents the data signal (01).
If the variation located at the π phase, it represents the data signal is (10). If the variation
located at the 3π/2 phase, it represents the data signal is (11).

(a) (b)

Figure 9.1 Constellation diagram of PSK and QPSK modulations.

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 Figure 9.3 is the simple circuit diagram of PSK modulator. At the data input port, input 5 V,
then D1, D3 will ON, D2, D4 will OFF. The carrier signal inputs to the Carrier Input port will
pass through T1 and couples to the second coil. After that the signal will pass through D1, D3
and reach to the first coil of T2. Then the signal will couple to the second coil of T2, at this
moment, the phase of the waveform at PSK output terminal will similar to the phase of the
carrier input, as shown in figure 9.2. On the other hand, if we input -5 V at the data input port,
then D1, D3 will OFF, D2, D4 will ON. At this moment, the phase of the waveform at PSK
output terminal will opposite to the phase of the carrier input. This type of modulation is known
as PSK modulation.

Figure 9.2 Signal waveforms of BPSK modulation

Figure 9.3 Simple circuit diagram of PSK modulator.

M-ary PSK can be expressed as:

Where:
m: index of the symbol.

M = 2n where n is the number of bits in the symbol

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 If the data signal is 1-bit, that is M=2. So, xPSK(t) will transmit binary bits signal and the
phase shift of the modulated signal is 180o out of phase. Figure 9.2 shows the signal waveform
of binary phase shift keying (BPSK). The BPSK signal at logic 1 is represented as Acos(ωct+π)
and the BPSK signal at logic 0 is represented as Acos(ωct+2π).

Figure 9.4 shows the block diagram of PSK modulator. This block diagram is similar to the
block diagram of ASK modulator in experiment 5. The only difference is the PSK modulator
converts the unipolar data signal to bipolar data signal before sending the signal to the balanced
modulator. Therefore, phase modulation can be achieved by using the balanced modulator. The
bandpass filter will remove the high frequency signal, which make the PSK signal waveform
more perfect.

In this experiment, MC1496 is used to implement the balanced modulator. Figure 9.5 is the
internal circuit diagram of MC1496 (As in experiment 5)

Figure 9,4 Basic structure diagram of PSK modulator.

Figure 9.5 Internal circuit diagram of MC1496

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 Figure 9.6 Circuit diagram of PSK modulator by using MC1496

Figure 9.6 is the circuit diagram of 1-bit PSK which the carrier signal and data signal are
single-ended input. Pin 10 is the carrier input and data signal is passed through the unipolar to
bipolar converter which is comprise by 74HCU04, 74HC126, 3904, 3906, D1, D2, D3 and R1 t0
R8.
The converted bipolar signal will be sent to pin 1 of MC1496. R22 determines the gain of
the circuit and R23 determines the bias voltage of the circuit. If we adjust VR1 or change the
amplitude of the data signal, then we can prevent the PSK modulation signal from distortion.
This signal will be sent to the filter, which is comprised by µA741, C4, C6, R26, R27 and R28.
Then the high frequency signals, which are produced by the balanced modulator will be filtered
and a better PSK signal will be performed.

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Experiment items:
Experiment 1: PSK modulator
1. Refer to the circuit diagram in figure 9.6 or refer to figure DCS15.1 on ETEK DCS-
6000-08 module.
2. At the input terminal of modulation signal (Data I/P), input 5 V amplitude and 100 Hz
TTL signal. By using oscilloscope, observe on the output signal waveforms of the
unipolar to bipolar converter output terminal TP1, then record the measured results in
table 9.1.
3. According to the input signal in table 9.1, repeat step 2 and record the measured results
in table 9.1.
4. At the input terminal of modulation signal (Data I/P), input 5 V amplitude and 100 Hz
TTL signal with 50 % duty cycle, i.e. data signal streams with "10". At the input
terminal of carrier signal (carrier I/P), input 400 mV amplitude and 20 kHz sine wave
frequency.
5. By using oscilloscope, observe on the output signal waveforms of the output terminal of
modulated PSK signal (PSK O/P). adjust VR1 and observe on the modulated PSK
signal waveform until the waveform does not occur distortion. Slightly adjust the VR2
to avoid the asymmetry of the waveform. By using oscilloscope, observe on the output
signal waveforms of TP1, bipolar signal test point (TP2), carrier signal (TP3), balanced
modulator (TP4) and modulated PSK signal output port (PSK O/P), finally, record the
output signal waveform in table 9.2.
6. According to the input signal in table 9.2, repeat step 4 to step 5 and record the
measured results in table 9.2.

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Measured results:
Table 9-1 Observe on the output signal of unipolar to bipolar converter by changing
the frequency of data

Output signal waveforms

Data signal frequencies
Data I/P TP1

100 Hz

1 kHz

10 kHz

Table 9-2 Observe on the PSK modulation signal by changing the frequency of carrier signal
(Vc=400 mV, fData=100 Hz. )

Output signal waveforms

Carrier signal frequencies
Carrier I/P TP1

TP2 TP3

20 kHz

TP4 PSK O/P

NOTE:
Repeat table 9-2 with carrier frequency 50 kHz and 100 kHz