COMMUNICATIONS LAB.

Experiment #3: Frequency Modulation / Demodulation

OBJECTIVES
Introduction to frequency modulation and demodulation.

GENERAL INFORMATION on Frequency Modulation/Demodulation

The most obvious modulation method is to vary the carrier amplitude with the instantaneous message signal
value. However, the amplitude is not the only quantity the carrier that can be used to carry the message. It is
also possible to vary the frequency of the signal, and this is called frequency modulation or FM. In FM,
carrier frequency is varried within some small range about a center frequency with message signal's
instantaneous amplitude. This is illustrated in Fig. 1. The relation is as follows;

Message Signal: 𝑉𝑀 (t)

Carrier Signal: 𝑉𝐶 (t) = 𝑉𝐶𝑂 sin( 2  𝑓𝐶 t + 
FM Signal: 𝑉𝐹𝑀 (t) = 𝑉𝐶𝑂 sin (2 𝑓𝐶 + (f/𝑉𝑀𝑂 ) 𝑉𝑀 (t) t + 

where f is the peak frequency deviation (swing). A modulation index can also be defined for FM, analogous
to AM. Modulation index  = f/fm , where fm is the maximum modulating frequency used.

Figure 1 Illustration of modulating and modulated signal

There are also some advantages & disadvantages of FM as compared with AM;
- FM systems are far better at rejecting noise than AM systems.
- FM systems are inherently immune to random noise.
- In FM signals, because of the considerable side-bands produced, the efficiency is generally high. While
conventional AM is limited to about 33% efficiency to prevent distortion.
- FM radio has a significantly larger bandwidth than AM radio.
- One of the minor disadvantages of FM is that the demodulator is a little more complicated and expensive
than the very simple diode detectors used for AM.
- The sidebands for an FM transmission theoretically extend out to infinity. To limit the bandwidth of the
transmission, filters are used, and these introduce some distortion of the signal.

Wideband FM is regarded as a very high quality transmission medium for high quality broadcasting. It is
also widely used for communications where it is resilient to variations in signal strength.

There are a number of circuits that can be used to demodulate FM. Here is a list of some of the main types
of FM demodulator or FM detector:
- Slope FM detector
- Ratio detector
- PLL, Phase locked loop FM demodulator
- Quadrature FM demodulator
COMMUNICATIONS LAB. Experiment #3: Frequency Modulation / Demodulation
EXPERIMENT

1. The Frequency Modulation

a) Generate (and observe within CH1) ‘0’ voltage by using “DC supply” and connect this signal “Vm”
input of the FM module.

b) Connect the oscilloscope (CH2) to the “FM” output of the FM module and adjust ‘Carrier Frequency’
until you observe a 160kHz signal on the screen. Draw the result observed on the screen to your report.

c) Adjust message signal to ‘+5 DC ’ voltage and observe “Vm” and “FM” output signals. Draw the result
observed on the screen to your report.

d) In the same way, adjust message signal to ‘-5 DC ’ voltage and observe “Vm” and “FM” output signals.
Draw the result observed on the screen to your report. So far, you've used message signals at “0”, “+5"
and “-5” volts and observed the changes in the signals at the FM output. What does that mean to you?
Note down your comments.

e) Disconnect the “DC supply” connection from “Vm” and generate “40kHz, 15Vpp” sinusoidal message
signal by using the “FG1” function generator and connect it to “Vm” input on the training kit. Draw the
result observed on the screen to your report.

f) Observe the modulated signal at the “FM” output. Draw the result observed on the screen to your report
and note down your comments.

g) Then, observe the output frequency spectrum using the “FFT” function on the oscilloscope. Draw the
result observed on the screen to your report and note down your comments.

h) Repeat the steps f) and g) now by applying “10kHz, 15Vpp” sinusoidal message signal. See the effect of
the frequency change of the message signal. Draw the result observed on the screen to your report and
note down your comments.

i) Observe the modulated signal at the “FM” output now by changing “Carrier Frequency” slightly. See the
effect of the frequency change of the carrier signal. Draw the result observed on the screen to your report
and note down your comments.

2. The Frequency Demodulation

j) Adjust “DC Supply” to ‘0’ voltage and connect this DC voltage to “Vm”. Then connect the oscilloscope
to the output of the FM module and adjust “Carrier Signal” until you observe a 170kHz at the “FM”
output.

k) Disconnect the “DC supply” connection from “Vm” and generate “40kHz, 15Vpp” sinusoidal message
signal by using the “FG1” function generator and connect it to “Vm” input on the training kit. Hence, a
Frequency Modulated signal will be obtained at the “FM” output.

l) Make required connections to demodulate this Frequency Modulated signal as you did in the previous
experiment.

m) Firstly, observe “Vm” and “Vo” output signals by using CH1 and CH2 of the oscilloscope. Draw the
result observed on the screen to your report and note down your comments.
Hint: You may need to adjust “PLL Frequency” toogle button to obtain a proper result.

n) After you get a proper result at the step m), observe “Vco” output signal of the ‘Frequency Demodulation’
module by using the oscilloscope. Draw the result observed on the screen to your report and and note
down your comments. You may state your thoughts on what the PLL frequency might be. While doing
so, you may look at the schematic drawn on the training kit.