University of Hertfordshire

School of Engineering and Technology

6ELE0074 Telecommunication Systems

Lab Answer Sheet on

Digital Communication Link Simulation using PSK and QAM

Name :Harsha Bandara Samarawickrama Kodituwakku Gedara

ID number :10246804

1. Give the 16QAM link system diagram you actually used in your lab simulation,
naming the building blocks. Describe briefly the link system operation and the
functions of different parts.
(25%)

Figure 1.1- 16QAM link system diagram

Above diagram is the constructed communication link to investigates the characteristics

of QAM digital Modulation scheme.Here we need to measure the BER by changing the
SNR under the AWGN channel and analyze the performance of the 16QAM Modulation
Scheme.

Components of the diagram

 Random Integer Generator

 General QAM Modulator Baseband
 AWGN Channel
 General QAM Modulator
 Error Rate Calculation
 Discrete Time Scatter Plot Scop
 Scop
 Display

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 The first component of the diagram is Random Integer Generator.It’s generates
the uniformly distributed random integers in the range [0, M-1], where M is the M-ary
number.Here M is 16 because we use 16 QAM scheme[0-15].In this block the sample time
should be configured to given value 0.0001s.

The generated signal at the Random interger Generator then Modulate by QAM
Modulator which the array number is 16. This system can modulate the various 16 input
signals (0 to 15 integers) using Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM) technique.

Then QAM Modulator output send through a AWGN channel(Additive White Gaussian
Noise) block which add Noise to the signal.In this block we can change the SNR value
according to our requirement.. For the given situation SNR is a considerable factor that
should be changing by 2dB incremental steps up to 20dB in order to measure the error rate
for particular SNR value.

After signal go through the AWGN channel at the receiving end the signal is
Demodulate by using QAM Demodulator.The Demodulated signal output then connect to the
Rx port of the Error Rate Calculation block.To calculate the Bit Error Rate both Outputs of
the Random Integer Generator and QAM Demodulator should connect with Error Rate
Calculation.Therefore Integer Generator connect with Tx port.
To take Scatter Plots we need to use two Discrete Time Scatter Plot Scop blocks at
Modulator Output and Input of the Demodulator.So that we can take clear scatter plot
diagram when signal go through before and after the AWGN channel.The Display block
show the results total transmitted bits,Error in bits and calculated BER value.

Functions of each Components

 Random Integer Generator

The Random Integer Generator block generates uniformly distributed random integers
in the range [0, M-1], where M is the M-ary number. The M-ary number can be either a scalar
or a vector. Number of samples can be increase by reducing the sample time and ‘Initial
seeds’ and ‘Output data type’ are other parameters that are default values in given
requirement.Here the M array number should be 16 because we use 16 QAM modulator.

 General QAM Modulator Baseband

The General QAM Modulator Baseband block modulates using quadrature amplitude
modulation. Quadrature Amplitude Modulation, QAM is a signal in which two carriers
shifted in phase by 90 degrees are modulated and the resultant output consists of both
amplitude and phase variations. The final output is a baseband representation of the
modulated signal.In this Modulator block, signal constellation parameter should be configure
to [exp(2*pi*i*[0:15]/16)] and ‘Output data type’ is set to the ‘Double’.

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  AWGN(Additive White Gaussian Noise)

An AWGN channel block adds white Gaussian noise to a real or complex input signal
that passes through it.The quality of the signal is vary by the value of the Signal to Noise
Ratio values.Here we can change SNR values according to our requirements.In this block the
input signal power should be set to 1W.

 General QAM Demodulator Baseband

The General QAM Demodulator Baseband block demodulates a signal that was
modulated using quadrature amplitude modulation. The input is a baseband representation of
the modulated signal. In this Modulator block, signal constellation parameter should be
configure to [exp(2*pi*i*[0:15]/16)] and ‘Output data type’ is set to the ‘Double’.

 Discrete-Time Scatter Plot Scope

The Discrete-Time Scatter Plot Scope block displays scatter plots of a modulated
signal, to reveal the modulation characteristics, such as pulse shaping or channel distortions
of the signal.There are two scatter plot scop in above diagram.One is at output of the QAM
Modulator(Before go through the AWGN Channel) and otherone at QAM Demodulator
output.

 Bit Error Rate Calculation

The Error Rate Calculation block compares input data from a transmitter with input
data from a receiver. It calculates the error rate as a running statistic, by dividing the total
number of unequal pairs of data elements by the total number of input data elements from one
source. We can use this block to compute either symbol or bit error rate.

 Display

Display block show the results obtained from the Error Rate Calculator. According to
our requirment we can change the parameters such as short, long, short_e, ...etc. For the
above requirement decimation point is set to the 1 and the “Format” is set to the short.

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2) For the QAM link, give the obtained performance curve of BER against SNR, with
SNR varying from 0dB up to 20dB at an incremental step of 2dB. Comment on the
performance. In order for the QAM link to achieve a BER of 10 -3, what is the
corresponding SNR required?
(25%)

Following figure shows the obtained measure values BER against SNR

Signal to Noise Ratio(dB) Bit Error Rate

0 0.7826
2 0.7333
4 0.6696
6 0.5898
8 0.4974
10 0.3914
12 0.2793
14 0.1714
16 0.0856
18 0.0316
20 0.0071
22 0.00094
24 0.000054

Table 2.1 BER values For

We checked the BER values for further after taking 20dB SNR,because we have to find
the corresponding SNR value for BER at 10-3.

According to the above obtained values performance curve of BER against SNR graph
is as follows.

Graph 2.1- performance curve of BER against SNR

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 Above chart shows the obtained performance curve of BER against SNR. According to
the that curve,we can see when increase the SNR the BER is reduce. Signal-to-noise ratio is
defined the power ratio between a signal and the noise in a link. High SNR level shows quality
signal output and low SNR values shows low performance. The bit error rate shows the ratio
between the numbers of bit errors divided by the total number of transferred bits. When signal
go through the AWGN channel noise affect to the quality of the signal.
So when it comes to the performances of the link system we could realise that as the
effect of the noise reduced the BER ratio will goes to smaller values resulting greater
performances to link system.But increasing the SNR from 0dB to 20dB steps the quality of the
signal has increased.
Therefore we can conclude, can have better performance with minimum BER of the
QAM link system when increase the Signal to Noise Ratio of the AWGN channel.

To achieve 10-3 BER value for the QAM link we need to expand the SNR axis more
and observe the BER when increasing the SNR.By taking the SNR and curve that we observed
we could conclude in order to achieve a BER of 10-3 approximately according to the curve the
required SNR would be 22dB, the respective plot that we got is as follows,

Graph 2.2 - performance curve of BER against SNR

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3) Show signal constellations (scatter plots) of the 16QAM link at the modulator output
and the demodulator input for SNR of 12dB. Comment on any differences of the two
constellations and what may have caused the differences.

Discrete Time Scatter Plot diagrams that are taken at the QAM Modulator output and
QAM Demodulator input When SNR value is 12dB

Fig:-3.1 Scatter plot for QAM Modulator Output

Fig:-3.2 Scatter plot for QAM Demodulator inputput

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 Integer samples generated by the Random integer are modulated by the QAM
modulator according to the 16-QAM constellation. When considering the first scatter plot at
the Output of the QAM Modulator, all 16 points are displayed in correct position. Because,
modulated samples are not affected by the noise at very first time. Hence, same SNR levels are
applied for all samples.

The signal will affected by the noise when the signal travels through the AWGN
channel. Therefore different SNR values are applied for the samples. Therefore the displayed
second scatter plot at the input of the QAM Demodulator is not accurate and the points are
placed slightly different with original one.That means the when add noise to the signal increase
the BER and decrease the performance of the link.

4) Generally comment on 16QAM against QPSK and 64QAM in terms of bandwidth

efficiency and signal power required. In what cases 64QAM and QPSK may be preferred
to 16QAM?
(25%)
When choise a modulation scheme there are several factors to consider like Bandwidth
effiiciency and Signal power required. To compare the prefered Modulation technique we need
to consider there number of symbols and bits per symbols,
 64 QAM has 64 symbols (6 bits)
 16 QAM has 16 symbols (4bits)
 QPSK has 4 symbols (2bits)

Prefered Modulation Technique from Bandwidth Efficiency Point Of View

We can transmit more bits/symbol in 64 QAM than 16 QAM and QPSK because 64
QAM has 64 symbols (6 bits). 16 QAM and QPSK uses has 16 symbols (4bits) and 4
Symbols(2bits). Therefore higher order modulation rates are able to offer much faster data
rates and higher levels of bandwidth efficiency for the communications system.
Therefore Bandwidth efficiency is varied for these Modulation techniques as follows,
QPSK<16-QAM<64-QAM

Prefered Modulation Technique from Signal Power Efficiency Point Of View

But when we consider only the Bandwidth effieciency for higher level modulations,
constellation is higher than the low level of modulation techniques. If we keep remain the same
noise power for the higher level modulation it increases the probability of error when there is
noise.When increase the level of noise it couse to increase the bit error rate.Therefore required
power for higher level of modulation is high.Hense, cost for the communication system is
high.So the signal power requirement increases in the following way,

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QPSK<16-QAM<64-QAM

Comparing these modulation techniques we have to choose the appropriate technique

for our requirement. If we need to transmit the signal in higher bit rate the applications like
cable modem and digital cable television presently used in digital terrestrial television most
countries, it is most preferable use 64 QAM than the 16 QAM.
QPSK provide better performance than the 16 QAM in the context of BER and power
consumption.Therefore the applications like Celluler phones its more prefered to use QPSK
Modulation, Because they use battery power and it is important reduce the require power. So
QPSK is more preferable than 16-QAM for applications where the bandwidth requirement is
lower and signal power is lower such as above requirements.

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