Constituent tages of amplitude modulation radio tranmitter We first undertake the study of amplitude modulation radio transmitter operating

on medium or short waves meant for general user. Special features to be corporated for special applications such as radio broadcast , radio telephony, radio telegraph , etc. Are discussed later. (i) Master oscillator. It generates oscillations of desired frequency with high constacy frequency. The generated frequency is required yo remain constant within close limits inspite of variations in the supply voltage,ambient temperature, temperature of components and load. Further frequency variations with time and with age of the tube are to be avoided. (ii) Buffer implifier or isolating implifier. If the master oscillator directly drives a harmonic generator or class c power amplifier, which may draw grid current, power is drawn from the master oscillator. The grid current result in loading of master oscillator, which causes variations of effective resistance of the tank circuit of the oscillator and hence result n frequency variations. Accordingly a buffer amplifier or isolating amplifier placed between the master ocillator and the harmonic generators. This buffer amplifier does not draw any grid current and hence produces no loading on the master oscillator. Changes in carrier frequency due to variations in loading are thus avoided. (iii)Hamornic generators. Usually master oscillator generates voltage at a frequency which is sib-multiple of the carrier frwuency, i.e. the frequency of the radiated porwer. Basically these harmonic generators are class C tuned amplifier in which the output R.F. voltage is first disorted through class C operation and then the tuned circuit in the plate circuit of the amplifier selects the desired harmonic frequency. (iv)Class C amplifier. R.F voltage enerated by the master oscillator has usually very small power, of the order of a few watts. The power level is required to be raised to the final high value in a chain of class C amplifiers having high plate circuit efficiency of the order of 70%. In general, first few stages of class C amplifiers act as harmonic generator as well. (v) Modulated Amplifier. This is a class C tuned amplifier , usually of pushpull type and is modulated by audio modulating voltage from modulating amplifier . High efficiency series plate modulation is most popularly used in radio broadcast and radio telephone transmitters. Grid bias modulation and suppressor grid modulation are sometimes used particularly for modulation at low power levels . (vi)Modulating Amplifier. This is usually a class B pushpull amplifier and feeds audio power into the modulated amplifier in the plate circuit , control grid circuit or suppressor grid circuit depending upon the method

of modulation used . Class B operation is generally used because of high plate circuit efficiency . However , class A modulating amplifiers are also sometimes used particularly in low power transmitters .

The transmitter shown in Fig. 41.2 uses the so called , high power level modulation system because the carrier voltage is modulated at the highest power level . An alternative system , called the low power level modulation system, consist in modulating the carrier at a low power level and the carrier power is subsequently raised to the desired level in class B tuned power amplifiers as shown in Fig.41.3 . Such tuned power amplifiers cannot use class C operation because class C operation cannot reproduce the variations in the amplitude of teh carrier voltage since plate current in class C amplifiers flows in the form of the pulses . Such low power level modulation system was extensively used in the early stages of development of radio communication but has now been almost completely replaced by high power level modulation system