DEPARTMENT OF TECHNICAL EDUCATION

ANDHRA PRADESH

Name : N. Ramanjaneyulu.
Designation : Lecturer.
Branch : ECE.
Institute : G.P.W., Hindupur.
semester : Third.
Subject : Analog communication.
Code : EC-305.
Topic : Transmitters& receivers.
Sub-topic : Receivers-AGC ( AVC )
Duration : 50Mts.
Teaching aids : PPTs,diagrams.

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Objectives:

Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to :

• Know the function of automatic volume control (AVC). or
automatic gain control (AGC).
• Know the need for AGC.
• Know the description of AVC
• Draw the Circuit diagram of AVC.
• Know the principle of AGC.

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 Function of AVC(AGC)

• Automatic gain control or automatic volume control is a

system by means of which the overall gain of a radio
receiver is varied automatically with the changing
strength of the received signal to keep the output always
constant.

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Need for AGC:

• The task of the receiver circuit is complicated by the fact

that the received signal level is not constant but varies
constantly due to fading.

• For the minimum signal at the input of the receiver ,loud

speaker output becomes inaudible.

• For the maximum input signal ,loud speaker output

becomes intolerably large.

• To keep the output always constant with the changing

strength of the received signal AGC is used.
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Description of AGC:

• Essentially an AGC circuit receives a sinusoidal input

signal such as an AM wave and delivers a dc output
signal whose amplitude is proportional to the amplitude
of the input signal.

• The dc output is usually a negative voltage, but in

transistorized equipment it can be positive.

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• The greater the amplitude of the ac input the larger the
dc output.

• The smaller the amplitude of the ac input the smaller the

dc output.

• An important characteristic of an AGC circuit is that it

does not respond to instantaneous amplitude variations
of the ac input signal.

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Circuit diagram of AVC:

Fig :Circuit of AVC

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Characteristics of AVC:

Fig : AVC Characteristics

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Principle of AVC or AGC:

• A dc bias voltage, derived from a detector is applied to a

selected number of the RF,IF and mixer stages.

• The trans conductance and gain of the devices used in

those stages depends on the applied bias voltage.

• The dc output of the wave recovered by the detector is

filtered and fed back to the first IF amplifier as a bias
voltage.

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• The bias voltage modify the gain of the amplifier relative
to the signal at the antenna.

• When a strong signal is received, the detector dc output

level is higher and a large dc voltage is sent back to the
IF stage to reduce the gain.

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• When the incoming signal is weak, smaller dc voltage
from the detector is sent back to the IF amplifier to
increase the gain.

• The net result is that the signal level at the output of the
detector is relatively constant for either a weak or a
strong signal at the antenna.

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Methods of AVC:

There are four methods in which AVC can be used in radio

receivers, they are:

1.Simple AVC.
2.Delayed AVC.
3.Amplified AVC.
4.Amplified delayed AVC.

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Disadvantages with simple AVC:

• Reduction of gain of amplifiers for weak signals.

• Low signal to noise ratio.

• Poor sensitivity of the receiver for weak signal.

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Summary:

After completion of this topic you have learnt about:

• The function of AVC
• Need for AVC
• Description of AVC
• Principle of AVC
• Methods of AVC
• Disadvantages of AVC

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 Quiz

1. In a radio receiver with simple AGC

a) an increase in signal strength produces more AGC .
b) the audio stage gain is normally controlled by AGC.
c) the faster the AGC time contain ,the more accurate the
output.
d) The highest AGC voltage is produced between stations.
Ans. a.

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2.The overall gain of the radio receiver is varied
automatically with the changing strength of the received
signal is called
a) automatic volume control
b) automatic Gain control.
c) automatic frequency control.
d) automatic voltage control.
Ans. Both (a) and (b)

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3. The simple AGC circuit has the following disadvantage
a) low SNR on weak signal .
b) high SNR on weak signal.
c) good sensitivity of the receiver on receiving weak signal.
d) none of these.
Ans. a

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 Frequently asked questions

1. What is AVC and explain about it?

3. What is the need for AVC?

5. What are the disadvantages in simple AVC?

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