AMPLITUDE MODULATION

AMPLITUDE MODULATION

 Modulation – the process of impressing low-

frequency information signals onto a high-
frequency carrier signal.

 Demodulation – the reverse process where

the received signals are transformed back to
their original form.
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 Amplitude Modulation
- the process of changing the amplitude of a
relatively high frequency carrier signal in
proportion with the instantaneous value of the
modulating signal.
- inexpensive, low-quality form of modulation
that is used for commercial broadcasting of both
audio and video signals.
- also used for two-way mobile radio
communications.
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 AM Modulators
- non-linear devices with two inputs and one
output
- the information acts on or modulates the RF
carrier
- the output is called an AM envelope
Output
VM Modulator

VC
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VM (t) = EM sin (2fmt)

VC (t) = EC sin (2fCt)

VAM (t) = [EC +EM sin (2fmt)]

[sin(2fCt)]
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AM Envelope
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 AM Frequency Spectrum and Bandwidth

 Non-linear
mixing
 Complex wave
 DC voltage
 Carrier Frequency

 Sum and Difference Frequencies

Carrier
Amplitude

B = 2fm(max)
LSB USB
LSF USF
Frequency
fc - fm(max) fc fc + fm(max)
AMPLITUDE MODULATION
Coefficient of Modulation – used to
describe the amount of amplitude change
present in an AM modulator.
 Percent Modulation – the coefficient of
modulation stated as a percentage.
- gives the percentage
change in the amplitude of the output wave
when the carrier is acted on by a modulating
signal.
AMPLITUDE MODULATION

m = Em / Ec
Where: m – modulation coefficient (unitless)
Em – peak change in the amplitude of
the output waveform voltage (volts)
Ec – peak amplitude of the
unmodulated carrier voltage (volts)
M = Em / Ec x 100%
AMPLITUDE MODULATION

Em = ½ (Vmax - Vmin) Vmax = Ec + Em

Ec = ½ (Vmax +Vmin) Vmin = Ec – Em

M = ½ (Vmax – Vmin) x 100% =

(Vmax – Vmin)
x 100%
½ (Vmax +Vmin) (Vmax + Vmin)
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Em = EUSF + ELSF ELSF = EUSF

ELSF = EUSF = Em/2
= ½(Vmax-Vmin)/2
= ¼(Vmax – Vmin)
Where: EUSF = peak amplitude of the upper
side frequency (volts)
ELSF = peak amplitude of the lower side
frequency(volts)
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Conditions of Coefficient of Modulation:

m = value is usually between 0 and 1
m  1 : if the amplitude of the modulating
voltage is higher than the carrier voltage
: causes severe distortion of the
modulated waveform
: overmodulation
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m  1 : no distortion will occur

: amplitude of the modulating signal is
less than the carrier amplitude

m  1 : ideal condition for AM

: generates output at the receiver
without distortion
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 AM Voltage Distribution
Vc(t) = Ec sin(2fct)
V1 = Ec + Em
V1 = Ec + Em sin(2fmt)
V2 = V1sin(2fct)
Peak change in the amplitude of the
envelope Frequency of the modulating signa

Vam(t) = [Ec + Em sin(2fmt)][sin (2fct)]

Amplitude of the
modulated wave
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but: Em = mEc
Vam(t) = [Ec + mEc sin(2fmt)][sin (2fct)]
Amplitude of the
modulated wave

Vam(t) = [1 + m sin(2fmt)][Ecsin (2fct)]

Constant + modulating Unmodulated
signal carrier
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Vam(t) = [Ec + mEc sin(2fmt)][sin (2fct)]
But: sin A sin B = cos(A-B)/2 – cos (A+B)/2
Vam(t) = Ecsin (2fct) – mEc/2 cos [2(fc+fm)t] + mEc cos [2(fc
-fm)t]
Carrier Signal Upper Side frequency Signal Lower Side frequency Signal

Ec
Amplitude(V)

mEc/2 mEc/2

Frequency(Hz
fLSF fc fUSF )
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AM Power Distribution
- the power dissipated is equal to the
voltage squared, divided by the resistance.
PC = (0.707 EC)2/R
PC = EC2/2R
Where: Pc = carrier power(watts)
Ec = peak carrier voltage (volts)
R = load resistance (ohms)
AMPLITUDE MODULATION

PUSB = PLSB = (mEC/2)2/2R

Peak Voltage

= m2EC2 / 8R
= m2/4 (EC2/2R)
= m2PC/4
Where: PUSB = upper sideband power (watts)
PLSB = lower sideband power (watts)
AMPLITUDE MODULATION

PT = PC + PLSB + PUSB
PT = PC + m2PC/4 + m2PC/4
PT = PC + m2PC/2
PT = PC ( 1 + m2/2)
Pc = EC2/2R
Power(watts)

m2PC/4 m2PC/4

Frequency(Hz
fLSF fc fUSF )
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 AM Current Calculations

PT IT2R IT2 2/2

= 2 = 2 = 1 + m
PC IC R IC
Where: Pt = total transmit power(watts)
Pc = carrier power (watts)
It = total transmit current (amperes)
Ic = carrier current (amperes)
R = antenna resistance (ohms
AMPLITUDE MODULATION

IT
= 1 + m2/2
Ic
IT = (1 + m2/2)
IC
AMPLITUDE MODULATION

 Modulation by a Complex Information

Signal
Vam(t) = sin (2fct) + ½ cos [2(fc-fm1)t]- ½ cos[2(fc+fm1)t]
+ ½ cos [2(fc-fm2)t]- ½ cos[2(fc+fm2)t]

mt = m12 + m22 + m32 +…+ mn2

Total Coefficient of Coefficient of modulation for

Modulation inputs 1,2,3..,n
AMPLITUDE MODULATION
 Examples:
1. A modulated carrier wave has maximum
and minimum amplitudes of 750mV and
250mV. Calculate the value of percentage
modulation.
2. A 10MHz sinusoidal carrier wave of
amplitude 10mV is modulated by a 5kHz
sinusoidal audio signal wave of amplitude
6mV. Find the frequency components of the
resultant modulated wave and their
amplitudes.
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3. An audio signal given by 15 sin2(2000t) amplitude
modulates a sinusoidal carrier wave 60
sin2(100000t). Determine(a) modulation index (b)
percent of modulation (c) frequency of signal and
carrier (d) frequency spectrum of the modulated
wave.
4. A bandwidth of 15MHz is available for AM
transmission. If the maximum audio signal frequency
used for modulating the carrier is not to exceed
15kHz, how many stations can broadcast within this
band simultaneously without interfering with each
other?
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5. In a broadcasting studio, a 1000kHz carrier is
modulated by an audio signal of frequency
range 100-5000Hz. Find the (a) width or freq.
range of sidebands (b) max and min freq of
USB (c) max and min freq of LSB (d) width of
the channel
6. The tuned circuit of the oscillator in an AM
transmitter uses a 40H coil and a 1nF
capacitor. If the carrier wave produced by the
oscillator is modulated by an audio freq up to
10kHz, calculate the freq band occupied by the
sidebands and the channel width.
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7. The total power content of an AM wave is

2.64kW at a modulation factor of 80%.
Determine the power content of (a) carrier
and (b) each sidebands.