FM Transmission

Nature has provided us with sound sensors in the

shape of ears which we use to listen to the different
sounds. Of course it is possible to hear a sound with
only one ear but still nature has provided us with not
one but two ears. All the gifts of the nature to us
human beings have a special purpose in our lives.
According to the sound specialists, one of the ears is
suitable to receive the high frequency spectrum of
sound while the other ear is suitable to receive the low
frequencies of the sound spectrum. When our ears
receive these two frequencies then the three
dimensional effect is produced. One of these
dimensions is the high frequency, second is the low
frequency and the third is the depth of the sound
signals. It is possible to produce (transmit) this three
dimensional effect by using the FM transmission. In
the beginning, FM transmission remained in the
preview of theoretical boundaries while the AM
transmission and reception techniques were put to the
practical use. Soon after the FM transmission and
reception established the start of a new chapter in
transmission of sound signals. The quality and clarity
of the transmitted sound has markedly improved by
the FM transmission and reception techniques.
Now days the use of FM band radio receivers to
catch and reproduce the transmitted FM signal is
becoming very popular. Various radio stations have
started to transmit on the FM band in addition to the
AM. i.e. in addition to the MW and the SW
frequencies. Most of the foreign and reputed
manufacturers of radio receivers in India have been
providing the FM reception facility in their radio
receivers for quite some time now. But in case the
radio receiver which you possess lacks the FM facility
then do not be disheartened.
The FM receivers are also used with the FM
microphones. FM mike is a cordless FM transmitter
circuit which is used to transmit the sound signals.

Modulation
In order to transmit the sound signals, these sound
signals are mixed with the high frequency which is
known as carrier frequency. The process of mixing the
sound signals with the carrier frequency is called
Modulation.

In this way two frequencies are involved in
modulation process:-
1. Main frequency (which is the sound signal), and
2. Carrier frequency.

These two frequencies are mixed by adopting one of
the two modulation procedures:-
1. Amplitude Modulation
2. Frequency Modulation

Amplitude Modulation
When the sound signal is mixed with the carrier
frequency then the frequency of the carrier waves
remains the same but the amplitude of the carrier
changes with the amplitude of the sound signal.
In this case when the amplitude of the carrier waves
changes with the amplitude of the sound signals, then
the modulation is said to be the Amplitude Modulation
or AM. In this type of modulation, the frequency of
the sound signal bears no affect on the frequency of
the carrier waves.
This type of amplitude modulation is characterized by
a lot of disturbance and noise. Consequently, the
quality and clarity of the transmitted sound is not
quite good. When these AM signals are received on the
radio receivers then the quality of the sound
reproduced also remains poor.

2. Frequency Modulation
When the sound signal and the carrier waves are
mixed in such a manner that the amplitude of the
carrier waves remains unchanged but its frequency
changes with the amplitude of the sound signal then
this type of modulation is called the frequency
modulation or commonly as FM. The rate by which
the frequency of the carrier waves changes depends on
the frequency of the sound signal. Thus the frequency
of the carrier waves depends both on the amplitude
and frequency of the sound signals in this type of
modulation.
Clarity of the transmitted sound signals and low noise
are the benefits of the frequency modulation
technique. Radio transmission in European countries
is largely done in the FM. Recently, Indian radio
broadcasts have also adopted the frequency
modulation technique of transmission. It is necessary
to keep the frequency of the carrier waves at a very
high level in the FM transmission. The FM range for
radio broadcast is from 88MC/S to 108MC/S.