DE LA SALLE UNIVERSITY-DASMARIAS

College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology

ECET412L- PRINCIPLE OF COMMUNICATIONS LABORATORY

Expt. No. 7
Demodulation of Amplitude-Modulated (AM) Signals

Submitted By:
Maria Rosalina C. Reyes
ECE41

September 16, 2014

Engr. Conrado D. Monzon

Instructor

OBJECTIVES
1. Too understand the different methods of AM demodulation.
2. To observe the dynamic characteristic of demodulated AM signal
THEORY/DISCUSSION
Demodulation is the act of extracting the original information-bearing signal from
a modulated carrier wave. A demodulator is an electronic circuit that is used to recover
the information content from the modulated carrier wave. There are several ways of
demodulation depending on how parameters of the base-band signal are transmitted in
the carrier signal, such as amplitude, frequency or phase. For example, for a signal
modulated with a linear modulation, like AM, a synchronous detector can be used.
In order to look at the amplitude demodulation process it is necessary to first look
at the format of an AM signal. An AM signal consists of a carrier which acts as the
reference. Any modulation that is applied then appears as sidebands which stretch out
either side of the signal - each sideband is a mirror image of the other.
The main element of AM demodulation is to create the baseband signal. This can
be achieved in a number of ways - one of the easiest is to use a simple diode and
rectify the signal. This leaves elements of the original RF signal. When other forms of
demodulation are used, they too leave some elements of an RF signal. The filtering
removes any unwanted high frequency elements from the demodulation process. The
audio can then be presented to further stages for audio amplification, etc.
An AM signal encodes the information onto the carrier wave by varying its
amplitude in direct sympathy with the analogue signal to be sent. There are two

methods used to demodulate AM signals. The envelope detector is a very simple

method of demodulation. It consists of a rectifier (anything that will pass current in one
direction only) or other non-linear that enhances one half of the received signal over the
other, and a low-pass filter. The rectifier may be in the form of a single diode, or may be
more complex. Many natural substances exhibit this rectification behaviour, which is
why it was the earliest modulation and demodulation technique used in radio. The filter
is usually a RC low-pass type, but the filter function can sometimes be achieved by
relying on the limited frequency response of the circuitry following the rectifier. The
crystal set exploits the simplicity of AM modulation to produce a receiver with very few
parts, using the crystal as the rectifier, and the limited frequency response of the
headphones as the filter.
The product detector multiplies the incoming signal by the signal of a local
oscillator with the same frequency and phase as the carrier of the incoming signal. After
filtering, the original audio signal will result. This method will decode both AM and SSB,
although if the phase cannot be determined a more complex setup is required.
An AM signal can be rectified without requiring a coherent demodulator. For
example, the signal can be passed through an envelope detector (a diode rectifier and a
low-pass filter). The output will follow the same curve as the input baseband signal.
There are forms of AM in which the carrier is reduced or suppressed entirely, which
require coherent demodulation.
DATA AND RESULTS

Diagram 1. Modulating and Demodulated Signal for DSBFC (Fixed Phase Relation)
ADmax= 2.74
Table 1. Phase Response of the DSB

(degrees)

AD (volts)

AD/ADmax

cos

2.74

18

2.52

0.94

0.95

36

2.12

0.78

0.81

54

1.62

0.59

0.59

72

0.88

0.32

0.31

90

0.16

0.06

108

0.8

0.29

0.31

Diagram 2. Demodulated Signal as Function of Phase

What do these signals represent?

The final wave represents pilot tone from the modulator and the second
waveform represents the received pilot tone from the demodulator.
Diagram 3. Transmitted and Received Pilot Tone

Diagram 4. Input and Output Signals

What do these signals represent?

The first waveform was from the transmitter it represents the input signal andnthe
second waveform represents the signalthe has gone through the modulator.
DSBSC, SSB Demodulation

Diagram 5. Modulating and Demodulated Signals of DSBSC

Diagram 6. Modulating and Demodulated Signals of SSBRC

Diagram 6. Modulating and Demodulated Signals of SSBSC

OBSERVATION/CONCLUSION
In the experiment conducted, demodulating

AM signals can be done using

various techniques like using diodes, filters and the like. Phase response of the DSB
was also observed. Demodulation of DSB signals is done by multiplying the DSB-SC
signal with the carrier signal. For demodulation, the demodulation oscillator's frequency
and phase must be exactly the same as modulation oscillator's, otherwise, distortion
and/or attenuation will occur. DSB-SC can be demodulated if modulation index is less
than unity. The phase response was also tabulated. By measuring the different
amplitudes at different angles and dividing it by the maximum amplitude the group was
able to obtain the phase response, another method is to get the cosine of the angle
given. It can be seen that as the angle increases the amplitude decreases.
A method with the use of PLL-controlled VCO was applied. For the SSB
transmitters, pilot tones are being transmitted and PLL outputs on the receiver. It is
identical with both SC and RC. The only difference is the reinserted carrier transmitters
that have an additional circuit that adds a low amplitude carrier to the SSB waveform
after the SC modulation has been performed and one of the sidebands was removed.
This is termed as the pilot carrier. The received pilot tone must be somewhat identical to
the transmitted pilot tone that was obtained in performing the experiment.
Another method was with the use of filters as a demodulator. The result gave off
a result that the input signal is in-phase while the output signal is out-of-phase.
REFERENCES
Laboratory Manual
http://en.wikipedia.org/demodulation