COMMUNICATION LABORATORY

EXPERIMENT NO.6
FREQUENCY MODULATION

Objective
On the completion of this experiment, you will be able to study FM modulation.

Theory
For frequency modulation, the modulated carrier is represented by
𝑥𝑥𝑐𝑐 (𝑡𝑡) = 𝐴𝐴 𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐[𝜔𝜔𝑐𝑐 𝑡𝑡 + 𝜙𝜙(𝑡𝑡)]
Where A and ωc are constants and the phase angle 𝜙𝜙(𝑡𝑡) is a function of the message
signal m(t).
𝑑𝑑 𝜙𝜙(𝑡𝑡)
𝜔𝜔𝑖𝑖 = 𝜔𝜔𝑐𝑐 +
𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑
The maximum (or peak) radian frequency deviation of the frequency-modulated
signal (∆ω) is given by
Δ𝜔𝜔 = |𝜔𝜔𝑖𝑖 − 𝜔𝜔𝑐𝑐 |𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚
In frequency modulation (FM), the instantaneous frequency deviation of the carrier
is proportional to the message signal; that is,
𝑑𝑑 𝜙𝜙(𝑡𝑡)
= 𝑘𝑘𝑓𝑓 𝑚𝑚(𝑡𝑡)
𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑
𝑡𝑡
or 𝜙𝜙(𝑡𝑡) = 𝑘𝑘𝑓𝑓 ∫−∞ 𝑚𝑚(𝜆𝜆) 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑
thus, we can express the FM signal as
𝑡𝑡
𝑥𝑥𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹 (𝑡𝑡) = 𝐴𝐴 𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐 �𝜔𝜔𝑐𝑐 𝑡𝑡 + 𝑘𝑘𝑓𝑓 � 𝑚𝑚(𝜆𝜆) 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑�
−∞
where
𝜔𝜔𝑖𝑖 = 𝜔𝜔𝑐𝑐 + 𝑘𝑘𝑓𝑓 𝑚𝑚(𝑡𝑡)

A simple approximation to the ideal discriminator is an ideal- differentiator followed

by an envelope detector.

The output of the differentiator is

𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑(𝑡𝑡)
𝑥𝑥𝑐𝑐́ (𝑡𝑡) = −𝐴𝐴 �𝜔𝜔𝑐𝑐 + � 𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠[𝜔𝜔𝑐𝑐 + 𝜙𝜙(𝑡𝑡)]
𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑
The signal 𝑥𝑥𝑐𝑐́ (𝑡𝑡) is both amplitude- and frequency-modulated. The envelope of 𝑥𝑥𝑐𝑐́ (𝑡𝑡)
is

1
 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑(𝑡𝑡)
𝐴𝐴 �𝜔𝜔𝑐𝑐 + �
𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑
The output of the envelop detector is
𝑦𝑦𝑑𝑑 (𝑡𝑡) = 𝜔𝜔𝑖𝑖
Which is the instantaneous frequency of the 𝑥𝑥𝑐𝑐 (𝑡𝑡) that relates to the message signal
𝑚𝑚(𝑡𝑡) directly.

Procedure:
Part 1:
1. Connect the circuit as illustrated in Fig.1.
2. Double-click the Voltage Controlled Sine wave generator (VCO) and set the
parameters as shown in Fig.(2).
3. Set the differentiator parameters as depicted in Fig.(3).
4. Find 𝑓𝑓𝑐𝑐 (𝜔𝜔𝑐𝑐 /2𝜋𝜋) by setting the input of VCO to 0V (by setting the amplitude of
the function generator to 1 fVp) and measure the frequency of its output.
5. Measure the minimum frequency 𝑓𝑓𝐿𝐿 by applying −4v dc signal at the input of the
VCO and measure the frequency of its output.
6. Measure the maximum frequency 𝑓𝑓𝐻𝐻 by applying a +4v dc signal at the input of
the VCO and measure the frequency of its output.
7. Double-click the Function Generator to set its parameters (message 𝑚𝑚(𝑡𝑡)). Select
sine wave, Frequency fM = 500 Hz, amplitude = 4 Vp and Offset = 0 V.
8. Draw the signal at points 1,2,3,4 and 5 in time and frequency domain using the
oscilloscope.
9. Draw the Fourier series analysis of the modulated signal at point 1.
10.Calculate maximum frequency deviation ∆𝑓𝑓 = 𝑓𝑓𝑐𝑐 − 𝑓𝑓𝐿𝐿 or 𝑓𝑓𝐻𝐻 − 𝑓𝑓𝑐𝑐 .
∆𝜔𝜔
11.Calculate the frequency deviation constant 𝑘𝑘𝑓𝑓 =
𝑚𝑚(𝑡𝑡)|𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚
12.Calculate the bandwidth of FM signal 𝐵𝐵𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹 = 2(∆𝑓𝑓 + 𝑓𝑓𝑀𝑀 ).
∆f
13.Calculate the modulation index 𝛽𝛽, which is given by 𝛽𝛽 = .
𝑓𝑓𝑀𝑀

Discussion:
1. Why the quality of FM signal is better than AM signal.
2. How could you convert FM modulator into PM modulator.
3. Describe with block diagram another method for FM demodulation.
4. Consider an FM signal:
𝜙𝜙𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹 (𝑡𝑡) = 10 cos[2𝜋𝜋(108 )𝑡𝑡 + 5 sin(2𝜋𝜋(103 )𝑡𝑡)]
Find:
1- Normalized average power. 2- Carrier frequency.
3- Maximum frequency deviation. 4- Modulation index and 𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹 .

2
 XSC1

Tektronix

P 1 2 3 4 T
G

R12
XFG1 R14
138.46Ω
R16
C5 138.46Ω
7 R18
C6 138.46Ω
13 138.46Ω
1µF C7
9 15
A1 D1 R13 U6 1µF C8
2 1 5 4 10 17
R15 U7 1µF
d/dt BA220 138.46Ω U8 14 R9
0 R17 1µF
V2 138.46Ω 16
R19 U9 1384.6Ω
-0.5V 0.5V 0 138.46Ω
100uV/V 0V R2 U5
0 138.46Ω 11 C1
0 0 138.46Ω 12 3
0 0 OPAMP_3T_VIRTUAL 0 R11 1µF R1
OPAMP_3T_VIRTUAL 0
10kΩ 10kΩ
OPAMP_3T_VIRTUAL
0 0
OPAMP_3T_VIRTUAL
OPAMP_3T_VIRTUAL

4th order LPF

FM modulator (VCO) Differentiator DC remover

Envelope etector

Fig.1

Fig.2

Fig.(3)