FM Transmitter

Matt Baker Kevin Van Dyke

Design

Three stage, 9V FM transmitter

Audio amplification Oscillation RF amplification

Electret microphone for input Dipole antenna 160 cm

Circuit Diagram

Circuit Description

Radio frequency oscillator (100MHz) Microphone picks up and amplifies audio and then feeds it to first transistor for amplification Output from collector is fed into base of the second transistor where it modulates the resonant frequency of the tank circuit
This is done by varying the junction capacitance of the transistor. Junction capacitance is a function of the potential difference applied to the base of the second transistor.

Oscillation occurs Final stage: Third transistor amplifies the output RF signal.

Electret Microphone

What is an electret?
It is a permanently charged dialectric. The diaphragm of the microphone acts as one of the plates in the capacitor. The movement of the plate changes the capacitance. Amplified by a FET amplifier.

First amplification stage

Standard self-biasing common emitter amplifier The 22n capacitor isolates the microphone from the base voltage of the transmitter by blocking DC.

First Transistor

Amplification
800mV

400mV

0V

-400mV 0s V(Q5:c) 1ms 2ms V(V5:+) 3ms 4ms 5ms Time 6ms 7ms 8ms 9ms 10ms

Oscillator Stage

Oscillator necessary to generate RF carrier waves Feedback signal makes the base-emitter current vary at the resonant frequency. This causes the emittercollector current to vary at the same frequency. This signal then radiated as radio waves.

Final Amplification Stage

This stage amplifies the RF signal. A Zetex ZTX320 RF transistor was used to do this efficiently. L2 and the 10p capacitor in parallel with it are designed to reduce harmonics from the circuit.

Output power from this stage will be maximum when it is tuned to oscillate at the same frequency as the previous stage.
How?

Peaking Circuit

Peaking Circuit

Uses diodes to charge a capacitor. Measure voltage across cap w/ voltmeter. To tune circuit, move turns of coil L3 further apart or closer together until the reading on the voltmeter is maximum.

Third Transistor

Final Amplification
10V

8V

6V

4V

2V 0s V(C7:2) 1ms V(L6:2) 2ms 3ms 4ms 5ms Time 6ms 7ms 8ms 9ms 10ms

Signal Power
VE 2.537 VC 9 P IC VCE IC .0252 VCE VC VE P 0.163 Wat ts