Gain, Attenuation, AM modulation index, and AM Power

Gain means amplification of the signal. It refers to the ratio of the output to input.
The result obtained by dividing the output by the input indicates how much larger
the output is than the input.
A = output / input
Attenuation refers to a loss introduced by a circuit or component. It is also the ratio of
the output to input but its value is usually negative (when in dB) and has a gain
(unitless) less than 1. Its formula is still the same with the gain, which is the ratio of the
output to input.

Modulation Index refers to the relationship between the amplitude of the modulating
signal and the amplitude of the carrier signal. It is simply the ratio of modulating signal
to the carrier signal. m = Vm / Vc

1. A transmitter with 10 kW carrier transmits 18kW when modulated with a single sine
wave. When modulated with another sine wave at 60% modulation, calculate the total
transmitted power.
Given:
P1 = 10kW
P2= 12kW
m2 = 60% or 0.60
Req’d: PT
Sol’n:
m2 m2
PT = PC (1+ ) = (10kW) (1+ )
2 2

m12
12kW = (10kW) (1+ )
2

m1= 0.632455532

mT= √(0.632455532)2 + (0.6)2 = 0.8717797887

2
m2 (0.8717797887)
PT = PC (1+ ) = (10kW) (1+ )
2 2
PT = 13.8 kW

2. An AM signal has a 30 V/120 Hz carrier and is modulated by a 7kHz tone to a

modulation depth of 80%. Calculate the power delivered to a 60-ohm load.
Given:
VC = 30 V
m =80% = 0.80
R = 60 Ω

Req’d: P

Sol’n:

Vc2 m2 m2
P= (1+ + )
2R 4 4

Vc2 m2
P= (1+ )
2R 2
2 2
(30V) (0.80)
P = 2(60Ω)( 1 + )
2

P = 9.9 W

3. An antenna has an impedance of 55 Ω. An unmodulated AM signal produces a current

of 3.2 A. The modulation is 95 percent. Calculate (a) the carrier power, (b) the total power,
and (c) the sideband power.
Given:
R = 55 Ω
IC = 3.2 A
m = 95% = 0.95
Req’d: a. Pc , b. PT , c. PSB
Sol’n:

a. Pc
Pc = IC2 R = (3.2)2 (55 Ω)
Pc = 563.2 W

b. PT
m2 0.952
IT =IC √1+ = (3.2)√1+ = 3.854970817 A
2 2

PT = IT2 R = (3.854970817 A)2 ( 55 Ω)

PT = 817.344 W

c. PSB
PSB = PT – Pc = 817.344 W - 563.2 W
PSB = 254.144 W

4. What is the voltage gain of an amplifier that produces an output of 25V for a
10V input?
Given:
Vo= 25V
Vi= 10V
req’d: Av
Sol’n:
𝑉𝑜 25𝑉
Av = =
𝑉𝑖 10𝑉
Av = 2.5

5. The power output of an amplifier is 20 watts (W). The power gain is 100. What is the
input power?
Given:
Po = 20 W
Ap = 100
Req’d: Pi
Sol’n:
 P𝑜 20W
100 = =
P𝑖 Pi

Pi = 0.2 W
6. Three cascaded amplifiers have power gains of 6, 3, and 20. The input power is
50 mW. What is the output power?
Given:
A1 = 6
A2 = 3
A3 = 20
Pi = 50 mW
Req’d: Po
Sol’n:
Ap = A1 x A2 x A3 = 6 x 3 x 20 = 360
P𝑜 P𝑜
Ap = =
P𝑖 50 mW

Po = Ap (Pi) = (360)(50mW)
Po = 18 W

7. A two-stage amplifier has an input power of 30 mW and an output power of 800 mW.
The first stage has a gain of 5. What is the gain of the second stage?
Given:
Pi = 30mW
Po = 800 mW
A1 = 5
Req’d: A2
Sol’n:
P𝑜 800 mW
Ap total = = = 26.66666667
P𝑖 30mW

Ap total = A1 x A2

26.66666667= 5 x A2
A2 = 5.333333333
8. An amplifier has a gain of 50,000, which is too much for the application. With an input
voltage of 30 μV, what attenuation factor is needed to keep the output voltage from
exceeding 150 mV? Let A1 = amplifier gain = 50,000; A 2 = attenuation factor; A T =total
gain.

Given:
A1 = 50,000
Vi = 30 μV
Vo = 150 mV
Sol’n:
𝑉𝑜 150 mV
AT = = = 5000
𝑉𝑖 30 μV
AT = A1 x A 2
5000
A2 =
50000

A2 = 0.1

Decibels
The gain or loss of a circuit is usually expressed in decibels (dB).
It refers to a unit of measurement that was originally generated as a way of expressing
the hearing response of the human ear to various sound levels.
A decibel is one-tenth of a bel.
When gain and attenuation are both converted to decibels, the total gain in terms of
decibels will just be the sum of each gain/attenuation in terms of decibels.
Av (dB) = 20 log (Av) = 20 log (Vo/Vi)
Ai(dB) = 20 log (Ai) = 20 log (Io / Ii)
Ap(dB) = 10 log (Ap) = 10 log (Po/Pi)
Properties of decibel power gain:
• If the ordinary power gain increases (decreases) by a power of 2, decibel changes
by 3dB
• If the ordinary power gain increases (decreases) by a power of 10, decibel
changes by 10dB
Properties of decibel voltage gain:
• If the ordinary voltage gain increases (decreases) by a power of 2, decibel changes
by 6dB
• If the ordinary voltage gain increases (decreases) by a power of 10, decibel
changes by 20dB

Calculate the Decibel Power Gain for each of the following values:
1. Ap = 1
Ap(dB) = 10 log (1) = 0 dB
2. Ap = 2
Ap(dB) = 10 log (2) = 3 dB
3. Ap = 4
Ap(dB) = 10 log (4) = 6 dB
4. Ap = 8
Ap(dB) = 10 log (8) = 9 dB
5. Ap = 0.5
Ap(dB) = 10 log (0.5) = -3 dB
6. Ap = 0.25
Ap(dB) = 10 log (0.25) = -6 dB
7. Ap = 0.125
Ap(dB) = 10 log (0.125) = -9 dB

8. Ap = 10
Ap(dB) = 10 log (10) = 10 dB

9. Ap = 100
Ap(dB) = 10 log (100) = 20 dB

10. Ap = 1000
Ap(dB) = 10 log (1000) = 30 dB

The examples above shows the properties of decibel power gain.

A power amplifier with a 50-dB gain has an output power of 200 W. What is the input
power?
Given:
A(dB) = 50 dB
Po = 200 W

Req’d: Pi

Sol’n:
To calculate this problem, we will use the antilogarithm
Ap(dB) = 10 log (Ap) = 10 log (Po/Pi)
50 dB = 10 log ( 200W / Pi)
50 200
= log ( )
10 Pi
200
5 = log ( )
Pi
200
Antilog (5) = antilog (log ( ))
Pi
In calculator like Casio 570es plus: Just press shift + log to use the antilog function
200))
log (
105 = 10 𝑃𝑖

200
Pi =
105

Pi = 2mW
Decibels above reference
dBm.
When the gain or attenuation of a circuit is expressed in decibels, it is understood that it
is a comparison between two values, the output and the input.
When the unit less gain is calculated, the units of voltage (output and input) or power
(output and input) are canceled, making the gain dimensionless.
When an absolute value is needed, you can use a reference value to compare any
other value.
The most commonly used reference level in electronic communication systems is 1mW.
When the decibel value is calculated by using the 1mW reference level, the result will
be dBm.

A three-stage amplifier has stages with the following specifications. Gain and noise
figure are given as ratios. Calculate the total noise figure.

Stage Power Gain Noise Ratio

1 10 2
2 25 4
3 30 5

Req’d: (NFT)db
Sol’n:
4-1 5-1
(NFT) = 2 + +
10 (10)(25)

(NFT) = 2.316
(NFT)db = 10 log (2.316)
(NFT)db = 3.6474 dB
2.If the receiver amplifier operating at VLF range has a 900kΩ input resistor, determine
the rms thermal noise voltage in the output if the voltage gain is 215. Assume external
noise can be disregarded and it has an ambient temperature.

Given:
R= 900kΩ

Av= 215

B = 30k hz – 3k hz = 27k hz

T= 25 oC + 273.15 = 298.15K

Req’d: Vo(rms)

Sol’n:
Vn = √4k(298.15K)(27k Hz)(900kΩ) = 20.00286045 µV

Vo(rms) = (215)( 20.00286045 µV)

Vo(rms) = 4.3006 mV