8/15/23, 10:52 PM Summary of Radio Transmitters: ECE 205-ECE22S1 - Communications 1: Principles of Communication Systems

Summary of Radio Transmitters

1. A radio transmitter generates the carrier signal, provides power amplification, and applies

modulation.

2. The simplest transmitter is an oscillator that is keyed off and on to produce cw Morse code.

3. Most transmitters consist of a crystal oscillator used to generate an accurate and stable carrier

frequency, a buffer amplifier that isolates the carrier oscillator from its load, one or more driver

amplifiers to increase the RF power level. and a final power amplifier that applies the signal to the

antenna.

4. In AM transmitters, class C amplifiers are used to increase the RF power level. The final stage is

modulated.

5. Frequency modulation transmitters use class C amplifiers to increase the RF power level.

6. Single-sideband transmitters generate the carrier and modulation at a low frequency and then

translate it up with a mixer, Linear amplifiers are used to increase the power level.

7. In a class A amplifier, collector current flows continuously, The output is directly proportional to the

input; therefore, it is a linear amplifier.

8. Class B amplifiers are biased at cutoff so that collector current flows for 180 of the input cycle.

9. Class B amplifiers are usually connected in a push-pull circuit where one transistor amplifies each

half of the input signal

10. Class C amplifiers are biased beyond cutoff. Current flows for 90 to 180 of the input cycle.

11. Collector current pulses in a class C amplifier are converted into a continuous sine wave by a

resonant circuit.

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8/15/23, 10:52 PM Summary of Radio Transmitters: ECE 205-ECE22S1 - Communications 1: Principles of Communication Systems

12. The collector current pulses in a class C amplifier contain many harmonics which are filtered out

by the tuned output circuit.

13. A class C amplifier can be used as a frequency multiplier by connecting a resonant circuit tuned

to some integer multiple of the input frequency in the output.

14. RF amplifiers may oscillate because of feedback from internal transistor capacitance. This can be

eliminated, or prevented, by neutralization, a process that cancels the feedback with out-of-phase

feedback.

15. Frequency multipliers can be cascaded to produce higher output frequencies.

16. In an FM transmitter, the frequency multipliers increase the deviation as well as the carrier

frequency.

17. Linear amplifiers operating class A or B are used to increase the power level of Iow level AM and

SSB signals.

18. Impedance-matching networks are used to interconnect RF amplifiers and to couple power to the

antenna to ensure the optimum transfer of power.

19. Common impedance-matching circuits and components include LC L networks, LC pi networks,

LC T networks, transformers, and baluns. The pi and T networks are preferred since Q can be

controlled.

20. Maximum power transfer occurs when the load impedance equals the generator source

impedance.

21. Radio-frequency transformers are typically constructed with doughnut-shaped powdered-iron

cores called toroids.

22. The impedance-matching ability of a transformer is determined by its turns ratio: (Np/Ns)2= Zp/Zs

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8/15/23, 10:52 PM Summary of Radio Transmitters: ECE 205-ECE22S1 - Communications 1: Principles of Communication Systems

23. Inductors made with toroids for a given inductance are smaller, use fewer turns of wire, have a

higher Q, and do not require shielding.

24. A balun is a transformer connected in a special way to transform circuits from balanced to

unbalanced or vice versa and to provide impedance matching.

25. Toroid transformers and baluns are broadband devices that operate over a wide bandwidth

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