be EXPERIMENT No. 3 AMPLITUDE MODULATION - AM GENERATION PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES When you have completed this part of the experiment you wil Hr Uulerstand the modelling of an amplitude modulated (AM) signal B. erty the method of seting and measuring the depth of modulation for AM ©. Describe the waveforms and spectra for AM D. Measure the bandwidth of the AM signal E. Analyse the trapezoidal display of AM. . BASIC CONCEPTS In the early days of wireless, communication was carried out by telegraphy. the radiated signal bing an interrupted radio wave, Later, the amplitude ofthis wave was vane radiate Sig th (enodulted by) a speech message (rather than on/aft by 2 telegraph ey, a etre message was recovered from the envelope of the received signal. The Facio weve ane tisigd'a carrier, sine it was seen to carry the speech information with i. The process ae a et gral were called amplitude modulation, or ‘AM for short. In the context of radio a Ae eanone, near the end of the 20th century, few modulates signals contain, ¢ corvmcant component at cai frequency. However, despite the fact that @ carrer Xs net Sear ine need for such @ signal at the transmitter (where the modulated Signal ‘6 Fenerated), and, also at the receiver, remains fundamental to, the ‘modulation and generate on process respectively, The use of the term ‘carrier to describe this signal hes democeita tne present day. A distinct from radio communications, present day racic ceasing transmissions do have a carrier. By transmiting this carrier the design of the ean erate, at the recewver, is greatly simplified, and this allows significant cost savings. ‘The most common method of AM generation uses a ‘class C modulated amplifier auch an smpifer is not avalable in the BASIC TIMS set of modules, It's well documented in sae oie This is 2 high level’ method of generation in that the AM signal is generated et 2 ver ievel ready for racation. Iti ail in use in broadcasting stations around the wor, power in powers from a few tens of watts to many megawatts. Unfortunately, text boots ranging 1” pe the operation of the class C modulated amplifier tend to associate propertios fins particular method of generation with those of AM, and AM generators, in general TS Gives nee to many misconceptions. The worst ofthese isthe belief that it is imposstie fo aerate an AM signal vith a depth of modulation exceeding 100% without aiving se 10 sere ret EF uistortion. You wil see inthis experiment, and in others to follow. that there is ne Srobiem in generating an AM signal with a depth of modulation exceeding 100%, and witwit Oy RF distortion whatsoever. But we are geting shead of ourselves, as we have not yet even defined what AM is! 26THEORETICAL BACKGROUND The amplitude modulated signal is defined as AM=E (1 + meospt)cosut equation 1 (1+ micospt)Bcosut equation 2 = [low frequency term a(t] x [high frequency term c(t)] equation 3 Here: “E's the AM signal amplitude from eqn. (1). For modelling convenience eqn. (1) has been written into two parts in eqn. (2), where (AXB) = E. ‘mis a constant, which, as you will soon see, defines the depth of modulation’. Typically, m < 1. Depth of modulation, expressed fs a percentage, is 100xm. There is no inherent restriction upon the size of ‘rn’ in eqn. (1). "4 and ‘w are angular frequencies in rad/s, where u/(2n) is a low, or message frequency, say in the range 300 Hz to 3000 Hz; and wi(2r) is a radio, or relatively high, ‘carrier frequency. In TTIMS the cartier frequency is generally 100 kHz Notice that the term a(t) in eqn. (3) contains both a DC component and an AC component. As will be seen, itis the DC component which gives rise to the term at w - the ‘Samor = inthe AM signal. The AC term ‘meost’ is generally thought of as the message, and is sometimes written as m(). But strictly speaking, to be compatible with other mathematical Getivations, the whole of the low frequency term a(t) should be considered the message. Thus: a(t) = DC + mt) equation 4 Figure 3-1 below illustrates what the oscilloscope will show if displaying the AM signal S. message . J a ah \ \ } 100% AM os ° FIGURE 3-1 ‘AM with m = 1, As Seen on the Oscilloscope ai‘A block diagram representation of eqn. (2) is shown in Figure 3-2 below. message sine wave a Oc carrier voltage sine wave (@) FIGURE 3-2 Generation of Equation 2 a For the first part of the experiment you will model eqn. (2) by the arrangement of Figure 3.2. The depth of modulation will be set to exactly 100% (m = 1). You will gain an appreciation of the meaning of ‘depth of modulation’, and you will learn how to set other Volues of im’, including cases where m> 1, The signals in eqn. (2) are expressed as voltages inthe time domain. You will model them in two parts, as written in ean. (3), DEPTH OF MODULATION "100% amplitude modulation is defined 2s the condition when m = 1. Just what this means will soon become apparent. It requires that the amplitude of the DC (= A) part of a(t) is equal to the amplitude of the AC part (= Axm). This means that their ratio fs unity at the Output of the ADDER, which forces ‘m’ to a magnitude of exactly unity By aiming for a rato of unity itis thus not necessary to know the absolute magnitude of A at all. MEASUREMENT OF ‘m’ “The magnitude om’ can be measured directly from the AM display itself. Thus: m= (P-Qy\P +0) ‘equation 5 whete P(Vpa) and Q(Vn) are a8 defined in Figure 3-3, while En and E, are the peak “Impltudes of the message and carrer, respectively or,Q \ 4 50% AM * FIGURE 3-3 Oscilloscope Display for the case m = 0.5 SPECTRUM ‘Analysis shows that the sidebands of the AM, when derived from a message of frequency p radi, are located either side of the carrier frequency, spaced from it by H rad/s. ‘You ean see this by expanding eqn. (2). The spectrum of an AM signal is ilustrated in Figure 344 (for the case m = 0.78), The spectrum of the DSBSC alone will be confirmed in the ‘experiment entitled DSBSC generation. You can repeat this measurement for the AM signal Figure 3-4: AM spectrum, as the analysis predicts, even when m > 1, there is no widening of the spectrum. This assumes linear operation; that is, that there is no hardware overload. a Tit. a) . et ae . Switch the scope selector to CH1-A This is the ADDER output. Switch the oscilloscope ampiifier to respond to DC (DC Coupling) if not already so set, and the sensitivity to about 0.6 voltiem, Locate the trace on a convenient grid line towards the ‘center (horizontal axis) of the screen. Call this the zero reference grid line, Sketch the ‘output waveform at CHI-A. |. Turn the front panel control on the VARIABLE DC module almost fully counter- clockwise (not critical). This will provide an output voltage of about minus 2 volts. The ADDER will reverse its polarity, and adjust its amplitude using the ‘g' gain control. While noting the oscilloscope reading on CHi-A, rotate the gain ‘g’ of the ADDER clockwise to adjust the OC term at the output of the ADDER to exactly 2 om above the previously set zero reference line. This is ‘A’ volts. You have now set the ‘magnitude of the DC part of the message to a known amount. This is about 1 volt, but exactly 2 cm (2 divisions), on the oscilloscope screen. You must now make the AC part of the message equal to this, so that the ratio Amv/A will be unity. This is easy: While watching the oscilloscope trace of CH1-A rotate the ADDER gain control ‘G" clockwise. Superimposed on the OC output from the ADDER will appear the message sine wave. Adjust the gain G until the lower crests of the sine wave are EXACTLY coincident with the previously selected zero reference grid line, Sketch the output waveform at CHi-A. 32The sine wave will be centred exactly A volts above the previously-chosen zero reference, and so its amplitude is A. Now the DC and AC, each at the ADDER output, are of ‘exactly the same amplitude A. Thus: AsAxm equation 8 and so: m=4 equation 9 You have now modelled A(1 + mcospi), with m = 1. This is connected to one input of the MULTIPLIER, as required by ean. (2) Measure the amplitude of the signal at CH1-A. Amplitude =__ 0.979 2. 8. Connect the output of the ADDER to input X of the MULTIPLIER. Make sure the MULTIPLIER is switched to accept DC. Now prepare the carrier signal: at B x cosuit ‘equation 10 40. Connect a 100 KHz analog signal from the MASTER SIGNALS module to input Y of the MULTIPLIER. 11, Connect the output of the MULTIPLIER to the CH2-A of the SCOPE SELECTOR Adjust the oscilloscope to display the signal conveniently on the screen. Since each of the previous steps has been completed successfully, then at the MULTIPLIER ‘output will be the 100% modulated AM signal. It will be displayed on CH2-A. It will look like Figure 3-1. Sketch the output waveform at CH2-A, Notice the systematic manner in which the required outcome was achieved. Failure to ‘achieve the last step could only indicate a faulty MULTIPLIER. 3312, Measure the penk-to-peak amplitude of the AM signal, with m = 1, and confirm that this magnitude is as predicted, knowing the signal levels ino the MULTIPLIER, and its factor Peak-to-peak AM amplitude = 3.809.) Bandwidth of the AM signal 13. Maintaining 100% modulation of the AM signal, connect CH2-A to the output of the ‘multiplier while using the Math function (FFT Module) in the oscilloscope, Set the FFT source of the oscilloscope to channel 2, vertical scale to linear RMS and window to rectangular. di 14, Sketch the output of the multipier-in the frequency demain, Adjust the Horizontal and Vertical scale knob of the oscilloscope to produce an acceptable spectrum. 18, Describe the signal in the frequency domain, j ie mide pond (articr praucney) hes he pai cide hands on i z “ee z jt. | 16. Measure the bandwidth. Compare the measured bandwidth with the calculated | bandwidth using the equation: BW = fuss fis. | Measured Boneh = zt Calculated Bandwidth = 94.0 bi? » 2H? aint c_calculaty 17. Describe the effect on the bandwidth as you alter (Increase and/or decrease) the AUDIO OSCILLATOR (message frequency) Note that the shape of the outline, or envelope, of the AM waveform (lower trace), Is exactly that of the message waveform (upper trace). As mentioned earlier, the message includes a DC component, although this is often ignored or forgotten when making these ‘comparisons. Sketch the two waveforms 34‘The significance of ‘m’ ‘With m = 1, you can shift the upper trace down so that it matches the envelope of the AM signal on the other trace 2. Now examine the effect of varying the magnitude of the Parameter ‘m’. This is done by varying the message amplitude with the ADDER gain control 6 + For ll values of 'm' less than that already set (m = 1), the envelope of the AMis the same shape as that of the massage. + For values of m> 1 the envelope is NOT a copy of the message shape, Itis important to note thet, for the condition. > 4 * It should not be considered that there is envelope distortion, since the resulting shape, whilst not that of the message, is the shape the theary predicts, ‘There need be no AM signal distortion for this method of generation. Distortion of the AM signal itself, if present, will be due to amplitude overload of the hardware. But overload should not occur, with the levels previously recommended, for moderate values of m> 1 18. Vary the ADDER gain G, and thus 'm’, and confi that the envelope of the AM behaves as expected, including for values of m> 1. What happens to the AM wave as the gain control G is adjusted counter-clockwise? 35hon gain centr (G) ic reoucay or adjwied counter denise, m newics kes than 1 rcating on under modulated sia ‘What about when it is adjusted clockwise? The oppnitt pagpeat ih teem: greater dean 1 creating an NCC medieied Signa]. gem Pe Sa be FIGURE 3.6 ‘AM Envelope form <1 and m>1 The modulation trapezoid: ‘With the display method already examined, and with a sinusoidal message, itis easy to set the depth of modulation to any value of ‘m’. This method is less convenient for other messages, especially speech. The so-called trapezoidal display is a useful alternative for more complex messages. The patching arrangement for obtaining this type of display is illustrated in Figure 3-7 beiow, and will now be examined. Modulated Signal OSCILLOSCOPE Message FIGURE 3:7 ‘Arrangement for Producing the Trapezoid 36