RADIO RECEIVER DESIGN By K. R. STURLEY Ph.D., B.Sc., A.M.LE.E. Marconi School of Wireless Communication Part I RADIO FREQUENCY AMPLIFICATION AND DETECTION NEW YORK JOHN WILEY & SONS, Ine. Lonpon: CHAPMAN & HALL, LorenFirst Published . . . 1943 IN THE REPRINTING OF THIS BOOK, THE RECOM- MENDATIONS OF THE WAR PRODUCTION BOARD HAVE BEEN OBSERVED FOR THE CONSERVATION OF PAPER AND OTHER IMPORTANT WAR MATERIALS. THE CON- TENT REMAINS COMPLETE AND UNABRIDGED, 3/45 PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICAAUTHOR’S PREFACE AN attempt has been made in this book to bring together the fundamentals of radio receiver design. Difficulties were experienced in determining the order of treatment, and it was finally decided to follow introductory chapters on general considerations and valves by a detailed examination of the receiver, stage by stage, starting from the aerial. There are objections to this method from the teaching point of view ; for example, the chapter on aerials is better considered after that on R.F. amplifiers, whilst the chapter on LF, amplifiers should be read before the latter half of that on R.F. amplifiers. To meet possible criticism a fairly detailed table of contents is given, so that the reader can develop his own plan of campaign. Owing to war conditions the book has had to be divided into two parts, the first ending at the detector stage, leaving Part II to deal with audio frequency amplifiers, power supplies, receiver measure- ments, television and frequency modulated receiver design, etc. The cosine expression, # cos wt, for a voltage of sinusoidal wave shape is used in preference to the sine expression because it is considered that it leads to a simpler mathematical analysis. For the same reason the grid bias voltage is written as—E,, ie., Ey represents a numerical and not algebraical value of bias. The advantage of so doing is most evident in Chapter 8. Part I is practically self-contained, though there are one or two cross-references to sections in Part II. To facilitate cross-reference all sections, figures and expressions are prefixed by the chapter number. No claim is made to an exhaustive bibliography, and reference is made, at an appropriate point in the text, only to those articles which have proved helpful in its preparation. The author is indebted to his wife for help in reading the proofs, to Mr. R. M. Mitchell, B.Sc., for checking many of the calculations, to Mr. R. P. Shipway, B.A., for helpful discussion on parts of Chapter 8, and to Marconi’s Wireless Telegraph Company for per- mission to publish material originally used by the author in lectures at the Marconi School of Wireless Communication. August 1942.ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ACKOWLEDGMENTS are gratefully made to the following for per- mission to use figures and drawings taken from their publications. Name of Journal Figure Numbers Electronics . . . . . . « 3.22, 3.25 5.9 6.21 Journal of the Institution ow. Electrical Engineers . 6.1le Marconi Review + 7.18a and 8, 7.14, 7.15 Mullard Technical Bulletin | . - 6,20 Proceedings of the Institute of Radio Engineers « 217 5.23a, b and ¢ 8.9 Wireless and Electrical Trader (Pye Radio) « - 5.24a RCA. Review . . . » 5.86 Wireless Engineer . . . . . . 3.84 to 3.196 4.3, 4.11, 4.13, 4.14 5.84 1.7, 7.9, 7.10, 71a 8.12, 8.184, 8.17, 8.24 Wireless World Sek B24 6.13, 6.14 8.2la and b, 8.22 viCHAPTER PART I CONTENTS 1, Genera ConstDERATIONS . . . : . . LL 1.2. 13. 1,4. 15. Introduction . Amplitude Modulation” Frequency Modulation Phase Modulation . Types of Amplitude Modulation Receivers | Design Considerations based on the Power Supply Bibliography 2, Vauves . . . . 21, hw wre PRR oe en Introduction . . . . The Diode . . . . . . The Triode . . . . + The Tetrodo . . . . . The Multi-clectrode Valve | Representation of the External Anode Load Tnapedance on the I,#, Characteristic Curves . . . . Equivalent Circuits for a Valve . . . . The Grid Input Admittance of a Valve . . . 1. Introduction 2. Grid Input Admittance and Anode-Grid ‘Cepacitance Coupling . . Grid Input Admittance and Grid-Cathode Copacitance Coupling . Grid Input ‘Admittance and “Combined “Anode- Grid and Grid-Cathode Capacitance Coupling . je Grid | Input Admittance and Grid-Screen Capacitance 7 fF wo upling ara Input Admittance and Electron Trait Time Bibliography =. 3, AERIALS AND AERIAL Couruxe Crmcure 3.1. 3.2. 3.3. s » Introduction + Propagation of Eloctromagnstic Waves’ Types of Aerials . 1, Introduction . The Vertical Aerial . The Inverted L Acrial. The T Aerial . The Dipole Aerial The Frame Aerial Coupling between the Aerial “and Receiver Introduction : Mutual Inductance Coup! pling . Combined Mutual “Industaneo and Resistance “Coup: ling . . Generalized Formulse for Transfer Voltage, Selectivity and Mistune Ratios and Capacitance Correction . . Combined Mutual Inductance nd Shunt Capacitance Coupling . oe vi soe eecdosranesviii CHAPTER CONTENTS PAGE 3. AmRIALS AND AERIAL CouPLIne CraouiTs—continued 3.4. 3.5. 3.6. 3.7. 3.8. The Coupling between the Aerial and Receiver—continued 6. Shunt Capacitance Coupling . . . . . 7. The Tapped Tuned Circuit . . . . . 8. Sorios Capacitance Coupling . 9 oeett Series Capacitance and Shunt Inductance 10. conta Mutual Inductance and Series Copacitancs Coupling . 11. Selectivity Ratio Variation over a Tuning Range | 12, Mistune Ratio and Capacitance ‘Correction Variation over a Tuning Range 13. Transfer Voltage Ratio Variation over a ‘Toning Range 14, AorialT ‘Terminal Impedance, Selectivity and ‘Transfer Voltage Ratio and Capacitance Correction Interference Reducing Aerial Systems . 1. Introduction . 2. The Characteristic Impedance of Feeders 3. The Aerial to Feeder Connection . . Aerials for Automobile Receivers . The Connection of Several Receivers to one Aerial System Diversity Reception . . . . . Bibliography . . . . . . . . . 4, Rapro Frequency AMPLIFICATION . . 4.1, 4.2. 4.3, 4.4, 4.5. Introduction : The Parallel Resonant Circuit | 1. Magnification. 2. The Impedance of a Parallel Resonant Circuit and its Equivalent Series and Parallel Circuits . . 3. The Selectivity Characteristic 4 Constant Selectivity over a Range of Tuning Frequon- Coil Characteristics at Radio Frequencies | 1. Introduction . : . - . . . 2. Inductance . . . 3. A.C. Resistance . . . : . : 4, Self-Capacitance . . 5. The Effect of Screening on the Inductance and Resist- ance . : : : : Types of R.F. Coupling Gironits . . . . 1, The Tapped Parallel Tuned Cireuit . . 2. The Transformer Coupled Tuned Circuit . . 3. The Choko-Capacitance Coupled Tuned Circuit Band-Pass Tuned Circuits . . . . 1. Introduction . . . . 2. Shunt Capacitance Coupling | . . . 3. Series Capacitance Coupling . so 4. Combined Shunt and Series Capacitance Coupling | 5. Mutual Inductance Coupling 6. Combined Mutual Inductance and Shunt Capacitance Coupling . 7. Combined Positive Mutual Inductance and Series Capacitance Coupling Soe ee 92 93 94 95 97 99 99 101 105 108 108 110 112 115 146 146 147CHAPTER CONTENTS 4, Rapio Frequency Ampiirication—continued 4.6, 4.7. 4.10. The Design of a Tunable Band-Pass Filter . . . Distortion due to the R.F. Valve Characteristic . . 1, Modulation Envelope Distortion and its Measurement 2. Calculation of Signal Handling Capacity 3. Cross Modulation . . . Instability in R.F. Amplifiers . Noise Limitation to Maximum Amplification . 1. Introduction . . . . . 2. Thermal Noiso - : . : 3. Shot Noise . Problems in Short and Ultra Short Wave Amplifieation 1, Introduction - . . . . 2. Short Wave Amplification |. | | 3. Ultra Short Wave > Amplification . . Bibliography . . : . : . 5, Frequency CHANGING . . . 5.1. 5.2, 5.3. 5.4, Problems in Frequency Changing =. | st 1. Introduction . . 2. The Advantages of Superheterodyne Reception 3. The Principles of Frequency Changing 4, Considerations governing the Choice of the Inter- mediate Frequency . 5. The Oscillator Frequency 6. Interference Whistles Frequency Changer Circuits 1. Introduction - 2. Oscillator Application to the Grid-Cathode Circuit . 3. Oscillator Application to the Screen Circuit . Oscillator Application to the Suppressor Grid 5. Oscillator Application to the Anode Circuit . 6. Frequency Changing and Oscillation from a Single Valve . . . Special T; of Frequency Changers . + 1. The Triode Hexode . : 2.The Heptodo . . 1. 3. The Diode . . . Interference Whistle Production . 1. Introduction . 2. Signal 3. Combination of Different Harmonies of Signal and Oscillator . + 4. Combination of Equal Harmonics of ‘Signal and Oscillator . . 5. Intermediate Frequency Harmonics | | | 6. Interference Charts . The Maximum Value of Conversion Conductance . . Measurements on Frequency Changers Soe ee 1, Introduction . . . . 2. Conversion Conductance . . 3. Indirect Measurements of Conversion Conductance 4. Direct Measurement of Conversion Conductance 6. Measurement of Oscillator Harmonic Response 6. Signal Handling Capacity . . . . . PAGE 148 154 154 161 162 164 165 166 168 168 169 171 177 179 179 179 180 180 183 184 184 185 185 185 190 191 192 192 193 193 195 196 197 197 199 200 200 202 209 209 209 212 213 214