Question Bank

Unit 4
1. What is FM threshold effect?(AU: MAY 2011)
As the carrier to noise ratio is reduced, clicks are heard in the receiver output. As the carrier to
noise ratio reduces further, crackling, or sputtering sound appears at the receiver output. Near the
breaking point, the theoretically calculated output signal to noise ratio becomes large, but its
actual value is very small. This phenomenon is called threshold effect.
2. What is capture effect in FM? (AU: MAY12, DEC 10)
When the noise interference is stronger than FM signal, then FM receiver locks to
Interference. This suppresses FM signal. When the noise interference as well as FM signal are of
equal strength, then the FM receiver locking fluctuates between them. This phenomenon is called
capture effect.
3. What is meant by figure of merit of a receiver?(AU:DEC10)
The ratio of output signals to noise signal to channel signal to noise ratio is called figure of merit.
It is the measurement of signal power in the channel. It is used much in communication system
for identifying noise performance.
4. What is the Purpose of re-emphasis and de-emphasis in FM? (AU: DEC13, DEC10)
The PSD of noise at the output of FM receiver sally increases rapidly at high frequencies but the
PSD of message signal falls off at higher frequencies. This means the message signal doesnt
utilize the frequency band in efficient manner. Such more efficient use of frequency band and
improved noise performance can be obtained with the help of re-emphasis and de-emphasis.
5. What are extended threshold demodulators?
Threshold extension s also called threshold reduction. It is achieved with the help of FMFB
demodulator. In the local oscillator is replaced by voltage controlled oscillator (VCO).The VC
frequency changes as per low frequency variations of demodulated signal. Thus the receiver
responds only to narrow band of noise centered around instantaneous carrier frequency. This
reduces the threshold of FMFB receiver.
6. What is threshold effect with respect to noise?
When the carrier to noise ratio reduces below certain value, the message information is lost. The
performance of the envelope detector deteriorates rapidly and it has no proportion with carrier to
noise ratio. This is called threshold effect.
7. Define pre-emphasis and de-emphasis.
Pre-emphasis: It artificially emphasizes the high frequency components before modulation. This
equalizes the low frequency and high frequency portions of the PSD and complete band is
occupied.
De-emphasis: This circuit attenuates the high frequency components. The attenuation
characteristic is exactly opposite to that of pre-emphasis circuit. De-emphasis restores the power
distribution of the original signal. The signal to noise ratio is improved because of pre-emphasis
and de-emphasis circuits.
8. State the reasons for higher noise in mixers.
1. Conversion trans-conductance of mixers is much lower than the
Trans-conductance of amplifiers
2. If image frequency rejection is inadequate, the noise associated with the image frequency also
gets accepted.

Prepared by M.Marimuthu. Assistant Professor/ECE SSCET, PALANI

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9. Define signal to noise ratio.

Signal to noise ratio is the ratio of signal power to the noise power at the same point in a system.
Signal-to-noise ratio (often abbreviated SNR or S/N) is a measure used in science and
engineering that compares the level of a desired signal to the level of background noise. It is
defined as the ratio of signal power to the noise power, often expressed in decibels. A ratio higher
than 1:1 (greater than 0 dB) indicates more signal than noise
10. Define noise figure.
Noise figure is decibel representation of Noise factor. i.e., Noise figure = (Noise factor) dB
Noise figure (NF) and noise factor (F) are measures of degradation of the signal-to-noise ratio
(SNR), caused by components in a radio frequency (RF) signal chain. It is a number by which
the performance of an amplifier or a radio receiver can be specified, with lower values indicating
better performance.
Part B
1. Explain various sources and types of noise in detail
(AU: MAY 13, 14) (16)
2. a) Thermal noise from a resistor is 4x10^-17 Watts for given bandwidth and at temperature 20
degree Celsius. What is the noise power when T=50 C
And T=70K
(AU: DEC 11) (8)
b) Two resistors 20K and 50K at room temperature. Calculate for a bandwidth of 100 KHz,
thermal noise for i)each resistor ii) in series iii) in parallel.
(AU: DEC 11) (2 marks)
c) Define noise factor and noise figure
(AU: MAY 11, DEC 12) (2 marks)
d) Define Friiss Formula
(AU: DEC 8) (2 Marks)
e) Define noise temperature
(AU: MAY 13) (2 marks)
3. a) An amplifier1 has noise figure of 9DB and power gain of 15DB. It is connected in cascaded
to another amplifier2 with noise figure 20DB. Calculate overall Noise figure.(AU: DEC10) (8)
b) Consider two amplifiers in cascade. The first stage has power gain of 40DB and noise figure
of 2DB, the second stage has noise figure of 3DB. Calculate overall noise figure.
(AU: MAY 11) (4)
c) A receiver has a noise figure of 12 DB; it is fed by low noise amplifier with gain 50 DB and
a noise temperature of 90K. Calculate the noise temperature of receiver and overall noise
temperature at room temperature 290K
(4 marks)
4. a) Define white noise and calculate power spectral density and autocorrelation of the white
noise.
(AU: MAY 12) (4 marks)
b) Explain in detail about Narrowband noise with envelope and phase components. (AU: MAY
11) (12 marks)
5. a) Describe in detail the noise performance of the AM receiver (AU:MAY 13) (8 marks)
b) Explain the noise performance of FM receiver in detail.
(AU: MAY 13) (8 marks)

****************************ALL THE BEST **********************************/

Prepared by M.Marimuthu. Assistant Professor/ECE SSCET, PALANI

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