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AMPLITUDE MODULATION/
DEMODULATION SYSTEM
TRAINER
MODEL-COM101

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2000 SIGMA TRAINERS
Trainers AHMEDABAD (INDIA)
 INTRODUCTION
This trainer has been designed with a view to provide practical and experimental knowledge of Amplitude
Modulation /Demodulation technique as practically implemented in Analog Communication systems on a SINGLE
P.C.B.

1. Power supply requirement : 230V AC, 50 Hz.

2. Built in IC based power supply.
3. On Board AF Modulating signal generator - Sine wave
Frequency Range : 300 Hz to 3. 4 KHz
Amplitude : 0 to 5 Vpp.
4. On Board RF carrier signal generator.
Frequency Range : 200 KHz to 1 MHz.
Amplitude : 0 to 10 Vpp.
5. Modulator Type : Balanced modulator.
6. Demodulator Type : Diode detector.
7. Standard Accessories : 1. A Training Manual.
2. Connecting Patch cords.

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 CHAPTER-1

THEORY OF AMPLITUDE MODULATION & DEMODULATION

(A) AMPLITUDE MODULATION:

A sinusoidal carrier signal is said to be amplitude modulated when its amplitude is varied in accordance with
(i.e. in proportion to) the instantaneous amplitude of the message (i.e. the modulating) single. If the carrier is
described by

Vc (t) = A cos Wct

And the modulating signal be X (t), then the amplitude modulated (A.M.) signal S (t) is

S (t) = A [1 + K x (t)] cos Wct ------------------------- (1)

Where K is some constant.

The spectrum of an AM signal consists of the carrier component (frequency W c ) & two sidebands. The portion
of the AM signal spectrum that lies above the frequency W c (and below + W c ) is called the upper sideband while
that below W c (and above – W c ) is called the lower sideband.

If the modulating signal x (t) is a sinusoidal signal i.e.

X (t) = E m cos W m t

Then the AM signal S (t) becomes

S (t) = A (1 + K E m cos W m t) cos W c t

The constant K is chosen such that K. E m does not exceed unity.

The product K E m (usually denoted as m) is called the depth of modulation (or modulation index). As a result
of amplitude modulation to a depth m, the modulated signal amplitude varies between (1+m) A and (1-m) A. The
spectrum of this signal consists of a component at (W c – W m ) with amplitude mA/2, the carrier component at Wc
with amplitude A and another component at (W c + W m ) with amplitude mA/2.

A square law modulator makes use of a square - law device, like a transistor amplifier operating over its
nonlinear portion of the characteristic. The input voltage Vi and output current i o may be related as

io = K Vi + K Vi2

When the input signal Vi is arranged to be the sum of X (t) & Vc (t), the output current consists of the carrier
term at frequency fc (due to the linear term in eq-2) and the sidebands around this frequency (due to the square
term in eq-2.) The amplifier has a load tuned to the carrier frequency for necessary filtering.

(B) AMPLITUDE DEMODULATION: -

The envelope of an amplitude-modulated signal is a replica of the modulating signal. Hence an amplitude-
modulated signal can be demodulated by using a circuit that follows the envelope variations of the input signal.
Such a circuit is known as an envelope detector.

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 The envelope detection can be accomplished by a Diode D, a filtering capacitor C and Resistor R. The input
AM signal carrier frequency (which is usually the intermediate frequency, abbreviated as IF, in the case of
Superhetrodyne receivers) is usually much higher than the highest frequency in the modulating signal. On an
application of the input signal, the diode D will conduct when the instantaneous amplitude of the input signal is
higher than the instantaneous voltage across the output resistor-capacitor (R-C) parallel combination. During the
period of the diode conduction, the capacitor C gets charged. The voltage across the capacitor is almost equal to
the input signal voltage (except for a negligible drop across the diode D when conducting). When the
instantaneous input signal voltage decreases, the diode gets reverse biased and, therefore, stops conducting. The
capacitor C then discharges through the resistor R till such time when the diode starts conducting again. This
happens when the instantaneous input signal amplitude exceeds the voltage across the capacitor C, thus putting a
forward bias on the diode D.

The discharging time constant for the discharge of the capacitor equals the product RC while the capacitor
charging is almost instantaneous (because the forward resistance of the diode is negligibly small).

The charging and discharging of the capacitor are shown in waveform W4. As is shown in the figure, the
capacitor charges around the peak portion of every carrier cycle acquiring almost the peak value over every cycle
and then discharges during the remaining time interval.

The charging is through the diode and therefore the charging time constant is very small while the discharging
is through the resistor R and the discharging is arranged to be relatively much slower. The voltage across the
capacitor (i.e. the output voltage) is then seen to follow the envelope of the input AM signal except for the small
variations (called the IF ripple) occurring at the carrier frequency rate.

It is quite obvious that the charging of the capacitor over every carrier cycle will take place only if the
capacitor, in each cycle, has discharged to a level that is lower than the forth-coming peak amplitude. In order to
ensure this, a condition exists relating the time constant RC, the highest modulating signal frequency and the
maximum depth of modulation.

Let us see what happens when the capacitor voltage does not fall below the forthcoming peak amplitude. This
can happen when the discharge is too slow (i.e. when the discharge time constant RC is too large) and when the
envelope of the modulated signal is falling. In such a situation, the diode will not conduct even around the peak
of the carrier cycle and the detected output voltage will, therefore, fail to follow the envelope of the input signal
during this period. The detected output will thus only be a distorted version of the envelope of the input signal.
This type of distortion is called diagonal clipping. For the given time constant RC and the given modulating
signal frequency fm, the maximum permissible depth of modulation m m a x that will ensure absence of diagonal
clipping is given by

1
mma x =
1 + Wm 2 R 2 C 2

The permissible depth of modulation decreases with increasing frequency of the modulating signal and also
increasing value of the time constant. Alternately, the values of fm and RC should satisfy the following
condition.

1-m 2
<
fm
2pai m RC

1-m 2
RC <
m Wm

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 CHAPTER-2

THEORY & CIRCIUT DETAILS AMPLITUDE MODULATION & DEMODULATION

The AM Modulation and Demodulation System consists of following sections.

1. Modulating Audio Signal Generator

2. R.F. Carrier Oscillator
3. Double Balanced Amplitude Modulator section
4. DC voltage generating Section
5. AM demodulator consisting of Diode detector.
6. Power supply.

(1) Modulating Audio Signal Generator section: -

IC 1 (ICL 8038) waveform generator IC is used generate sine wave signal. Pot P2 (22K) is used to vary its
frequency. The frequency range is 300Hz to 3.4Khz. Two 100K presets are adjusted for proper peaks of sine
wave signal. 1K preset is used to adjust duty cycle. The sine wave output signal is available at pin 2 of IC1 & it
is then amplified by IC4 (LM356). The amplified output is available Sine wave output terminal. Pot P2 is used to
vary the vary the amplitude of Sine wave signal. The output amplitude vary from 0 to 5Vpp.

(2) R.F. Carrier Oscillator section: -

Transistor Q1 (BC107B) is used generate RF sine wave signal. Pot P1 (15K) is used to vary its frequency. The
frequency range is 200KHz to 1MHz. Transistor Q2 (BC177), Q3 (BC107), Q4 (BC177) and Q5 (BC107) are used
to amplified the RF oscillation signal of Q1. 22pf trimmer capacitor is adjusted for proper peaks of sine wave
signal. The amplified sine wave output signal is available at emitters junction of Q4 and Q5. The Pot P2 is used
to vary the amplitude of Sine wave signal. The output amplitude vary from 0 to 10Vpp.

(3) Double Balanced Amplitude Modulator section: -

IC 1496 is used as balanced modulator. The modulating audio signal is connected at pin 1 through buffer
transistor Q1. This IC has two inputs as it works as balanced modulator. The Second input can be connected at
pin 4 through buffer transistor Q2. The RF carrier signal is connected at pin 8 through coupling capacitor from
RF carrier oscillator section. The modulated outputs are available at pin 12 and 6 of this IC, which are then
balanced amplified by Q3, Q4, Q5 and Q6. The final balanced modulated output is available at output terminals.
Bal-A preset is used to balance carrier signal while Bal-B preset is used to balance input audio signal. 1K preset
is used to adjust output zero DC level.

(4) Diode detector circuit: -

This circuit consists of Diode OA79 and Capacitors C1, C2 and Load resistor R1. It works as an envelope
detector circuit. R1 & the capacitor C from a low pass filter meant to reduce the carrier frequency ripple in the
output. The values of R & C are chosen so as to remove even the modulating signal frequency components. The
magnitude of this dc voltage should vary as the carrier amplitude in the input signal and should be independent
of the depth of modulation and the modulating signal frequency. C1, C2 can be selected through switch S2.

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(5) Power supply section: -

The regulated power supply is used for different supply voltages.

Following output D.C. Voltages are required to operate AM Modulation demodulation system.

+15V, 250mA ,
-15V, 250mA ,
+ 5V, 250mA

Three terminal regulators are used for different output voltages i.e. IC 7805 for + 5V, IC 7815 for +15V, IC
7915 for -15V,

These ICs are supplied different dc input voltages by two Half-wave rectifiers consisting of D1-D4 and D5-D8
& C1, C2, C3, C4. The capacitors at each input & each output are for filtering purpose. SW1 is main AC ON/OFF
Switch.

***********

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 EXPERIMENTS PROCEDURE
Exp. (1). To generate AM signal by modulating with Audio signal generator: -

1. First connect Sine O/P terminal of Audio Generator to MOD IN terminal of balanced Modulator.
Connect CRO channel-1 at Sine O/P terminal.
Adjust amplitude of Sine wave to 1 Vpp and audio frequency to 1 KHz.
_______Waveform (T1)

2. Connect CRO Channel-2 at RF SIG terminal of RF carrier oscillator. Set

output frequency of RF oscillator to 455KHz and amplitude to 6 Vpp.
_______Waveform (T2)

3. Connect CRO Channel- 2 at Modulated output at balanced modulator section. Trigger CRO by channel-1.
The Amplitude Modulated wave will be observed.
_______Waveform (T3)

Exp.(2) To measure modulation index of A.M. signal:-

4. In the waveform W3 measure Vmax and Vmin amplitudes on CRO. Then calculate modulation Index by
following formula;

Vmax - Vmin
M =
Vmax + Vmin
_______Waveform (T4)

Exp. (3). To demodulate AM signal using Diode detector (Envelope detector): -

5. Connect the modulated output of balanced modulator to input of Envelope detector (Diode detector).

6. Observe the Demodulator sine wave at the Diode Detector output.

_______Waveform (T5)

7. Vary the input Oscillator Frequency and Amplitude and also vary the RC time constant in the Diode
Detector by selecting different capacitor C1, C2 by switch and by varying Pot and observe Diagonal
clipping and negative clipping.
_______Waveform (T6)
_______Waveform (T7)
_______Waveform (T8)
_______Waveform (T9)
Conclusion: -
The modulation and demodulation process for AM signal observed.

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 TEST POINT WAVEFORMS
T1. Modulating Sinewave signal: - (at Sine O/P terminal of Audio Oscillator) : 1 KHz, 1Vpp-

+ 0.5V

H = 0.5 ms
V = 1.0 V
Trig = CRO-1

-0.5V
1ms

T2. R. F. Carrier Signal: - (at RF O/P terminal of RF Oscillator) fc = 455 KHz, 10Vpp

+5V

H = 1.1 us
V = 10 V
Trig = CRO-1

-5V 2.2us

T3. AM modulated Signal: - (at AM MOD O/P terminal of Balanced Modulator)

Vmax
H = 0.5 ms
+4V Vmin V = 2.0 V
Trig = CRO-1
+1.6V

V max= 8V
-1.6V min= 3.2V
-4V Vmin

Vmax

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T4. Trapezoidal waveform

Where m is the modulation index.

A is the peak to peak amplitude of the output signal

B is the minimum peak to peak amplitude.

T5. AM Demodulated signal:- (at DET O/P terminal of Diode Detector):-

+1.25V

H = 0.5 ms
V = 0.5 V
Trig = CRO-2

-1.25V
1ms

T6. Over modulated AM modulated signal: (at AM MOD O/P terminal of Balanced Modulator)
fm=1Khz, 5Vpp

H = 0.5 ms
V = 2.0 V
Trig = CRO-2

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T7. Detected O/P with different improper RC time constant in Diode detector (Low value of C): -

T8. Detected O/P with different improper RC time constant in Diode detector(Low value of R): -

T9. Detected O/P with different improper RC time constant in at Diode detector: -

Negative Clipping

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