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Principles of Electronic
Communication Systems
Third Edition
Chapter 9
Communication Receivers
IF Amplifiers
The output of the mixer is an IF signal containing the
same modulation that appeared on the input RF signal.
The signal is amplified by one or more IF amplifier
stages, and most of the gain is obtained in these
stages.
Selective tuned circuits provide fixed selectivity.
Since the intermediate frequency is usually lower than
the input frequency, IF amplifiers are easier to design
and good selectivity is easier to obtain.
Demodulators
The highly amplified IF signal is finally applied to the
demodulator, which recovers the original modulating
information.
The demodulator may be a diode detector (for AM), a
quadrature detector (for FM), or a product detector (for
SSB).
The output of the demodulator is then usually fed to an
audio amplifier.
Figure 9-21: A low IF compared to the signal frequency with low-Q tuned circuits
causes images to pass and interfere.
© 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies
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9-4: Intermediate
Frequency and Images
Dual-Conversion Receivers
Another way to obtain selectivity while eliminating the
image problem is to use a dual-conversion
superheterodyne receiver.
A typical receiver uses two mixers and local oscillators,
so it has two IFs.
The first mixer converts the incoming signal to a high
intermediate frequency to eliminate the images.
The second mixer converts that IF down to a much
lower frequency, where good selectivity is easier to
obtain.
Figure 9-24: A direct conversion receiver for FM, FSK, PSK, and digital modulation.
© 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies
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9-4: Intermediate
Frequency and Images
Direct Conversion Receivers
To demodulate FM and PM modulations in a zero-IF
receiver, two mixers and filters are needed.
There must be a 90° phase shift between the LO
signals to produce I and Q signals for the DSP
demodulation.
9-5: Noise
Noise is an electronic signal that gets added to a radio
or information signal as it is transmitted from one
place to another.
It is not the same as interference from other
information signals.
9-5: Noise
Noise is the static you hear in the speaker when you
tune any AM or FM receiver to any position between
stations. It is also the “snow” or “confetti” that is visible
on a TV screen.
The noise level in a system is proportional to
temperature and bandwidth, the amount of current
flowing in a component, the gain of the circuit, and the
resistance of the circuit.
9-5: Noise
Signal-to-Noise Ratio
The signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio indicates the relative
strengths of the signal and the noise in a
communication system.
The stronger the signal and the weaker the noise, the
higher the S/N ratio.
The S/N ratio is a power ratio.
9-5: Noise
External Noise
External noise comes from sources over which we have
little or no control, such as:
Industrial sources
motors, generators, manufactured equipment
Atmospheric sources
The naturally occurring electrical disturbances in the earth’s
atmosphere; atmospheric noise is also called static.
Space
The sun radiates a wide range of signals in a broad noise
spectrum.
9-5: Noise
Internal Noise
Electronic components in a receiver such as resistors,
diodes, and transistors are major sources of internal
noise. Types of internal noise include:
Thermal noise
Semiconductor noise
Intermodulation distortion
9-5: Noise
Expressing Noise Levels
The noise quality of a receiver can be expressed in the
following terms:
The noise factor is the ratio of the S/N power at the input
to the S/N power at the output.
When the noise factor is expressed in decibels, it is called
the noise figure.
Most of the noise produced in a device is thermal, which
is directly proportional to temperature. Therefore, the term
noise temperature (TN) is used.
SINAD is the composite signal plus noise and distortion
divided by noise and distortion contributed by the receiver.
9-5: Noise
Noise in Cascaded Stages
Noise has its greatest effect at the input to a receiver
because that is the point at which the signal level is
lowest.
The noise performance of a receiver is determined in
the first stage of the receiver, usually an RF amplifier or
mixer.
Figure 9-44 The aviation receiver—a superheterodyne unit built around four ICs—is
designed to receive AM signals in the 118- to 135-MHz frequency range. (Popular
Electronics, January 1991, Gernsback Publications, Inc.)
© 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies
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