EXPERIMENT 2:

AM Reception

Submitted by: Reyes, Arvin Christian P.

Submitted to: Engr. Melchizedek Alipio

ECE141L – A22

July 01, 2017

AM Reception is considered as the reverse of AM modulation. In AM Modulation. Amplitude

Modulation is the combination of the message signal with the carrier signal. AM produces a modulation

envelope which has a same waveform as the message signal. In AM Reception, there are certain

parameters that we shall consider while doing an observation of signal receiving. These parameters used

in evaluating the ability of a receiver to successfully demodulate the signal. Selectivity and sensitivity are

considered as the most important parameters in comparing the quality of one receiver to another.

The experiment aims to introduce AM signal power at an RF filter input. The experiment also

focuses on tuning an RF filter in filtering an AM signal. By these parameters introduced, the power gain

of the RF amplifier can be identified and computed. In doing this, an oscilloscope is needed in making

AM signal measurements.

A portion of the experiment focuses on observing the mixer. By that, the operation of the mixer

can be known. The function of the IF filter will also be known and its importance in AM Reception. The

conversion of an AM signal with a certain value of frequency to the message signal will also be observed

in this experiment. In achieving these, an oscilloscope will also be used in measuring the input and output

and observing their waveforms.

In observing the processes involved in Amplitude Modulation Reception, certain equipment will

be used. The FACET base unit provides protection and voltage conditioning to the circuit boards. The

circuit board to be used in this experiment is the ANALOG COMMUNICATIONS Circuit Board. The

function generator provides amplitudes and frequencies that the circuit requires in performing such

functions. The oscilloscope displays the input and output signal of the circuit as certain parameters are

changed in observing the AC operation.

In connecting the AM Transmitter Circuit, the AM Transmitter will be connected and adjusted

with the output signal as the receiver’s input signal. 1000kHz was set on the VCO-LO circuit block,

Switch 3 was turned on to set the antenna matching impedance to 330 Ω. In achieving a 100% modulation

on the AM waveform, the carrier signal amplitude was set to 0.1Vpk-pk, and frequency to 1000kHz. For

the message input, it was also set for a 0.1Vpk-pk, 2kHz sine wave signal. In getting the input power of

the RF Filter, the 1MΩ resistor was connected to the transmitter. In simplifying signal adjustments at the

RF, 1000kHz was the carrier signal used as the transmitted signal. Peak-to-peak voltage was measured to

calculate the voltage and rms power at the RF FILTER input. In adjusting the AM signal, L5 was adjusted

until a signal appears on channel 1. L4 was also adjusted to determine the resonant frequency of the RF

FILTER. With a given carrier signal and message signal, the LSB and the bandwidth of the RF FILTER

was determined. In maximizing power gain of the RF Amplifier, a peak-to-peak voltage of the carrier was

measured at the RF AMPLIFIER output. Using the value of the voltage, rms power was calculated again.

The input power was measured and calculated in decibels with reference to 1mW. Then, the output power

and power gain were also calculated in decibels.

For the second part of the experiment, same procedures were followed in connecting the AM

Transmitter and adjusting the RF stage. VCO-HI was connected to the oscillator input of the mixer. Then,

the potentiometer was set until the output signal appears. VCO-HI was set once again by adjusting the
POSITIVE SUPPLY for the maximum pk-pk signal. The signal was modified to a clear, sharp output

signal in observing another modulation envelope. The channels were swept and triggered on certain

values in approximating the period for each division of the complex waveform. In observing the IF Filter,

the channels were swept again and channel 2 was triggered. In comparing the input with the output, a

modulation envelope will be observed within the signal. The frequency was varied until the output signal

disappeared. In observing the envelope detector, the frequency was varied to know if the output varies

with the message signal. The potentiometer knob was adjusted in reducing the modulation index. The

amplitude was also varied to know if the output varies with the message signal. CM Switch 9 was turned

on in observing the RC discharge time constant.

c. Data and Results

11. The transmitted AM signal is at the R8 input.

13. Vr8 = 100mVpk-pk

14. Vrf(i) = 5uVpk-pk

15. Prf(i)rms = 0.25 pW

18. fr = 1000kHz

19. LSB = 998kHz

20. BW = 4kHz

22. Vrf(o) = 200mVpk-pk

23. Prf(o) = 3.725uW

24. dBmRF(i) = 90dBm

25. dBmRF(o) = 22.4dBm

26. ApRF = 67.81 dB

Various applications in audio to RF and the entire spectrum of frequencies require different types

of RF filters. These filters serve as an important aspect in different kinds of scenarios such as allowing

required frequencies to pass through the circuit, at the same time rejecting frequencies that are not

wanted.

RF Filters have four basic types, namely: low pass, high pass, bandpass, and band reject filters. A

low pass filter only allows frequencies below the cutoff frequencies. This can also be observed as a high

reject filter since it rejects high frequencies. Likewise, a high pass filter only passes signals above the cut

off frequency and rejects those below. A band pass filter only allows frequencies given a pass band. The

band reject filter rejects signals given a definite band. It is useful in rejecting particular sets of undesired

signals falling within a given bandwidth.

In analog communications, RF filters are LC bandpass filters. They match the impedance of the

antenna and filters unwanted signals in selecting the AM frequency. The upper and lower sidebands of an

AM signal serves as the bandwidth of this filter. The power level of the receiver signal is increased

significantly by the RF amplifier.

Selectivity and sensitivity are considered as the most important parameters in comparing the

quality of one receiver to another. Sensitivity requires the minimum input signal in producing a specified

output signal. In receiving the signal, it is optimal to have a low sensitivity. This should be greater than

the input noise. On the other hand, selectivity is where the receiver compares desired signal to other

undesired signals and noise. A favorable value should be equal to the bandwidth needed for carrier and

sidebands.

An RF mixer is an active or passive device that can either modulate or demodulate a signal. This

allows it to convert a signal from one frequency to another. It has three ports, which are signal

connections. The three ports are namely: the radio frequency (RF) input, local oscillator (LO) input, and
intermediate frequency (IF) output. In the experiment the mixer has created a complex signal by

combining an RF signal and an oscillator signal that contains 455 kHz difference signal in the IF stage.

Meanwhile, the IF filter attenuates the sum and input frequencies from the mixer while passing a 455 kHz

signal with 20kHz bandwidth.

An envelope detector is a half wave rectifier which is followed by a low pass filter. In cases of

AM radio receivers, the detector is usually placed after the IF section. The carrier is at 455 kHz while the

maximum envelope frequency is only at 5 kHz. The ripple component is about 100 times the frequency of

the highest baseband signal and does not enter any succeeding audio amplifiers.

In the experiment, IF signal was demodulated by a diode envelope detector in recovering the

message signal. The time constants in the detector’s charge and discharge should be ideal to properly

recover the message signal.

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