Phase Modulation

Frequency Shift Key Modulation

In this type of modulation, Amplitude and
Frequency are kept constant. The phase angle of
the carrier wave is varied according to the
modulating wave. The common name for "Phase
modulation" and "Frequency modulation" is "Angle
modulation".
In this method, the frequency of the carrier is
changed to two different frequencies depending on
the logic state of the input bit stream. The typical
output waveform of an FSK is shown below. Notice
that logic high causes the centre frequency to
increase to a maximum and a logic low causes the
centre frequency to decrease to a minimum.

The digital transmission of analog signals involves

pulse modulation. In analog pulse modulation, time
is represented in discrete form. In digital pulse
modulation, both time and signal amplitude are
represented in discrete form.

DIGITAL MODULATION TECHNIQUES

Amplitude Shift Key Modulation

In this method the amplitude of the carrier assumes

one of the two amplitudes dependent on the logic
states of the input bit stream. A typical output
waveform of an ASK modulator is shown in the
figure below. The frequency components are the
USB and LSB with a residual carrier frequency. The
low amplitude carrier is allowed to be transmitted to
ensure that at the receiver the logic 1 and logic 0
conditions can be recognized uniquely.

Fig: Frequency Shift Key Modulation

Phase Shift Key Modulation

With this method, the phase of the carrier changes
between different phases determined by the logic
states of the input bit stream. Phase shift keying
(PSK) is a method of transmitting and receiving
digital signals in which the phase of a transmitted
signal is varied to convey information.

There are several different types of phase shift key

(PSK) modulators.
• Two-phase (2 PSK)
• Four-phase (4 PSK)
• Eight-phase (8 PSK)
Fig: Amplitude Shift Key Modulation
• Sixteen-phase (16 PSK)
 • Sixteen-Quadrature amplitude (16 QAM)
The 16 QAM is a composite modulator consisting of
amplitude modulation and phase modulation. The
2 PSK, 4 PSK, 8 PSK and 16 PSK modulators are
generally referred to as binary phase shift key
(BPSK) modulators and the QAM modulators are
referred to as Quadrature phase shift key (QPSK)
modulators.
Two-Phase Shift Key Modulation (BPSK)
In this modulator the carrier assumes one of two
phases. Logic 1 produces no phase change and
logic 0 produces a 180° phase change. The output
waveform for this modulator is shown below. The
simplest form of PSK has only two phases, 0 and 1.
It is therefore a type of ASK taking the values -1 or
1, and its bandwidth is the same as that of ASK. The
digital signal is broken up time wise into individual
bits (binary digits).The state of each bit is
determined according to the state of the preceding
bit. If the phase of the wave does not change, then
the signal state stays the same (low or high). If the
phase of the wave changes by 180 degrees, that is,
if the phase reverses, then the signal state changes
(from low to high or from high to low).
Fig: Phase Shift Key Modulation
Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM)
QAM is the encoding of information into a
carrier wave by variation of the amplitude
of both the carrier wave and a
'Quadrature' carrier that is 90° out of
phase with the main carrier in accordance
with two input signals. Alternately, this
can be regarded (using complex number
notation) as simple amplitude modulation
of a complex-valued carrier wave by a
single complex-valued signal.
What this actually means is that the
amplitude and the phase of the carrier
wave are simultaneously changed
according to the information you want to
transmit.
ANALOG VS DIGITAL MODULATION
Digital Modulation
The modulation method is simple i.e. switch the
carrier on and off.
The receiver must have some form of
synchronization with the transmitter to decode the
digital information.
Synchronization wastes bandwidth because it is not
information.
Analog Modulation
Very simple demodulation techniques for AM and
FM (1 or 2 diodes, capacitors, and a transformer)
Linear amplifiers and modulators are used. No
digital circuit needed.
Modulation methods require lots of power
comparable with the carrier power.