In partial fulfillment of the course ECE 104.

1 Electronic Communication Systems Laboratory

College of Engineering, EECE Department
Mindanao State University Iligan Institute of Technology
Iligan City, Philippines

Amplitude Modulated Radio Frequency Transmission

System
AM transmitter and receiver simulation

Luel C. Marbella Raymond Jade R. Silvosa

Mindanao State University - Iligan Institute and Technology Mindanao State University - Iligan Institute and Technology
College of Engineering EECE College of Engineering EECE
Iligan City, Philippines Iligan City, Philippines
marbellaluel@gmail.com silvosaraymondjade@gmail.com

AbstractAmplitude modulation is a way to transmit Fig. 1. Amplitude Modulation.

information through radio frequency. This paper presents a The process of demodulation on the other hand, where the
circuit architecture used for AM radio frequency transmission
audio signal is removed from the radio carrier in the receiver is
system. The AM transmitter and receiver circuits are powered by
a DC voltage source of 9V. The main report will reflect amplitude quite simple as well. Demodulation is shown in Figure 3.
modulation and demodulation, basic transmitter and receiver
building blocks and analysis of finished design as regards
construction and performance. To show the architectures output,
Multisim, an electronic circuit simulation environment, is used.

Index Terms Amplitude modulation, amplitude

demodulation, AM transmitter, AM receiver.

I. INTRODUCTION
An Amplitude modulation (AM) is a method of impressing Fig. 2. AM Demodulation.
data onto an alternating-current carrier waveform. The highest
frequency of the modulating data is normally less than 10 The mentioned operations of modulation and demodulation
percent of the carrier frequency. The amplitude of the signal is are used in AM transmission and reception.
changed in line with the instantaneous intensity of the sound.
In this way the radio frequency signal has a representation of
II. AM TRANSMITTER ARCHITECTURE
the sound wave superimposed in it. In view of the way the
Consider a carrier wave (sine wave) of frequency fc and
basic signal "carries" the sound or modulation, the radio
amplitude Vc given by:
frequency signal is often termed the "carrier". Amplitude
modulation is shown in Figure 1.
vc = Vc sin (2fct) (1)

and a modulation signal:

vm = Vm sin (2fmt) (2)

A modulator is a circuit used to produce AM. Amplitude

modulators compute the product of the carrier and modulating
signal, governing the AM transmitter to be presented in this
paper that can be presented in a block diagram below.
 In partial fulfillment of the course ECE 104.1 Electronic Communication Systems Laboratory
Fig. 3. Block diagram of AM transmitter.
The block diagram shown in Figure 3 illustrates the
multiplication and summation of the modulating and carrier
signal which leads to the basic equation for an AM signal:
VAM = Vcsin 2fct + (Vmsin 2fmt)(sin 2fct) (3)
Representing the concept through a circuit, Figures 4 and 5
show the schematic for the circuit that provides the carrier
wave and the audio amplifier respectively.
Fig. 4. Oscillator circuit.
This generates the carrier signal, which lies in the RF
range. The frequency of the carrier is always very high because
it is very difficult to generate high frequencies with good
frequency stability. Figure 4 shows the circuit used for the
carrier. Vc is the output of this circuit. A comparator is used
since it produces a stable oscillating signal. The carrier is then
then fed to the input of the audio amplifier shown in Figure 5.
College of Engineering, EECE Department
Mindanao State University Iligan Institute of Technology
Iligan City, Philippines
Fig. 5. Audio amplifier circuit.
The carrier signal is introduced in the base of the transistor.
The function generator(Vm) serves as the modulating signal.
The output can then be observed at Vam, in real life application,
AM signal is radiated through an antenna.
III. AM RECEIVER ARCHITECTURE
Figure 6 shows the block diagram for the AM receiver used
in the simulation.
Fig. 6. AM receiver block diagram.
Broadband tuning is applied to the RF stage. The purpose
of this is to reject the signals on the image frequency and
accept those on the wanted frequency. The level is carefully
chosen to enable the signals to be amplified sufficiently to
ensure a good signal to noise ratio is achieved. The AM wave
received is demodulated and converted back to its original
information signal form. The output from the demodulator is
the recovered audio. This is passed into the audio stages where
they are amplified and presented to the headphones or
loudspeaker. The figure below shows the schematic of the AM
receiver circuit.
 In partial fulfillment of the course ECE 104.1 Electronic Communication Systems Laboratory
Fig. 7. AM receiver circuit.
Vam is used to receive the AM signal. After receiving the
AM signal, it is them demodulated to recover the original
information signal and then amplified.
IV. SIMULATION RESULTS
Through Multisim, an electronic circuit simulation
environment, the schematics used for AM transmission and
reception is simulated. The output of the AM transmitter is fed
to the receiver. The outputs of the simulations are shown by
using virtual oscilloscope, a tool in Multisim. The horizontal
axis where the signals are displayed is time-based while the
vertical depicts the voltage.
Fig. 8. Carrier Signal.
Given the oscillator circuit in Figure 4, its output is reflected
in Figure 8, a somehow distorted sine wave with a frequency of
795 KHz and a peak-to-peak voltage of 2V. Each vertical
division of the plane is 500mV, while the horizontal is 5
microseconds.
College of Engineering, EECE Department
Mindanao State University Iligan Institute of Technology
Iligan City, Philippines
Fig. 9. Modulating and AM signal (from top to bottom).
Figure 9 shows the modulating signal and the AM signal,
the output of the AM transmitter shown in Figure 5. The
modulating signal, with a peak-to-peak voltage of 800mV, is a
sine wave from a function generator with a frequency of
1.6kHz. Each vertical division of the plane is 2V, while the
horizontal is 500ms.
Fig. 10. AM Receiver output.
Figure 10 shows output of the AM receiver. The signal has a
peak-to-peak voltage of 650mV with a frequency of 1.2kHz.
Each vertical division of the plane is 500mV, while the
horizontal is 500ms.
It can be observed that the output of the AM receiver has a
quite smaller value than the modulating signal; also, the
frequency is slightly shifted.
V. CONCLUSION
This paper has explained the two major circuits for AM
transmission system, the AM transmitter and receiver. Even
though the AM receiver provided an output that is not accurate,
only slight variation in the information signal is reflected.
Amplitude modulation, as a basic way of information
transmission, has its advantages and disadvantages. Its
advantages are as follows:
 In partial fulfillment of the course ECE 104.1 Electronic Communication Systems Laboratory
College of Engineering, EECE Department
Mindanao State University Iligan Institute of Technology
Iligan City, Philippines

Coverage area of AM Receiver is wider than FM

because atmospheric propagation.
AM is long distance propagation.
AM Circuit is cheaper and non-complex. REFERENCES
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Its disadvantages are: http://www.radio-electronics.com/info/rf-technology-
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Only one sideband of AM transmits information [2] AM Fundamentals,
http://www.pa2old.nl/files/am_fundamentals.pdf
signal, so it loss power on other sideband and
[3] Amplitude Modulation,
carrier. http://wits.ice.nsysu.edu.tw/course/pdfdownload/99CS/Comm-
From the simulation results and circuit constructions, AM is 03-Amplitude%20Modulation.pdf
the most straightforward way of modulating a signal. [4] Amplitude Modulation by High Frequencies,
https://www.osapublishing.org/josaa/abstract.cfm?uri=josaa-13-