Amplitude Modulation

Types of Communications System

Amplitude Modulation (AM)
• Amplitude modulation is the process of changing the
amplitude of a relatively high frequency carrier signal in
proportion with the instantaneous value of the
modulating signal (information).
• Relatively inexpensive
• Low quality form of modulation
• Used for commercial broadcasting of audio signals
 AM Modulator
• AM modulators are non linear devices with two inputs and one
output.
• One input is a relatively high frequency carrier signal with constant amplitude
• Second input is the relatively low frequency information signal
Modulating signal νm = Em sin 2πfmt
Carrier νc = Ec sin 2πfct
Modulated wave (AM signal)
νAM = (Ec + νm) sin 2πfct
νAM = (Ec + Em sin 2πfmt) sin 2πfct
νAM = Ec sin 2πfct + Em sin 2πfmt sin 2πfct
AM Frequency Spectrum and Bandwidth
• An AM modulator is a non linear device, thus, non linear
mixing occurs
• The output is a complex wave made up of the following:
• Carrier frequency
• Sum ( fc + fm) and difference (fc – fm) frequencies.
• Displaced from the carrier frequency by an amount equal to the
modulating signal frequency
• Note:
• The modulated wave does not contain a frequency component equal to
the modulating signal frequency.
νm = 3 sin 100π t
νc = 5 sin 200000π t

νm = 5 sin 200π t
νc = 6 sin 400000π t
 Types of Amplitude Modulation
• Double Sideband Full Carrier (DSBFC)
• Double Sideband Suppressed Carrier (DSBSC)
• Single Sideband Suppressed Carrier (SSBSC)
• Single Sideband (SSB)
• DSBFC is the most commonly used type of AM
modulation.
• Sometimes called conventional AM
AM Frequency Spectrum and Bandwidth
• The bandwidth (BW) of an AM DSBFC wave is equal to
the difference between the highest upper side
frequency and the lowest side frequency or two times
the highest modulating signal frequency.

BW = 2 fm(max)
Example:
Coefficient of Modulation and Percent Modulation
• Coefficient of modulation (m) is a term used to describe
the amount of amplitude change (modulation) present
in an AM waveform.
νAM = Ec (1 + m sin 2πfmt) sin 2πfct
• Percent modulation (M) is simply the coefficient of
modulation stated as percentage. It also gives the
percentage change in the amplitude of the output wave
when the carrier is acted on by a modulating signal.
m = 0.5

m=1
Coefficient of Modulation and Percent Modulation
νm = 3 sin 100π t
νc = 5 sin 200000π t

νm = 5 sin 200π t
νc = 6 sin 400000π t
Coefficient of Modulation and Percent Modulation
If the modulating signal is pure, single-frequency sine wave and the
modulation process is symmetrical, then the percent modulation
can be derive as follows:

x100
Example:
Example
Output Spectrum
AM Power Distribution
Example:
Power Spectrum
AM Current Calculations
• Modulation index can be calculated by measuring the current of the carrier
and the modulated wave.
• The measurement is simply by metering the transmit antenna current with
and without the presence of the modulating signal.
• The relationship between the carrier current and the current of the
modulated wave is
m2
It  Ic 1 
2
P t It 2 R It 2 m2
 2  2  1
P c Ic R Ic 2
Example:
When a carrier is modulated 100%, the total AM power increases
by what percentage over that of carrier alone?
The AM antenna current without modulation is 1A, with
modulation is 1.225A. What is the modulation index?
An increase in the AM transmitter power from 25W to 30W will
cause the antenna current to increase from 700mA to ________.
An increase in the AM modulating signal voltage from 25V to 30V
will cause the antenna current to increase from 700mA to
________.
 Modulation by Complex Information Signal
• Modulating signal is often complex waveform made up of many sine waves
with different amplitudes and frequencies.
• When several frequencies simultaneously amplitude modulate a carrier,
the combined coefficient of modulation is the square root of the quadratic
sum of the individual modulation indexes as follows:
mt  m 1 2  m 2 2  m 3 2  ....  m n 2
• The combined coefficient of modulation can be used to determine the
total sidebands and transmitted powers as follows:
Example:
For an AM DSBC transmitter with an unmodulated carrier
power Pc = 100 W that is modulated simultaneously by
three modulating signals with coefficients of modulation
m1 = 0.2, m2 = 0.4 and m3 = 0.5, determine:
a. Total coefficient modulation
b. Power in each sideband
c. Total transmitted power
AM Transmitters
• There are two types of AM transmitters. They are low-level
modulation and high-level modulation.

• Low-level modulation transmitters generate AM with small signals

and must be amplified before transmission.

• High-level modulation transmitters produce AM at high power levels,

usually in the final amplifier stage the transmitter.
Amplitude
Modulator

Amplitude
Modulator
 AM Transmitter
• The location in a transmitter where modulation
occurs determines whether the circuit is a low or a
high level transmitter.
• With a low level modulation, the modulation takes
place prior to the output element of the final stage
of the transmitter.
o Advantage: less modulating signal power is required to
achieve a high percentage of modulation.
 AM Transmitter
• With a high level modulation, the modulation takes
place in the final element of the final stage where
the carrier signal is at its maximum amplitude and
thus requires a much higher amplitude modulating
signal to achieve a reasonable percent modulation.
Example:
• The advantage of a high-level modulated AM transmitter is
a. Less audio power required
b. Better fidelity
c. Higher value of operating power
d. Less distortion

• The advantage of a low-level modulated AM transmitter is

a. Less audio power required
b. Better fidelity
c. Higher value of operating power
d. Less distortion
AM Receiver
Envelope/Diode AM Detector
Envelope Detector

• When D is forward-biased, the capacitor ______ and

follows input.
• When D is reverse-biased, the capacitor ________
through R.
Envelope Detector

• When D is forward-biased, the capacitor charges and

follows input.
• When D is reverse-biased, the capacitor discharges
through R.