COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

COMMUNICATION :
It is a process of transmitting information
or signal from one point known as source
to another point known as destination.
Information can be continuous such as
music, picture etc. or discrete signals like
data from computer etc.

BLOCK DIAGRAM OF A COMMUNICATION SYSTEM:

I I
N N
F F
O O
R R
M INPUT TX TX RX OUTPUT M
A transducer CHANNEL transducer A
T T
I I
O Noise O
N N
 As shown in the figure above, the first block at
the source is an input transducer which is used
to convert physical quantity (non electrical) to
electrical quantity. For example voice is
converted to electrical quantity using
microphone. Similarly at the destination output
transducer is used to convert electrical back to
physical quantity. For example a loudspeaker is
used to convert voice signal in the form of
electrical back to physical quantity.

There are basically three essential blocks in a

communication system.

„ Transmitter (TX)

„ Transmission Channel

„ Receiver (RX)
 Transmitter :

The output signal of the transducer is a complex

signal. It is restricted to desired range of
frequencies. On this signal modulation is
performed. Modulation is a process of altering
the characteristics of carrier signal in accordance
with the information. There are basically three
types of modulation technique
Amplitude modulation.
Frequency modulation.
Phase modulation.

Transmission channel:

It is a medium over which the electronic signal is transmitted

transmitted from
one point to another. This medium can be either wired or wireless.
wireless.
„ An example for wired communication is telephony where a pair of
physical wires is running parallel between transmitter and receiver.
receiver.
Now a days optical fibers are used in between transmitter and
receiver in which light carries the information. Similarly an example
example
for wireless communication is radio communication where two
antennas are employed, one at the transmitter and other at the
receiver. The transmitter antenna transmits the modulated
information into free space and the receiver antenna picks up thethe
modulated information which is later demodulated to get the
information back.
The modulated signal is then transmitted over a transmission
channel.
Noise:

It is a random, undesirable electrical

energy that interferes with the transmitted
signal. It can be either natural noise such
as noise caused by lightning during rainy
season or man made noise produced by
ignition system of cars etc. Noise is a
serious problem which cannot be
eliminated but one can reduce the effect
caused by it on the signal.

Receiver:

It is a collection of electronic circuits

designed to convert the modulated signal
back to modulating signal. This process is
known as demodulation. Finally an output
transducer is employed to convert back
the information in electrical form to
physical form.
 MODULATION:

„ Modulation is a process of altering the

characteristics of carrier signal in
accordance with the information or
modulating signal.

„ Carrier signal: It is a high frequency

signal that carries the information
from transmitter to receiver.

Need for modulation:

„ The height of the antenna required to transmit and receive radio waves is a
function of wavelength of the frequency used. i.e.λi.e.λ = c/f.
c/f. At low
frequency, λ is high and hence the height of the antenna should be more
to transmit the signal (since ‘λ’ is proportional to ‘h’). Therefore high
frequencies are used to transmit the information which requires
requires antenna
of lesser height.

„ At low frequency radiation is poor and signal gets highly attenuated.

attenuated.
Therefore signal cannot be transmitted over longer distance. Modulation
effectively increases the frequency of the signal to be radiated
radiated and thus
increases the distance over which signal can be transmitted faithfully.
faithfully.

„ The modulation permits multiplexing to be used. Multiplexing is method of

transmitting two or more informations simultaneously over a single channel.
In this method each message signal is modulated using different carrier
signal frequencies and then transmitted over a single channel. At
At the
receiver the message signals are extracted individually by tuning
tuning to their
respective carrier frequencies.
AMPLITUDE MODULATION:

It is defined as a process of varying the

amplitude of the carrier wave
proportional to the instantaneous
amplitude of modulating signal.

Modulating signal

Carrier signal

Modulated signal
 Modulating signal

Carrier signal

Modulated signal

CARRIER AND MODULATING SIGNALS

 AMPLITUDE MODULATED SIGNAL

Time domain analysis

Let the equation of carrier signal be c(t)
c(t) = Accos(2п
cos(2пfct) where Ac is the
peak amplitude of carrier signal and fc is the frequency of the carrier signal.
Let the equation of modulating signal be m(t)
m(t) = Amcos(2п
cos(2пfmt) where Am
is the peak amplitude of modulating signal and fm is the frequency
frequency of the
modulating signal.
Then by the definition of AM:

VAM (t) = [Ac+Amcos(2п

cos(2пfmt)]cos(2п
fmt)]cos(2пfct)

= Accos(2п
cos(2пfct) + (Am/2) cos(2п
cos(2пfmt) cos(2п
cos(2пfct)

= Accos(2п
cos(2пfct) + (mAC/2) {cos[2п
{cos[2п(fc + fm)t]
fm)t] + cos[2п
cos[2п(fc - fm)t]
fm)t] }

Where ‘m’ is the modulation index of AM signal which is defined as

ratio of amplitude of modulating signal to that of carrier signal.
SIGNIFICANCE OF MODULATION INDEX

The significance of modulation index is, it decides

the depth of modulation. If it is less than one,
then AM signal is known as under modulated
signal. If it is more than one, then AM signal is
known as over modulated signal. If it is equal to
one , then AM signal is known as perfect
modulated signal. To obtain the original
information, modulation index should always be
less than or equal to one.

Spectrum of AM signal:

lVAM( f )l
Ac/2
mAc/2 mAc/2

fc -fm fc fc + fm f (Hz)
As shown in the figure above, the spectrum
consisted of three frequency components, one
at fc and other two at fc+ fm , fc- fm. The
frequencies fc+ fm and fc- fm are known as
sideband frequencies i.e. fc+ fm is known as
upper sideband frequency and fc- fmis known as
lower sideband frequency . The separation
between these two frequencies is defined as
bandwidth of AM signal. Therefore the
bandwidth of AM signal is 2fm.

Total power required to

transmit AM signal
The total power required to transmit AM signal ( PT ) is sum of
power
required to transmit carrier signal ( PC ) and power required to
transmit side band signals ( PTSB ).

Therefore PT = PC + PTSB

= PC + PLSB + PUSB

= (AC2/2R) + (m2AC2/8R)
/8R) + (m2AC2/8R)
/8R)

= PC { 1 +( m2/2) }
The above equation gives the total power
required to transmit AM signal in terms of carrier
power and modulation index.
For 100% modulation : m = 1,
Therefore PT = PC { 1 +( ½) }
PC = 0.6666 PT
Or PC = 66.66%PT
i.e. 66.66% of total power is wasted in
transmitting carrier signal.

Current calculation:

PT = PC { 1 + (m2/2) }

IT2R = IC2R { 1 + (m2/2) }

IT = IC{ 1 + (m2/2) }0.5

where ‘IT’ is the current with modulation , ‘IC’ is

the current without modulation and R is the
resistance of the antenna.
Modulation by several
sine waves
In modulation by several sine waves, modulating
signal consists of several sine waves i.e.
m(t) = Am1cos(2пfm1t) + Am2cos(2пfm2 t) + . . .
For modulation by several sine waves overall
modulation index will be
mt = {(Am12 + Am22 + …..)/Ac2}0.5
= (m12 + m22 +…….)0.5

Therefore Total power will be:

PT = PC { 1 + (mt2/2) }

Similarly current with modulation will

be: I = I { [ 1 + (m 2/2) ]0.5 }
T C t
 Problems:

1. An audio signal 10sin (2п1000t) amplitude

modulates a carrier of 40sin (2п2000t). Find
„ Modulation index
„ Sideband frequencies.
„ Bandwidth.
„ Total power delivered if RL = 1KΩ.
„ Amplitude of each side band components

Solution:
i) Modulation index: m =0.25.
ii) Sideband frequencies :
Upper side band = fC + fm = 300Hz.
Lower side band = fC - fm = 1000Hz.
iii) Bandwidth = 2fm = 2KHz.
iv) Total power delivered:
PT = { 1 + (0.252)/2}
= 1.03125
v) Amplitude of each sideband = mAc/2=5V
2. The antenna current of an AM transmitter is 8A
when only carrier is transmitted, but increases
to 8.93A when carrier is modulated by a single
sine wave. Find the percentage modulation.
Determine the antenna current when the depth of
modulation changes to 0.8A.
Solution:
i) Given : IT = 8.93A.
IC = 8A.
IT = IC { 1+ m2/2}
m = 0.701 =70.1%.

ii) IT = ?, when m = 0.8

IT = 8 {1+(.7)2/2 } = 9.19A .
EXERCISE:
1. A certain transmitter radiates 9KW with
carrier unmodulated and 10.125KW when
carrier is sinusoidally modulated. Calculate
modulation index. If another sine wave
corresponding to 40% modulation is
transmitted simultaneously, determine the
total power radiated.
FREQUENCY MODULATION

It is defined as a process of altering the

frequency of the carrier signal w.r.t.
instantaneous amplitude of modulating
signal.

CARRIER AND MODULATING SIGNALS

 FREQUENCY MODULATED SIGNAL

„ Time domain analysis:

From the definition:

fFM= fC + Kfm(t)
Where Kf is known as frequency sensitivity.
fFM= fC + Kf Amcos(2Πfmt)
= fC + ∆f cos(2Πfmt)
where ∆f is known as frequency deviation. Its
signifies , by how much amount carrier frequency
gets deviated.
Multiplying by 2Π on both sides :
2ΠfFM = 2ΠfC + 2Π∆f cos(2Πfmt)
∆WFM = ∆WC + ∆Wcos(2Πfmt)
WFM =dθ(t)/dt , integrating both the sides :
WFMt = WCt +(∆W/∆Wm)sin(2Πfmt)
Therefore equation of FM Signal:
VFM(t) = ACcos[θ(t)]
= ACcos[WCt +β sin(2Πfmt)]

„ where β = ∆f/fm is defined as modulation index of

FM. Unlike AM modulation index is not restricted to
one. It can be more than unity.

Frequency spectrum:
„ The frequency spectrum of FM signal consisted of
infinite number of sideband components ( using
Fourier Transform ). Hence theoretically the
bandwidth of FM signal is infinity. But practically,
the bandwidth of FM signal is restricted using
Carson’s rule. According to Carson’s rule the
bandwidth of FM signal is given by 2(∆f + fm).
Problems:

„ Given a FM equation
VFM(t) = 10 cos [2Π
[2Π108t + 5 sin(2Π
sin(2Π15000t)] , Calculate
„ Carrier frequency.
„ Modulating frequency.
„ Frequency deviation.
„ Bandwidth using Carson’s rule.

Solution:
Carrier frequency: fC = 108Hz.
Modulating frequency : fm = 15KHz.
Frequency deviation : ∆f = β fm = 5 * 15 = 75KHz.
Bandwidth = 2(∆2(∆f + fm ) = 2( 75 + 15 ) = 180KHz.

„ In an FM system when the audio frequency is 50Hz ,

modulating voltage is 2.5V , the deviation produced is 5KHz.
If the modulating voltage is now increased to 7.5V , calculate
the new value of frequency deviation. If the AF voltage is
raised to 10V while the modulating frequency is dropped to
250Hz , what is the frequency deviation produced. Also
calculate modulation index in each case.
Solution:
Given : fm = 50Hz , Am = 2.5V , ∆f = 5KHz.
Modulation index: β = ∆f/fm= 5*103/50 = 100
ii) If Am = 7.5V , ∆f = ?
Kf = ∆f/Am=2KHz/V.
∆f = Kf Am = 2*7.5 = 15KHz.
Modulation index: β = ∆f/fm= 300.
iii) ∆f = Kf Am = 2*10KHz = 20KHz.
Modulation index: β = ∆f/fm= 800.

EXERCISE:
„ A carrier of amplitude 5V and frequency 90MHz is
frequency modulated by asinusoidal voltage of
amplitude 5V and frequency 15KHz. The
frequency sensitivity is 1Hz/V. Calculate the
frequency deviation and modulation index.
„ Compare and contrast AM and FM.
END