Broadcasting Engineering & Acoustics

AM BALANCED MODULATOR A balanced modulator is a device that modifies a signal, usually in the form of an amplitude modulated (AM) radio signal. It takes the original signal that has both sidebands and a carrier signal, and then modulates it so that only the sideband signals come through the output of the balanced modulator. This creates a balanced signal, as there is less noise because the carrier signal has been removed.

Amplitude modulation is a way for a signal to be transmitted over distances. It is the most commonly modified signal for use with a balanced modulator. Understanding how it works will demonstrate how a balanced modulator works. The AM signal is originally sent with a carrier signal in the form of a wave. The wave is then modulated, or changed, by an audio signal that is also in the form of a wave. This produces a signal that has the original carrier signal plus two bands, one on top of the original signal and one on the bottom. These are referred to as sidebands and are exact copies of each other. A signal like this is called a double sideband amplitude modulated (DSB-AM) signal. The sidebands, because they were modified by the originating audio waveform, are the signals responsible for carrying the information that is being transmitted. Once modulated, the carrier signal doesnt serve a real practical purpose anymore, and it only shows that a signal is being sent. It does, however, take up a larger chunk of power than the two sideband signals, and also creates a less-clear signal. To remedy, or modulate, this situation, a balanced modulator would be used. The balanced modulator removes or suppresses the carrier signal, so that only the two sideband signals remain. The signal that remains now has several times more power because the carrier signal is not there to drain it away. This type of signal is referred to as double-sideband suppressed-carrier (DSBSC). In addition to being more powerful, the signal is also cleaner as it has less signal noise, which the carrier signal can often create. At some point, a DSBSC signal needs to have its carrier signal regenerated. This will allow for the signal to be put back into its original form for reception. In the case of an AM signal, it allows the signal to be received on the proper frequency and be heard. This can be taken care of by a device such as a beat frequency oscillator.

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Balanced Modulator Circuit

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The Balanced Modulator is essentially an analog multiplier: its time domain output signal, Vout(t) is linearly related to the product of the time domain input signals V1(t) (called the modulation signal) and V2(t) (called the carrier signal). Its transfer function has the form:

The Balanced Modulator uses the principle of the dependence of the BJTs transconductance, gm, on the emitter current bias. In order to demonstrate the principle, consider the load currents IL1 and IL2. From your knowledge of differential amplifier operation,

Also, the bias current IB in the differential amplifiers can be expressed as:

Therefore, vout(t) can be written as:

Thus, the output signal is proportional to the product of the carrier signal (V1) and the modulating signal (V2) with a DC offset. Notice however that the above expression is only valid with very small V1(t) due to the high gm values of Q1 and Q2 in the diff pair. For higher values of v1(t), the circuit response becomes nonlinear with respect to V1(t)*V2(t). Physically, this means that BJTs Q1-Q2 are driven into saturation mode and operate as switches. Then, vout(t) is given by:

Where, Sc is the modulation signal chopped for sinusoidal inputs. The corresponding chopped output signal is also shown in Figure.

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Balanced Modulator Waveform

The output stage amplifier is essentially a common emitter amplifier that you have seen in class. Its purpose is to boost the power of the output signal being transmitted by the antenna. The output stage is usually designed for the highest power gain that you can achieve without output distortion.

Output Stage Amplifier Circuit

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SINGLE SIDEBAND TRANSMITTER An SSB transmitter single sideband transmitter) transmits only on one sideband. An SSB transmitter may be a USB transmitter (upper sideband transmitter) or an LSB transmitter (lower sideband transmitter). An SSB transmitter usually operates by generating a DSB (double sideband) signal and using a filter to remove one sideband. A transmitter for single-sideband broadcast transmission which operates in accordance with the principle of combined amplitude and phase modulation generating a single-sideband signal and splitting this signal into an amplitude-modulated component applied to an amplitude-modulated path and a phasemodulated component applied to a phase-modulated path. An amplitude-modulation path is a D.C. voltagecoupled signal path from an envelope-curve detector to a radio-frequency amplifier . This results in direct floating-carrier modulation in a radio frequency amplifier in which the amplitude-modulated and phasemodulated components are amplified and recombined. Block Diagram
Modulator produces double-sideband suppressed-carrier Sideband filter suppresses unwanted sideband

The balanced modulator receives two input signals: the audio modulating signal and the RF carrier signal. When no audio signal is applied to the balanced modulator, there is no signal at the output (providing the balance controls are properly adjusted). When a single audio tone is applied to the balanced modulator, two signals appear at the output: an upper sideband signal and a lower sideband signal. The upper sideband signal is equal to the RF carrier frequency plus the audio-modulating frequency-that is, Fusb = Fc + Fa; where Fusb is the upper sideband frequency, Fc is the carrier frequency, and Fa is the frequency of the audio-modulating signal. The lower sideband signal is equal to the RF carrier frequency minus the audio-modulating frequency-that is, Flsb = Fc - Fa, where Flsb is the lower sideband frequency, Fc is carrier frequency, and Fa is the frequency of the audio-modulating signal. These two signals can be represented by phasors, as shown in Figure below. The opposite sidebands are represented by phasors that rotate in opposite directions. Each phasor makes one complete (360) revolution in the time period equal to one complete audio cycle. In the example in the Figure, the audiomodulating frequency is 1,000 Hz. The time period required for 1 cycle of a 1,000-Hz signal is 1/1,000 of one second or 1 millisecond (ms). Hence, each phasor makes one complete revolution in 1 ms. As the
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phasors rotate, they alternately add and subtract, thus producing an envelope pattern as shown at the Figure (f) . At time 0, the two phasors are 180apart, causing complete cancellation (assuming equal amplitude sidebands). Thus, the envelope at Figure (f) is at zero amplitude at time O. At time 1(Figure (b)), the two phasors are exactly in phase thus adding to produce maximum amplitude in the envelope. At time 2 (Figure ( C )), the phasors are again 180 apart, thus canceling to produce zero amplitude in the envelope waveform. At time 3 (Figure (d)), the phasors are again exactly in phase, thus producing maximum amplitude in the envelope. At time 4 (Figure (e)), both phasors are back to their starting points and 180 apart, causing the envelope to return to zero amplitude.

Phasors A through E illustrate how a single-tone audio input produces a double-sideband, two-tone envelope at the ouput of the balanced modulator. The waveform at G is the audio modulating signal at the transmitter input.

This process is repeated as long as the audio signal is applied to the balanced modulator. This doublesideband single-tone signal is fed to a filter, which removes one of the sidebands. The output from the sideband filter is a single-sideband signal in the form of a single-frequency CW signal, which can be represented by a single phasor as shown in the Figure (A) below. The oscilloscope would show a CW signal as shown at Figure (B) below.
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The phasor at A represents a single-tone SSB signal at the output of the sideband filter with a single-tone audio modulating signal at the transmitter input. The illustration at B shows the way the envelope appears at the output of the sideband filter.

Hence, a single-tone audio input produces a CW RF output from the sideband filter. This SSB signal from the output of the filter is fed to the input of a mixer or converter stage where the signal is increased to a higher frequency at which it is to be transmitted. From the mixer, the SSB signal goes to the linear amplifier, which increases the power level of the SSB signal sufficiently for transmission. The linear amplifier must amplify the SSB signal without distortion; that is, the envelope at the output of the linear amplifier must be the same as the envelope at the input to the linear amplifier. Various Power Relationships in the SSB Signal The accepted method of testing SSB transmitters is to use a two-tone audio generator to modulate the transmitter. The two audio tones should be of equal amplitude and non-harmonically related. Figure below shows a block diagram of a two tone generator.

Block diagram of a two-tone generator used to test SSB transmitter

Carrier Suppression Test In a properly operating SSB suppressed carrier transmitter, the carrier component should not appear in the output signal. A simple test with a single audio-modulating tone applied to the transmitter input can be used to determine the relative degree of carrier suppression. The basic test setup is shown below.

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Basic test setup for carrier suppression test and the unwanted sideband suppression test.

Test Procedure 1. Key the transmitter and adjust the level of the 1-kHz audio-modulating tone to produce a power output of approximately one-half the rated PEP output. 2. Closely examine the envelope waveform on the scope. With good carrier suppression, the envelope should be a CW waveform as shown in Figure A. If a ripple appears in the waveform as in Figure B, it may be due to insufficient carrier suppression.

A single-tone SSB envelope with good carrier suppression is shown at A. There is no evidence of the carrier in the envelope. At B a single-tone SSB envelope with insufficient carrier suppression. The carrier shows up as a ripple in the envelope.

Use the scope to compare the ripple waveform with the audio modulating tone in the following manner: (1) using the scope's graticule, measure the distance between the peaks in the ripple waveform as shown in Figure(a) below; (2) without changing the horizontal sweep rate, remove the SSB signal and apply the audio-modulating signal to the scope as shown in Figure(b).

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If the ripple in the single-tone envelope is caused by carrier leak-through, the peaks of the ripple will be spaced the same distance apart as the audio modulating signal used to produce the single-tone output, providing the same horizontal sweep rate is used.

If the distance between the peaks of the audio-modulating signal is the same as the distance measured in step 1, the ripple is due to insufficient carrier suppression. The relative degree of carrier suppression (or lack of it) is indicated by the relative degree of ripple. Figure (a) below shows a mild case of insufficient carrier suppression, while the illustration at Figure (b) shows a more severe case.

A mild case of insufficient carrier suppression is shown at A while a more severe case is shown at B.

The approximate carrier suppression in terms of dB below the single tone can be determined by measuring the ripple component and envelope height and then substituting the two values into the formula:

To determine the approximate suppression in dB, measure the ripple height and the envelope height and substitute the two measurements into the formula.

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