3-2 Fm Reception And Stereo

3-2-1 Fm Receiver Experiments

A. Purpose Of The Experiment

Study the principles on FM Superheterodyne reception and FM detection
circuits.
B. Backround Information
The following parameters define the quality of a FM receiver.
1. Selectivity : The capability of a receiver to differentiate between the
desired signal and disturbances at other frequencies. The selectivity of
a receiver depends on the Q of the RF tuning circuit, number of the
tuning circuit, number of the tuning stages, and the characteristics of
the IF band pass filter.
2. Sensitivity : The sensitivity of a receiver is the minimum input signal
required to produce a specified output signal having a specivied
signal-to-noise ratio. In general, 20dB of S/N ratio is used as a
reference for a FM signal. For an AM signal, the S/N ratio is about
would be equivalent to a 20dB signal.
3. Intermodulation : The modulation between the desired signal and
noise through the non-linear characteristics of receiver components.
The result of the modulation process is frequencies equal to the sums
and differences of the original signals.
4. Frequency stability : For heterodyne type receivers, the frequency
stability mainly refers to the frequency stability of the local
oscillator. Any frequency drift on the local oscillator will affect the IF
frequency, and the result would be poor selectivity of the receiver.
Most of the communication receivers are double heterodyne types
with two stages of IF conversion as shown in fig. 3-14. Example of
the actual IF frequencies are 10.7MHz for the first stage and 455KHz
for the second stage.
C. Required Equipment
o Board mount BR-3
o ED-3601 (FM receiver)
o ED 3603(Stereo Amp)
o FM RF signal generator
(100KHz-110MHz)
o Oscilloscope (20MHz)
o Ac level meter
o Digital DC volt meter
o Power supply 12V , 1A
o Connection cords
D. Experiment Procedure
<Sensitivity Measurement>
1. Set up equipment per fig 3-15

2. Set the RF signal generator as the following

Output frequency : 98MHz
Output power : 1mV
Modulation : 100Hz FM
Deviation : 75KHz
3. Set oscilloscope for 100KHz, 1rms display.
4. Connect 12V DC to the board and turn the power on.
5. Turn the frequency dial on ED-3601 slowly to tune to the RF signal
generator. When properly tuned, the tuning indicator will indicate the
center of the S-curve.
Note : Be careful when tuning the dial since it is not a vernier style
construction. Fast action may miss the center point. In case there is
enough ambiguity, tune to the maximum, undistorted 1000Hz
sinewave on the oscilloscope, as an alternative.

6. Without altering the frequency dial and settings on RF signal

generator, disconnect the input from the generator.
7. Measure the noise level of the receiver without the RF input.
8. Set the generator only for the carrier ( no modulation ) and apply it to
the receiver.
 Note : FM receiver generates white noise ( FM noise ) when there is
no incoming carrier. The FM noise will disappear as the RF carrier
reaches a threshold level.
9. Reduce the RF output level gradually until FM noise level reaches
1/10 of the noise without the RF carrier. Record the output level.
10.The sensitivity of the receiver is the RF input level when the
following relationship holds.
Noise output with RF input 1
=
Noise output without RF input 10

Or S/N = 20dB

Using the data obtained from step 7-9, determine the sensitivity of the
receiver. Incase there is an interference occurring at the frequency
selected for the axperiment, avoid the problem by moving the
frequency slightly either loweror higher.

11. Repeat the experiment at other frequencies. Such as 88MHz or

108MHz. Compare the results with the one obtained from 98MHz.

< Selectivity Measurement >

1. Set up equipment per fig,3-16
2. Set the RF signal generator to 98MHz, 100V and modulate the
frequency with 1KHz,
3. Adjust the time base of the oscilloscope to properly view the IF
signal (10.7MHz).
4. Apply the 12V DC power to the experiment board and observe the
IF signal on the oscilloscope. The vertical scale adjust of the
oscilloscope should be in CAL position.
5. Turn off AFC at ED-3601 and tune ED-3601 to 98MHz. If
necessary, ED-3603 can be used with 1KHz tone to assist tuning.
6. Tune the modulation off on the RF signal generator and reduce the
output frequency to 97KHz with 100KHz decrement. Measure the
 IF level on the oscilloscope each time and record the value in fif.3-
17. Notice that fc in the figure is 98MHz.
7. Increasa the output frequency to 99MHz with 100KHz increment
and record the IF level in fig.3-17.
Note : the passband of a FM radio receiver is the two points where
the signal level is -3dB from fc. The selectivity is defined
referenced to the -20 dB points.
fc
Selectivity at -20 dB = 20 log fH fL
Where fH = upper -20dB frequency
fL = lower -20dB frequency

8. Using the value obtained from step 6 and 7, calculate the

selectivity of the receiver.

< FM detector characteristics measurement >

1. Set up equipment per fig.3-18

2. Set the output of thr RF signal generator to 98MHz,1mV,

unmodulated.

3. Set DC voltmeter to 2 or 3V range.4.

4. Applay the DC 12V power to the board and check TP-5 to

verify the DC output.
Note : TP-5 is the port where FM detector output is monitored
to provide inputs to the AFC circuits. When the receiver is
correctly tuned to the incoming frequency, the output at TP-5
should be 0.0 therwise, the output would be either + or -.
5. Turn the AFC off on ED-3601, and tune to 98K\MHz.The TP-5
output should be approximately 0V.
6. With the RF signal generator in unmodulated mode, reduce the
frequency to 97.85MHz with 10KHz decrement. Record the
TP-5 voltage in fig 3-19.
 7. Increase the RF signal generator frequency from 98MHz to
98.15MHz with 10KHz increament and record the TP-5 voltage
in fig 3-19.
8. From the curve obtained from step 6 and 7, calculates the
bandwidth of the linear portion of the S curve. Explain the
meaningfulness of the bandwidth.
9. Set up equipment per fig 3-20. Turn AFC and local 0sc.
Switches to OFF.

10. Set the center frequency of the sweep generator to 10.7MHz,

100mV. Set the marker generator frequency to 10.7MKz.
11. Set the oscilloscope to X-Y mode set the vertical input to 1V.
12. Adjust RF output and oscilloscope to obtain a S-curve on the
screen.
13.Move the marker generator frequency up or down and observe
the change in S-curve. Compare the results with the previous
S curve in step 8.
14.In case an external modulation input is available from the RF
signal generator, the user can perform extra experiments by
setting up the equipment per fig 3-21. Apply various types of
audio signals to the external modulation input, anf listen to the
sound at the speaker.
15.Activate ED-3605 instead of RF signal generator. Tune the
receiver to rhe transmitter frequency. Using the microphone, try
to simulate a FM broadcast station.

E. Summary
1. There are two ways to improve the sensitivity of a receiver.
a. Increase RF amplification :
The main advantage of increasing RF amplification is improved
selectivity of the receiver. Interference due to the image frequency
can be reduced at the same time. This is an attractive receiver.
However, for a variable frequency receiver. Yhe multiple tuning
stage become complex and expensive.
 b. Increase IF amplification :
Because IF is lower than RF, its easier to perform multiple stage
amplification of IF than RF. Since the is constant for vaiable
frequency receiver, it can be cost effectively applied to a variable
frequency receiver.
2. In general, the selectivity of FM receivers is inferior to that of AM
receivers. The reason for this is FM occupies broader frequency
bandwidth. As an example, compare the FM wave with AM wave for the
following specification.
Carrier frequency fc = 100MHz
Frequency deviation f = 5KHz which is typical for narrow band FM
Modulation input frequency fs = 3KHz

Bandwidth for FM : B = 2(f + fs ) = 2(5+3)=16KHz

Bandwidth for FM : B = 2fs = 2 X 3 = 6KHz
3. From the above example, its clear that the Q of the FM IF circuit should
have a characteristics such as (b) in the figere below. The (a) in the figure
will cut out some of the message signals in the IF. The following is a
summary on the bandwidth of each system.

4. The describle S curve is the one with the maximized linear portion as
shown in the figure below.

5. The performance of the local oscillator determines the frequency stability

of FM receivers. The frequency stability of the local oscillator is affected
by the ambient temperature, relative humidity and other parameters,
automatic frequency control circuit compensates the frequency drift of
the L0. Most accurate frequency performance can be obtained when a
digitally synthesized circuit is employed.
 SECTION 2

TRANSMISSION AND RECEPTION OF FM SIGNALS

2-2 FM Transmission

2-1-1 Modulation Circuits

Direct or indirect FM modulation produces a modulation signal which deviates in

frequency in response to the amplitude variation of the modulating signals. Phase
modulation (PM) has many similarities with PM. Instead of PM having a
frequency deviation. Pm is characterizied in terms of the phase deviation which
can be called the phase modulation index. Examples of direct, indirect and phase
modulation circuits will be reviewed in this section. In general, to maintain higher
quality of audio signals, commercial PM broadcast systems have a maximum
frequency deviation of 75KHz. Which is much wider than the 5~15KHz frequency
deviation or radio communications equipment.