Communication Fundamentals Dijlah University College

Second Stage Assist Lecturer: Marwa Maki

Frequency Modulation Fundamentals

With analog frequency modulation, the modulating signal is an analog signal,
and it’s given the name FM (frequency modulation). Frequency modulation is used
in many fields including transceivers and FM radio broadcasting. There are various

AM FM
1. AM stands for Amplitude Modulation 1. FM stands for Frequency Modulation
2. In AM, a radio wave known as the "carrier" 2. In FM, a radio wave known as the "carrier"
or "carrier wave" is modulated in amplitude by or "carrier wave" is modulated in frequency by
the signal that is to be transmitted. The the signal that is to be transmitted. The
frequency and phase remain the same. amplitude and phase remain the same.
3. BW=2f m 3. B=2( ∆f+ f m )

4. Transmitter and receiver are simple but 4. Transmitter and receiver are more complex
synchronization is needed. as variation of modulating signal has to be
converted and detected from corresponding
variation in frequencies.(i.e. voltage to
frequency and frequency to voltage conversion
has to be done).
5. AM is more susceptible to noise because 5. FM is less susceptible to noise because
noise affects amplitude, which is where information in an FM signal is transmitted
information is "stored" in an AM signal. through varying the frequency, and not the
amplitude.

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Communication Fundamentals Dijlah University College
Second Stage Assist Lecturer: Marwa Maki

Theory of Frequency Modulation:

The basic principle behind FM is that the amplitude of an analog baseband
signal can be represented by a slightly different frequency of the carrier. This is
illustrated in the following diagrams

Notice that as the information signal increases, the frequency of the carrier
increases, and as the information signal decreases, the frequency of the carrier
decreases.

The frequency f i of the information signal controls the rate at which the carrier
frequency increases and decreases. As with AM, f i must be less than f c . The
amplitude of the carrier remains constant throughout this process.

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Communication Fundamentals Dijlah University College
Second Stage Assist Lecturer: Marwa Maki

When the information voltage reaches its maximum value then the change in
frequency of the carrier will have also reached its maximum deviation above the
nominal value. Similarly when the information reaches a minimum the carrier will
be at its lowest frequency below the nominal carrier frequency value. When the
information signal is zero, then no deviation of the carrier will occur.

The maximum change that can occur to the carrier from its base value f c is called the
frequency deviation, and is given the symbol ∆f c .

EXAMPLE:

A 400 kHz sinusoidal carrier of amplitude 5V is frequency modulated by a 3

kHz sinusoidal information signal of amplitude 3V. The behaviour of the carrier is
governed by the frequency deviation per volt and for this system is 25 kHz per volt.
Describe how the resulting FM signal changes with time.

SOLUTION:

The FM carrier will change in frequency from 400 kHz to 475 kHz to 400 kHz to
325 kHz and back to 400 kHz, 3000 times per second. This is because the frequency
deviation ∆f c = 3 x 25 kHz = 75 kHz. The amplitude of the carrier will remain fixed
at 5 V.

If the same system was used and the amplitude of the information signal was
decreased to 1V, how would this affect the resulting FM signal? Describe the
changes, including any relevant calculations.

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Communication Fundamentals Dijlah University College
Second Stage Assist Lecturer: Marwa Maki

In frequency modulation, the modulated wave S fm can be expressed with the

following equation.

Where
K fm: constant corresponding to VCO sensitivity
The maximum frequency shift Δf of the instantaneous frequency is as follows. Δf is
also called deviation.

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Communication Fundamentals Dijlah University College
Second Stage Assist Lecturer: Marwa Maki

S m(t) = A c cos(ω c t +β sin ωc t)

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Communication Fundamentals Dijlah University College
Second Stage Assist Lecturer: Marwa Maki

EXAMPLE:
A signal m (t) = 2 cos ( 2π 10^3) frequency modulates (FM) a 1 MHz carrier
to produce a (peak) frequency deviation of 4 kHz, Write the time-domain expression
for the resulting FM signal what is the value of the frequency deviation constant k f
what is the bandwidth of the FM signal?

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Communication Fundamentals Dijlah University College
Second Stage Assist Lecturer: Marwa Maki

Generation of FM Wave:
1. Indirect Method of Armstrong
Modulating wave first used to produce a narrowband FM wave, then
frequency multiplication is used to increase the frequency deviation to the desired
level.

2. Direct Generation
Here instantaneous frequency of the carrier wave is varied directly in
accordance with the message signal by means of VCO.

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Communication Fundamentals Dijlah University College
Second Stage Assist Lecturer: Marwa Maki

Frequency Modulation Bandwidth

Carson's rule gives the estimation of the bandwidth of an FM system.

B=2( ∆f+ f m )

This rule is based on experimental results that proved that there are limited number
of side bands around the carrier frequency, which contain approximately 98 percent
of the total power of an FM signal. All the remaining side hands in the frequency
spectrum contain only 2 percent of the total power. Thus, it is obvious that the
bandwidth of an FM system can be reduced to a practically feasible limit at the
expense of 2 percent of the total power.

The loss of 2 percent of total power is a wise trade between the qualities of the
received. Signal and the bandwidth, as infinite bandwidth is required to transmit total
power of an FM signal.

Spectra of an FM signal with differing levels of modulation index

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Communication Fundamentals Dijlah University College
Second Stage Assist Lecturer: Marwa Maki

EXAMPLE:

A 10 MHz carrier is frequency modulated by a pure signal tone of frequency 8 kHz.

The frequency deviation is 32 kHz. Calculate the bandwidth of the resulting FM
waveform.

Solution:
Bandwidth = 2(∆f c + f i (max) )
= 2(32 + 8)
= 80kHz

EXAMPLE:

An audio signal, with a base band of 200 Hz to 4 kHz, frequency modulates a carrier
of frequency 50 MHz. The frequency deviation per volt is 10 kHz V-1 and the
maximum audio voltage it can transmit is 3V. Calculate the frequency deviation and
the bandwidth of the FM signal.

Solution:

∆f C = 3V × 10kHzV −1
= 30kHz

Bandwidth = 2(∆f c + f i (max) )

= 2(30 + 4)
= 68kHz