EREXI Suporhotorodyne Receiver The problems of TRF receiver are overcome in this receiver. The superheterodyne receiver converts all incoming RE frequencies to a fixed lower frequency, called Intermediate Frequeney (IF), This IF is then amplified and detected to get the original signal, Fig, 1.12.2 shows the block diagram of superheterodyne receiver. ‘Audio and power amplifier Antenna amplifier Detector l AGC Ganged tuning Fig. 1.12.2 Block diagram of superheteradyne receiver RF Amplifier The antenna receives all the frequency signals and gives it to RF amplifier. The RF stage amplifies the signals in the required range of frequencies. Thus it provides initial gain and selectivity. Mixer and Local Oscillator The output of the RF amplifier is given to the mixer stage. The local oscillator output is also applied to the mixer. Let us assume that local oscillator frequency is fy and signal frequency is f. The signal frequency f, and local oscillator frequency fy are mixed in the mixer in such a way that frequency difference (fy - f,) is produced at the output of mixer, This difference fy ~ f, is called Intermediate Frequency (IF). The signal at this IF contains the same modulation as the incoming signal. IF Amplifier The IF is amplified by one or more IF amplifier stages and given to the detector. Most of the gain and selectivity is provided by these IF amplifiers. Normally IF is fixed for the AM receivers. To select a particular station, the local oscillator frequency fy is changed in such a way that the frequency 'f,' of that station and fo’ has the difference equal to IF. Thus whatever is the station being tuned, the IF is fixed. Thus the IF amplifiers and detector operate at the single frequency ie. IF. Hence the bandwidth of the IF amplifiers is relatively narrow. Scanned with CamScanner=== ede Moxy, 90 Communication Systems : Automatic Gain Control Gin Col or 4 it is apple Ages A part of output is taken from the detector and ate Gain Control or agente and iF echiee ter ean contol. THis called AMET wide range of RF input ‘AGC maintains the ecastant output voltage Fee a levels. Detector dulating signal. Diode detecty,; iginal mo The detector converts AM signal at TF to origina! f detector is low power audio most commonly used for AM signals. The output © * modulating signal. Audio and Power amplifier The signal received from detector is v power amplifiers normally have one or m speaker. Advantages of Superheterodyne Receiver 1) The selectivity of this receiver is better since its they operate only at IF. 2) The design of IF amplifiers is relatively simple since they operate only at IF. hence needs amplification. Aug, \k and I ory signal is amplified and given ore stages. The ¢ IF amplifiers are narrow band, ang EREE] Performance Parameters of Receivers The performance of a Radio receiver is measured on the basis of its selectivity, sensitivity, fidelity and image frequency rejection. Selectivity The selectivity is the ability of the receiver to select a signal of a desired frequency while rejecting all others. The 4 4 |. selectivity of the receiver is obtained partially by RF amplifier and mainly by IF amplifiers. The selectivity shows the Attenuation attenuation that the receiver offers to signals at frequencies near to the one to which it is tuned. Fig. 1.123 shows the typical selectivity curve of the receiver. The selectivity depends upon tuned LC circuits hf used in RF and IF stages. f, is the Frequency —> tesonating (tuned) frequency and Q is Fig. 1.12.3 Selectivity curve quality factor of these LC circuits. As shown in Fig, : | for better selectivity. Hence Q of the coil should ee bandwidth should be nat" TECHNICAL PUBLICATIONS an uprthrust for knowledge Scanned with CamScannerCommunication Systems 1-91 Amplitude Modulation Sensitivity The ability of the receiver to pick up weak signals and amplify them, is called sensitivity. It is often defined interms of the voltage that must be applied to the receiver input terminals to give the standard output power, measured at the output terminals. As the gain of the receiver is increased, sensitivity is also increased.’ The sensitivity is expressed in micro volts or decibels, Fig. 112.4 shows the typical sensitivity curve of a receiver. ~ Fi heey “ As shown in the figure, the sensitivity is _ a decreased (ie. voltage is increased) at higher M8 1-124 Sensitivity curve of a typical frequencies. ‘ecelver Fidelity The ability of the receiver to reproduce all the range of modulating frequencies equally is { : called fidelity of the receiver, po en Fig. 1.125 shows typical fidelity “inde curve of the receiver. The fidelity 16 curve shown in the figure basically represents frequency response of the receiver. The curve should be nearly. = a 1000 5000 10 kHz flat over the required range of ee ae frequencies. A good fidelity requires Fig. 1.12.5 Typical fidelity curve wide band of frequencies to be amplified. Hence for good fidelity, more bandwidth of RF and IF stages is required. But this results in poor selectivity. AM receivers are not good fidelity receivers, since bandwidth in AM is low. Image Frequency Rejection We know that local oscillator frequency is made higher than the signal frequency such that fy - f, = fj. Here f; is IF. That is fy =f, + fj. The IF stage passes only fj. If the frequency f,; =f, +2f; appears at the input of the mixer, then the mixer will produce difference frequency equal to f;. This is equal to IF. The frequency f,; is ‘called image frequency and is defined as the signal frequency plus twice the IF. This image frequency is converted in the IF range and it is also amplified by IF amplifiers. This is the effect of two stations being received simultaneously. The image frequency rejection is done by Sensitivity, »V Scanned with CamScannerss ivity of the RF stage. tuned circuits in the RF stage. It depends upon the selectivity Be. The Aap, tejection should be done before the IF stages- Image Frequency Rejection Ratio (IFRR) / ' It is the measure of ability of a preselector to reject the image frequency. It js sive IFRR = | 1+Q2p? Here Q is quality factor of preselector and p = as, fi fe Scanned with CamScanner