UNIT-I

INTRODUCTION
Syllabus: Need for Modulation, Frequency translation, Electromagnetic spectrum, Gain,
Attenuation and decibels, Digital Modulation techniques ASK, FSK, PSK, DPSK.
Communication:
The communication system is a system that describes the information exchange between
two points. The process of transmission and reception of information is called communication.

The three essential components of a communication system are

 Transmitter:
o The transmitter modulates the message signal.
o Modulation is the process of converting a signal into a form suitable for
transmission.
o A transmitter is a telecommunications electrical device that generates radio
waves so that data may be transferred or received through an antenna.
o The transmitter may generate an alternating current of radio frequency, which is
then applied to the antenna, which radiates it as radio waves.
 Channel:
o A communication channel is a physical transmission channel in
telecommunications and computer networking.
o A channel is a device that delivers data from one or more senders (or
transmitters) to one or more receivers.
o Or in other words, the channel is what connects the output of the transmitter to
the receiver input.
 Receiver:
 o The receiver does the demodulation. Demodulation is the process of recovering
the correct message signal.
o The received signal, which is picked up from the broadcast signal at the channel
output, is processed by the receiver to reproduce the original message signal in a
recognizable form for transmission.
o A radio receiver, also known as an FM receiver, is a device that receives radio
waves and converts the data carried by them into useable information.
o The desired frequency waves are caught using an antenna.
Nowadays, information, messages, data, and signals are sent from one location to another within
seconds. How is such fast transmission possible? The communication system uses modulation to
enhance the range of the signals. Most of the signals generated in daily life are sinusoidal
waveforms. Sinusoidal wave is a curve that describes smooth repetitive oscillations. The signals
transferred during communication include crucial information in the form of a sinusoidal wave.
Modulation and its types play a crucial role in the rapid transmission of the signals from the
sender to the receiver. Modulation is the superimposition of the signal wave (carrying the
message) with a high-frequency carrier signal to ensure faster transmission of the signal.

Modulation:

Modulation is the process of superimposing a low-frequency signal on a high-frequency carrier

signal.
Types of Signals used in the Modulation
 Modulating Signal: This is the signal that contains the message to be transmitted from
the sender to the receiver and is called a message signal. Generally, the message signals
are the band of low or high frequencies and are often called baseband signals. The
message signals are the signals to be transmitted from the sender to the receiver. The
frequency of the message signals to be sent is generally low. Thus, these signals undergo
modulation to get correctly transmitted from one location to another.
 Carrier Signal: The other signal used in the process of modulation is the carrier signal
that has high-frequency sinusoidal waves. The high-frequency carrier wave can travel
much quicker as compared to the baseband signal. These signals have a specific
frequency, amplitude, and phase, but no information. After modulation, carrier signals are
used to transmit the signal to the receiver.
 Modulated Signal: After the modulation is done, the resultant signal refers to the
modulated signal. This signal is the mixture of the carrier signal and message signal.
The above diagram shows three types of signals, namely, message signal, carrier signal, and
modulated signal that is the mixture of the message and carrier signal.

Types of Modulation:

There are generally three types of modulation:

 Amplitude Modulation: In Amplitude Modulation the information signal changes the
amplitude of the carrier wave without changing its frequency or phase.
 The diagram shows the amplified modulated wave after superimposing the message
signal with the carrier signal.
 Frequency Modulation: In Frequency Modulation the information signal changes the
frequency of the carrier wave without changing its amplitude or phase.

 Phase Modulation: In Phase Modulation the information signal changes the phase of the
carrier wave without changing its frequency or phase.
Need for Modulation
 Increase The Signal Strength
The Message signals transmitted by the sender are not capable of direct transmission. The
strength of the message signal should be increased so that it can travel longer distances.
This is where modulation is essential. The most vital need of modulation is to enhance
the strength of the signal without affecting the parameters of the carrier signal.
 Wireless Communication System
Modulation has removed the necessity for using wires in the communication systems. It
is because modulation is widely used in transmitting signals from one location to another
with faster speed. Thus, the modulation technique has helped in enhancing wireless
communication systems.
 Prevention of Message Signal From Mixing
Modulation and its types prevent the interference of the message signal from other
signals. It is because a person sending a message signal through the phone cannot tell
such signals apart. As a result, they will interfere with each other. However, by using
carrier signals having a high frequency, the mixing of the signals can be prevented. Thus,
modulation ensures that the signals received by the receiver are entirely perfect.
 Size of The Antenna
The signals within 20 Hz to 20 kHz frequency range can travel only a few distances. To
send the message signal, the length of the antenna should be a quarter wavelength of the
used frequency. Thus, modulation is required to increase the frequency of the message
signal and to enhance its strength to reach the receiver.
Length of the antenna can be easily calculated using this formula:
Lαλ
Consider size of antenna is λ/4 i.e L = λ/4
We know that
λ=C/f
 Case-1: if f= 10 KHz => λ = 30000m => L = 7500m here height of antenna is
7500 meter which is practically impossible.
Case-2: if f= 10 MHz => λ = 3000m => L =7.5m here height of antenna is 7.5
meter which is practically possible.

Amplitude Modulation Frequency Modulation Phase Modulation

Characteristic
(AM) (FM) (PM)
Modulation of the Modulation of the
Modulation Modulation of the phase
amplitude of the carrier frequency of the carrier
Type of the carrier signal.
signal. signal.
Carrier signal's Carrier signal's frequency Carrier signal's phase
Signal
amplitude changes based changes based on the changes based on the
Representation
on the message. message. message.
Requires bandwidth
Requires less bandwidth
Requires a larger similar to FM, but
Bandwidth compared to FM and
bandwidth than AM. depends on modulation
PM.
depth.
More sensitive to noise, Less sensitive to Less sensitive to noise,
Noise
especially amplitude- amplitude noise, more to as noise is less likely to
Sensitivity
related noise. frequency noise. affect phase.
Less power-efficient. More power-efficient than
Power Similar to FM in terms
The transmitted power is AM because the carrier's
Efficiency of power efficiency.
constant. power remains constant.
Prone to distortion and Signal quality is
Higher signal quality, less
fading due to dependent on the
Signal Quality prone to interference and
environmental factors accuracy of phase
fading.
like interference. detection.
Used in communication
FM radio broadcasting, systems where phase
AM radio broadcasting,
Applications TV sound broadcasting, accuracy is important
aviation communication.
two-way radios. (e.g., digital
communication).
Greater range with Similar to FM, with the
Limited range due to
Transmission improved signal clarity, range influenced by
signal degradation in the
Range especially for high phase accuracy and
presence of noise.
frequencies. signal strength.
More complex, requiring Slightly more complex
Simple modulation and
Complexity specialized hardware for than FM, depending on
demodulation processes.
modulation/demodulation. the implementation.
Susceptibility to Higher susceptibility to Less susceptible to Less susceptible to
Multipath multipath interference multipath interference multipath interference
Interference (signal reflections). compared to AM. than AM.

Discuss the terms Gain, Attenuation and decibels in a communication system

Gain

 Definition: Gain refers to the increase in the strength (or power) of a signal as it
passes through an amplifier or some other processing component in a
communication system.
 Measurement: It is often expressed as a ratio of the output signal power to the
input signal power. If the system amplifies the signal, the gain will be greater than
1, and if it reduces the signal power, the gain will be less than 1.
 Types of Gain:
 Voltage Gain: The ratio of the output voltage to the input voltage.
 Power Gain: The ratio of the output power to the input power.
 Formula for Gain:
Gain = Output Power / Input Power
 Units: Gain is typically a unitless quantity. However, it can be expressed in
decibels (dB) for easier interpretation.

Attenuation

 Definition: Attenuation refers to the decrease in signal strength as the signal propagates
through a medium or system, such as a transmission line, cable, or air. Attenuation occurs
due to factors like resistance, interference, and environmental conditions.
 Measurement: Like gain, attenuation is also represented as the ratio of the output signal
power to the input signal power, but in this case, it is less than 1 because the signal is
weakened.
 Formula for Attenuation:

Attenuation = Input Power / Output Power

 Units: Just like gain, attenuation is usually measured in decibels (dB). When attenuation
is expressed in dB, a negative value indicates that the signal is attenuated.

Decibels (dB)

 Definition: Decibels (dB) are a logarithmic unit used to express the ratio of two
quantities, often power or intensity, in a communication system. Decibels are used to
make it easier to handle very large or small numbers, especially in the context of signal
strength, gain, and attenuation.
 Logarithmic Nature: Because decibels are based on a logarithmic scale, a small change
in dB corresponds to a large change in the actual signal power or voltage. This is
particularly useful in systems where power levels span several orders of magnitude.
 Formula for Decibels: For power:

dB (Power)=10×log 10(Pout / Pin)

 Where:
o Pout = Output power
o Pin = Input power
For voltage:
dB (Voltage)=20×log10(Vout / Vin)
Where:
o Vout = Output voltage
o Vin = Input voltage
In the case of power gain or attenuation, a positive dB value indicates gain, while a
negative value indicates attenuation.

Digital Modulation Technique:

ASK (Amplitude Shift Keying) is a digital modulation technique used in communication

systems where the amplitude of a carrier signal is varied in proportion to the digital signal being
transmitted. It is one of the simplest forms of modulation used to transmit binary data over a
channel.

In ASK, a binary signal (composed of 1s and 0s) modulates the amplitude of a carrier signal.
The carrier is typically a high-frequency sine wave, and the modulation is achieved by changing
its amplitude according to the digital signal being transmitted.

 1 (Logic High): The carrier signal is transmitted with a certain amplitude.

 0 (Logic Low): The carrier signal either has zero amplitude (no signal) or a different
amplitude (lower than the amplitude for a '1').

Working:

 When a 1 is transmitted, the carrier signal will have a high amplitude.

 When a 0 is transmitted, the carrier signal may be turned off (zero amplitude) or
transmitted at a lower amplitude.

The receiver at the other end will detect the variations in the amplitude and decode the data
(binary 1s and 0s) based on the amplitude changes.
Types of ASK:

1. Binary ASK (BASK): This is the most basic form, where two amplitude levels represent
two binary digits (0 and 1). One amplitude for binary 1, and another amplitude for binary
0.
2. M-ary ASK: This is an extension of ASK, where more than two amplitude levels are
used to represent more than two possible states, encoding more than one bit per symbol.

Applications:
 Optical Communication: ASK is widely used in optical communication systems (e.g.,
infrared communication systems).
 Wireless Communication: It is sometimes used in simple wireless systems or in systems
where low data rates are sufficient.

FSK (Frequency Shift Keying) is a type of digital modulation technique where the frequency of
a carrier signal is varied to represent digital data. In FSK, different frequencies correspond to
binary values (0 and 1). It's a method used to transmit binary information through the use of
discrete frequency changes in the carrier wave.

In FSK, two (or more) distinct frequencies are used to encode the binary data:

 One frequency represents a binary 1.

 Another frequency represents a binary 0.

The frequency of the carrier signal switches between these two values to encode the sequence of
1s and 0s.

Working:

 During the transmission of 0, the carrier frequency will be at a lower frequency (f0).
 During the transmission of 1, the carrier frequency will be at a higher frequency (f1).
 The receiver detects these frequency shifts and decodes the transmitted binary data.
For instance, if the data being transmitted is "0101", the receiver would see a shift between f0
and f1 for each bit, which it then interprets as binary 0s and 1s.

Types of FSK:

1. Binary FSK (BFSK):

o BFSK uses two frequencies to represent binary data. One frequency corresponds
to a 0, and the other corresponds to a 1. This is the simplest form of FSK.
o For example:
 f0 (low frequency) might represent 0.
 f1 (high frequency) might represent 1.
2. Multiple Frequency Shift Keying (MFSK):
o MFSK uses more than two frequencies, which allows encoding more than one bit
per symbol. This increases the data rate compared to BFSK.

Applications:

 Radio Communication: FSK is commonly used in analog and digital radio systems,
including amateur radio and paging systems.
 Modems: FSK is used in traditional telephone line modems, where it helps to transmit
data by varying the frequency of the carrier signal.
 Data Transmission Systems: FSK is also used in various wireless communication
protocols, such as RFID and telemetry.
 Wireless Networks: Some low-power wireless communication standards, like Bluetooth
and Zigbee, use forms of FSK to achieve reliable data transmission over short ranges.

PSK (Phase Shift Keying) is a digital modulation technique where the phase of a carrier signal
is altered to represent digital data. In PSK, binary data is encoded by shifting the phase of a
carrier wave, instead of modulating its amplitude (as in ASK) or frequency (as in FSK). Phase
modulation is a robust technique, especially for high-speed data transmission, and is widely used
in modern communication systems.In PSK, the phase of the carrier signal is changed to represent
the different states of the binary data. The basic idea is that each distinct phase shift corresponds
to a specific bit or group of bits.
Types of PSK:

1. Binary Phase Shift Keying (BPSK):

o In BPSK, there are two possible phase shifts to represent the binary data.
o A binary 1 could be represented by a phase of 0° (no shift), and a binary 0 could
be represented by a phase of 180° (a half-cycle shift).
o The signal alternates between these two phases to represent the data. BPSK is the
simplest form of PSK.

Example:

o1 → 0° phase shift (no change in carrier)

o0 → 180° phase shift (inverts the carrier)
2. Quadrature Phase Shift Keying (QPSK):
o QPSK is a more advanced form of PSK where two bits are transmitted per
symbol (2 bits per phase change).
o Instead of just two phases (0° and 180°), QPSK uses four different phase shifts,
typically at 0°, 90°, 180°, and 270°, to represent combinations of two bits.
o This allows for a higher data rate without requiring more bandwidth.

Example:

o 00 → 0° phase shift
o 01 → 90° phase shift
o 10 → 180° phase shift
o 11 → 270° phase shift
3. M-ary Phase Shift Keying (M-PSK):
o M-PSK extends the concept of PSK by using more than four phases to encode
more bits per symbol.
o For example, in 8-PSK, there would be 8 different phase shifts, each representing
3 bits of data.
4. Differential Phase Shift Keying (DPSK):
o DPSK is a variant of PSK where the phase shift is based on the difference
between consecutive bits, rather than absolute phase shifts.
o This can help improve noise immunity, as the receiver detects the change in phase
relative to the previous symbol, making it less sensitive to absolute phase errors.

Applications of PSK:

 Digital Communication Systems: PSK is widely used in various wireless

communication systems, including satellite communication, mobile networks (e.g., LTE,
5G), and Wi-Fi.
 Modems: PSK is commonly used in modem technologies for broadband internet access.
 Radio Transmission: PSK is used in both analog and digital radio systems, such as
amateur radio.
  Broadcasting: Digital television and radio broadcasting (DVB, DAB) may use PSK for
efficient transmission.

Features ASK FSK PSK

Modulation Type Amplitude Frequency Phase
Bandwidth Efficiency Low Moderate High
Noise Immunity Low Moderate High
Power Efficiency Low Moderate High
Implementation Complexity Simple Moderate Complex
Bit Rate / Data Rate Low Moderate High
Susceptibility to Noise High Moderate Low
Applications Simple systems, IR, Modems, Paging, RF Satellite, Wi-
AM Radio Systems Fi, Bluetooth

Question Bank

BT
Q. Question Marks CO
Level
1 Explain communication system with the help of block diagram. 06 2,4 CO1
2 Paraphrase the need of modulation in a communication system 04 2 CO1
3 Compare Amplitude Modulation, Frequency Modulation, Phase Modulation 06 5 CO1
4 Discuss the terms Gain and Attenuation in a communication system 04 2 CO1
5 Define ASK, FSK and PSK. Sketch waveform for input bit stream 10110010
06 1,4 CO1
for ASK,FSK and PSK
6 Define Amplitude modulation. With the help of neat sketch define modulating
signal ,carrier signal and modulated signal 04 1,4 CO1
7 Define frequency modulation. With the help of neat sketch define modulating
04 1,4 CO1
signal ,carrier signal and modulated signal
8 Explain in details i)ASK ii)FSK iii)PSK
06 2 CO1
9 Explain DPSK Transmitter and Receiver in details(self Study)
05 2 CO1