What Is FM
What Is FM
What Is FM
FM tutorial
Note on FM Demodulation:
In order to be able to extract any information being carried by an FM signal, it is necessary to pass it through a
demodulator. The output from this stage provides the information that was carried by the FM signal. There are many
methods of achieving this, using circuits that employ a variety of different techniques.
FM tutorial
Advantages & disadvantages
FM is widely used because of the many advantages of frequency modulation. Although, in the early
days of radio communications, these were not exploited because of a lack of understand of how to
benefit from FM, once these were understood, its use grew.
There are many advantages of FM, but also some disadvantages, and as a result it is suitable for
many applications, but other modes may be more suited to other applications.
An understanding of the disadvantages and advantages of FM will enable the choice of the best
modulation format to be made.
Resilient to noise: One of the main advantages of frequency modulation that has been
utilised by the broadcasting industry is the reduction in noise. As most noise is amplitude
based, this can be removed by running the signal through a limiter so that only frequency
variations appear. This is provided that the signal level is sufficiently high to allow the signal to
be limited.
Resilient to signal strength variations: In the same way that amplitude noise can be
removed, so too can any signal variations. This means that one of the advantages of frequency
modulation is that it does not suffer audio amplitude variations as the signal level varies, and
it makes FM ideal for use in mobile applications where signal levels constantly vary. This is
provided that the signal level is sufficiently high to allow the signal to be limited.
Does not require linear amplifiers in the transmitter: As only frequency changes are
required to be carried, any amplifiers in the transmitter do not need to be linear.
Enables greater efficiency than many other modes: The use of non-linear amplifiers, e.g.
class C, etc means that transmitter efficiency levels will be higher - linear amplifiers are
inherently inefficient.
FM tutorial
In order to characterise frequency modulated signals there are figures used that are the equivalent of
those used for AM.
The modulation index and deviation ratio for FM are two of the major ones used. These appear to be
very similar to each other but they are subtly different.
In view of the slight differences between the definitions for FM modulation index and FM deviation
ratio, there is often confusion between the two terms.
FM modulation index
In terms of a definition: the FM modulation index is equal to the ratio of the frequency deviation to the
modulating frequency.
Thus the formula for the modulation index for FM is simple given by that shown below:
FM deviation ratio
The modulation index will vary according to the frequency that is modulating the transmitted carrier
and the amount of deviation. However when designing a system it is important to know the maximum
permissible values. This is given by the deviation ratio and is obtained by inserting the maximum
values into the formula for the modulation index.
Thus the FM deviation ratio can be defined as: the ratio of the maximum carrier frequency deviation
to the highest audio modulating frequency.
Where
D = Deviation ratio.
To give an example of how the deviation ratio may be calculated and used, take the example of an
FM broadcast transmitter. For these the maximum deviation is 75 kHz and the maximum modulation
frequency is 15 kHz. This means that the deviation ratio is 75 / 15 = 5.
FM tutorial
Advantages & disadvantages
The bandwidth, spectrum and sidebands are of great importance when using frequency modulation.
The sidebands of a frequency modulated signal extend out either side of the main carrier, and cause
the bandwidth of the overall signal to increase well beyond that of the unmodulated carrier.
As the modulation of the carrier varies, so do the sidebands and hence the bandwidth and overall
spectrum of the signal.
The total spectrum can be seen to consist of the carrier plus an infinite number of sidebands spreading
out on either side of the carrier at integral multiples of the modulating frequency. The relative levels of
the sidebands can be obtained by referring to a table of Bessel functions. It can be seen from the
image below that the relative levels rise and fall according to the different values of modulation index.
For small values of modulation index, when using narrow-band FM, and FM signal consists of the
carrier and the two sidebands spaced at the modulation frequency either side of the carrier. This looks
to be the same as an AM signal, but the difference is that the lower sideband is out of phase by 180
degrees.
As the modulation index increases it is found that other sidebands at twice the modulation frequency
start to appear. As the index is increased further other sidebands can also be seen.
Spectra of an FM signal with differing levels of modulation index
At certain levels of modulation, where the modulation index equals figures of 2.41, 5.53, 8.65 and
other higher specific levels, the carrier actuals falls to a figure of zero, the signal being comprised
simply of the sidebands.
Normally the bandwidth of a wideband FM signal is limited to the Carson's Rule limit - this reduces
interference and does not introduce any undue distortion of the signal. In other words for a VHF FM
broadcast station this must be (2 x 75) + 15 kHz, i.e. 175 kHz. In view of this a total of 200 kHz is
usually allowed, enabling stations to have a small guard band and their centre frequencies on integral
numbers of 100 kHz.
Key points for frequency modulation bandwidth and
sidebands
There are a few interesting points of summary relative to frequency modulation bandwidth:
The bandwidth of a frequency modulated signal varies with both deviation and modulating
frequency.
Increasing modulating frequency reduces modulation index - it reduces the number of
sidebands with significant amplitude and hence the bandwidth.
Increasing modulating frequency increases the frequency separation between sidebands.
The frequency modulation bandwidth increases with modulation frequency but it is not directly
proportional to it.
Frequency modulation bandwidth is of importance as it is with any other form of signal. With band
occupancy growing, and pressure on spectrum space, it is necessary to ensure the bandwidth of a
frequency modulated signal falls within its specified allowance. Any undue signal spread outside this
is likely to cause interference to other users.