QAM AND 4-PSK

PREPARATION............................................................................... 108
the QAM principle .................................................................. 108
QAM becomes QPSK ............................................................................109
M-PSK and M-QAM..............................................................................110
the QAM receiver.................................................................... 110
experiment simplification........................................................ 111
EXPERIMENT ................................................................................. 112
the QPSK transmitter .............................................................. 112
the demodulator....................................................................... 113
TUTORIAL QUESTIONS ............................................................... 114

QAM and 4-PSK Vol D2, ch 12, rev 1.0 - 107

 QAM AND 4-PSK

ACHIEVEMENTS: review of the quadrature amplitude modulator (QAM) in

digital communications; as a generator of a quadrature phase shift
keyed (QPSK, or 4-PSK) signal. Demodulation of QPSK.

PREREQUISITES: it would be advantageous to have completed some of the

experiments of Volume A1 involving linear modulation and
demodulation, as well as the experiment entitled Phase division
multiplex in Volume A2.

ADVANCED MODULES: DECISION MAKER. A total of three MULTIPLIER

modules is required.

TRUNKS: see your Laboratory Manager about the QPSK signal(s) at TRUNKS

PREPARATION

the QAM principle

Recall the experiment entitled Phase division multiplex in Volume A2. Two double
sideband suppressed carrier (DSBSC) signals were combined on a common carrier
(and so a common channel), by adding (multiplexing) them in phase-quadrature. In
the analog environment the two analog messages are independent, and the signal is
called quadrature amplitude modulation - QAM.
The QAM modulator was of the type shown in Figure 1 below. The two paths to the
adder are typically referred to as the ‘I’ (inphase), and ‘Q’ (quadrature), arms.

channel 1
I
input

cos ω t + output

input
channel 2
Q

Figure 1: a quadrature modulator

108 - D2 QAM and 4-PSK

 Not shown in Figure 1 is any bandlimiting. In a practical situation this would be
implemented either at message level - at the input to each multiplier - and/or at the
output of the adder. Probably both !
The motivation for QAM comes from the fact that a DSBSC signal occupies twice
the bandwidth of the message from which it is derived. This is considered wasteful
of resources. QAM restores the balance by placing two independent DSBSC,
derived from message #1 and message #2, in the same spectrum space as one
DSBSC. The bandwidth imbalance is removed.
In digital communications this arrangement is popular. It is used because of its
bandwidth conserving (and other) properties.
It is not used for multiplexing two independent messages. Given an input binary
sequence (message) at the rate of n bit/s, two sequences may be obtained by splitting
the bit stream into two paths, each of n/2 bit/s. This is akin to a serial-to-parallel
conversion.
The two streams become the channel 1 and channel 2 messages of Figure 1.
Because of the halved rate the bits in the I and Q paths are stretched to twice the
input sequence bit clock period.
The two messages are recombined at the receiver, which uses a QAM-type
demodulator.
The two bit streams would typically be band limited and/or pulse shaped before
reaching the modulator.
A block diagram of such a system is shown in Figure 2 below.

I
DAC

serial serial to
in parallel cosω t + output
converter

DAC
Q

Figure 2: a QPSK modulator

QAM becomes QPSK

The QAM modulator is so named because, in analog applications, the messages do
in fact vary the amplitude of each of the DSBSC signals.
In QPSK the same modulator is used, but with binary messages in both the I and Q
channels, as describe above.
Each message has only two levels, ±V volt. For a non-bandlimited message this
does not vary the amplitude of the output DSBSC. As the message changes polarity
this is interpreted as a 1800 phase shift, given to the DSBSC.
Thus the signal in each arm is said to be undergoing a 1800 phase shift, or phase shift
keying - or PSK.

QAM and 4-PSK D2 - 109

 Because there are two PSK signals combined, in quadrature, the two-channel
modulator gives rise to a quadrature phase shift keyed - QPSK - signal.

constellation
Viewed as a phasor diagram (and for a non-bandlimited message to each channel),
the signal is seen to occupy any one of four point locations on the complex plane.
These are at the corner of a square (a square lattice), at angles π/4, 3π/4, 5π/4 and
7π/4 to the real axis.
You will see this signal constellation later in the experiment.

M-PSK and M-QAM

The above has described digital-QAM or QPSK. This signal is also called 4-PSK or
4-QAM. More generally signals can be generated which are described as M-QAM
or M-PSK.
L
Here M = 2 , where L = the number of levels in each of the I and Q arms. For the
present experiment L = 2, and so M = 4.
The ‘M’ defines the number of points in the signal constellation.
For the cases M > 4 then M-PSK is not the same as M-QAM.
It is beyond the intended scope of this experiment to discuss these differences. But it
is certainly worth your while to read further on the subject, and to discover the
different constellations that these signals generate.
Refer to your text book for more detail.
See also the experiment entitled Multi-level QAM and PSK in this Volume.

the QAM receiver

The QAM receiver follows the similar principles to those at the transmitter, and is
illustrated in idealised from in the block diagram of Figure 3.
It is idealised because it assumes the incoming signal has its two DSBSC precisely in
phase quadrature. Thus only one phase adjustment is required.

A/D

φ
in parallel-to-serial serial
carrier
π converter out
2

A/D

Figure 3: the QAM demodulator for QPSK

110 - D2 QAM and 4-PSK

 The parallel-to-serial converter block performs the following operations:

1. regenerates the bit clock from the incoming data. See, for example, the
experiment entitled Bit clock regeneration in this Volume.
2. regenerates a digital waveform from both the analog outputs of the I and Q arms.
3. re-combines the I and Q signals, and outputs a serial data stream.

Not shown is the method of carrier acquisition. This ensures that the oscillator,
which supplies the local carrier signal, is synchronized to the received (input) signal
in both frequency and phase.

experiment simplification
You are familiar with the practice of using a stolen carrier. This enables you to
concentrate on a particular aspect of a system, without being obliged to spend time
becoming involved with carrier acquisition, which can be a complex process.
For an experiment explicitly concerned with the acquisition of a carrier from such a
signal, see the experiment entitled The Costas loop (Volume A2), and Carrier
acquisition (in Volume D2).
Likewise, in this experiment, it is not necessary to become involved with details
which are not of direct relevance. So two independent data sequences will be used at
the input to the modulator, rather than having digital circuitry to split one data stream
into two (the serial-to-parallel converter).
For the purposes of demonstration the above mentioned techniques simplify the
model.
Two such independent data sequences, sharing a common bit clock (2.083 kHz), are
available from a single SEQUENCE GENERATOR module. The data stream from
which these two channels are considered to have been derived would have been at a
rate of twice this - 4.167 kHz.
Lowpass filter bandlimiting and pulse shaping is not a subject of enquiry in this
experiment. So a single bandpass filter at the ADDER (summer) output will suffice,
providing it is of adequate bandwidth. A 100 kHz CHANNEL FILTERS module is
acceptable (filter #3).

QAM and 4-PSK D2 - 111

 EXPERIMENT

the QPSK transmitter

A model of the generator of Figure 1 is shown in Figure 4.

QPSK
output

select
filter #3

2.083 kHz 100 kHz cosine

100 kHz sine from MASTER SIGNALS

Figure 4: the QAM modulator for QPSK

The QAM modulator involves analog circuitry. Overload must be avoided, to

prevent crosstalk between channels when they share a common path - the ADDER
and output filter. In practice there would probably be a filter in the message path to
each multiplier. Although these filters would be included for pulse shaping and/or
band limiting, a secondary purpose is to eliminate as many unwanted components at
the multiplier (modulator) input as possible. See Tutorial Question Q7.

T1 patch up the modulator according to Figure 4. Set the on-board switch SW1
of the PHASE SHIFTER to HI. Select channel #3 of the 100 kHz
CHANNEL FILTERS module (this is a bandpass filter of adequate
bandwidth).

T2 there are no critical adjustments to be made. Set the signals from each input
of the ADDER to be, say, 1 volt peak at the ADDER output. See
Tutorial Question Q5.

T3 for interest predict the waveforms (amplitude and shape) at all interfaces,
then confirm by inspection. What will be a suitable oscilloscope
trigger in each case ?

constellation
You can display the four-point constellation for QPSK:

112 - D2 QAM and 4-PSK

 T4 set the oscilloscope in X-Y mode. With no input, select equal gains per
channel. Locate the ‘spot’ in the centre of the screen; then connect
the two data streams entering the QAM to the scope X and Y inputs.

How would the display change if each of the data streams, presently non-
bandlimited, was first passed through a bandlimiting filter ? Try this with the LPF in
the HEADPHONE AMPLIFIER and a TUNEABLE LPF.

the demodulator
Modelling of the demodulator of Figure 3 is straightforward. But it consumes a lot
of modules. Consequently only one of the two arms is shown in Figure 5.
If you have insufficient modules to retain your QPSK modulator, then you can use a
QPSK signal supplied at TRUNKS with which to test your demodulator.

channel
out

QPSK
in

stolen carrier

stolen bit clock

Figure 5: one channel of the demodulator

The PHASE SHIFTER can be used to select either channel from the QAM signal. If
both channels re required simultaneously, as in practice, then a second, identical
demodulator must be provided.

T5 patch up the single channel demodulator of Figure 5, including the z-mod

facility of the DECISION MAKER. Use an eye pattern to locate the
optimum decision point.

T6 while watching the ‘I’ channel at the transmitter, use the PHASE SHIFTER to
match the demodulator output with it.

T7 while watching the ‘Q’ channel at the transmitter, use the PHASE SHIFTER
to match the demodulator output with it.

QAM and 4-PSK D2 - 113

 TUTORIAL QUESTIONS
Q1 explain how a QAM system conserves bandwidth.

Q2 how would you measure the phase between two DSBSC ? Would a basic
PHASE METER, which is used for indicating the phase between two
sinewaves, be of any help ?

Q3 the modulator used the quadrature 100 kHz outputs from the MASTER
SIGNALS module. Did it matter if these were not precisely in
quadrature ? Explain.

Q4 the demodulator did not rely on the phasing of the 100 kHz quadrature
outputs from the MASTER SIGNALS module, but instead required
some means of phase adjustment of the carriers into both
MULTIPLIER modules. Explain.

Q5 in the modulator, if each signal at the ADDER output is 1 volt peak, what will
be the peak amplitude of their sum ?

Q6 name one advantage of making the bit rate a sub-multiple of the carrier
frequency.

Q7 why is there a need to eliminate as many unwanted components as possible

into the modulator ?

114 - D2 QAM and 4-PSK