3/31/2005 The Preselector Filter.

doc 1/14

The Preselector Filter

Say we wish to tune a super-het receiver to receive a radio

station broadcasting at 100 MHz.

If the receiver uses and IF frequency of fIF = 30 MHz , and

uses high-side tuning, we must adjust the local oscillator to a
frequency of fLO = 130 MHz .

f0 = 100MHz ˆ
i (t )
G ( 30MHz ) T (30MHz ) ≈ 1
1

fLO = 130MHz

tuning

Thus, the desired RF signal will be down-converted to the IF

frequency of 30 MHz.

But BEWARE, the desired radio station is not the only signal
that will appear at the output of the mixer at 30 MHz!

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS

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Q: Oh yes, we remember. The mixer will create

all sorts of nasty, non-ideal spurious signals at
the mixer IF port. Among these are signals at
frequencies:

1st order: fRF = 100MHz , fLO = 130MHz

nd 2fRF = 200MHz , 2fLO = 260MHz ,

2 order:
fRF + fLO = 230MHz

2fRF − fLO = 70MHz ,

2fLO − fRF = 160MHz ,
3rd order: 3fRF = 300MHz , 3fLO = 390MHz ,
2fRF + fLO = 330MHz ,
fRF + 2fLO = 360MHz
Right?

A: Not exactly. Although it is true that all of these products

will exist at the IF mixer port—they will not pose any
particular problem to us as radio engineers. The reason for
this is that there is a narrow-band IF filter between the
mixer IF port and the demodulator!

Look at the frequencies of the spurious signals created. They

are all quite a bit larger than the filter center frequency of
30MHz. All of the spurious signals are thus rejected by the
filter—none (effectively) reach the detector/demodulator!

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS

 3/31/2005 The Preselector Filter.doc 3/14

W/Hz W/Hz

Spurious
mixer
products

f
30MHz
f
f0 = 100MHz
ˆ
i (t )
G ( 30MHz ) T (30MHz ) ≈ 1
1
W/Hz
fLO = 130MHz

tuning
T (ω )

f
30MHz
Look again at the statement I just made:

“But BEWARE, the desired radio station is not the only signal
that will appear at the output of the mixer AT 30 MHz!”

In other words, there can be spurious signals that appear

precisely at our IF frequency of 30 MHz. The IF filter will
not of course filter these out (after all—they’re at 30 MHz!),
but instead let them pass through unimpeded to the
demodulator.

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS

3/31/2005 The Preselector Filter.doc 4/14

The result demodulated signal ˆ

i (t ) is an inaccurate,
distorted mess!

Q: I’m just totally baffled!

Where do these unfilterable
signals come from? How are
they produced?

A: The answer is a profound one—an incredibly important

fact that every radio engineer worth his or her salt must keep
in mind at all times:

The electromagnetic spectrum is full of radio

signals. We must assume that the antenna delivers
signals operating at any and all RF frequencies!

In other words, we are only interested in a signal at 100 MHz;

but that does not mean that other signals don’t exist. You
must always consider this fact!

Q: But I’m still

confused. How do all
these RF signals cause
multiple signals at our
IF frequency?

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS

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A: Remember, each of the RF signals will mix with the LO

drive signal, and thus each RF signal will produce its very own
set of mixer products (1st order, 2nd order, 3rd order, etc.)

Here’s the problem some of these mixer products might lie

at our IF frequency of 30 MHz!

* To see which RF input signal frequencies will cause this

problem, we must reverse the process of determining our
mixer output products.

* Recall earlier we started with known values of fRF (100

MHz) and fLO (130 MHz), and then determined all of the
spurious signal frequencies created at the mixer IF port.

* Now, we start with a know fLO (130 MHz), and a know value
of the spurious IF signal frequency (30 MHz), and try to
determine the frequency of the RF signal that would be
required to produce it.

For example, let’s start with the 3rd order product 2fRF − fLO .
In order for this product to be equal to 30 MHz, we find that:

2fRF − 130 = 30
2fRF − 130 = ±30
2fRF = 130 ± 30
130 ± 30
fRF =
2
fRF = 50, 80

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS

3/31/2005 The Preselector Filter.doc 6/14

Thus, when attempting to tune to a radio station at 100 MHz,

we find that radio stations at both 50 MHz and 80 MHz
could create a 3rd order product at 30 MHz—precisely at our
IF filter center frequency!

But the bad news continues—there are many other mixer

products to consider:

2fLO − fRF
2(130) − fRF = 30
260 − fRF = ±30
fRF = 260 ∓ 30
= 290, 230

2fLO + fRF
2(130) + fRF = 30
260 + fRF = 30
fRF = 30 − 260
= −230
Q: What?! A radio station
operating at a negative
frequency of -230 MHz?
Does this have any meaning?

A: Not in any physical sense! We ignore any negative

frequency solutions—they are not a concern to us.

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS

3/31/2005 The Preselector Filter.doc 7/14

2fRF + fLO
2fRF + fLO = 30
2fRF + 130 = 30
30 − 130
fRF =
2
fRF = −50

Again, a negative solution that we can ignore.

3fRF
3fRF = 30
30
fRF =
3
fRF = 10

OK, that’s all the 3rd order products, now let’s consider the
second-order terms:

fLO − fRF

130 − fRF = 30
130 − fRF = ±30
fRF = 130 ∓ 30
= 100, 160

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS

3/31/2005 The Preselector Filter.doc 8/14

* Note that this term is the term created by an ideal mixer.

As a result, we find that one of the RF signals that will create
a mixer product at 30 MHz is fRF = 100 MHz – the frequency
of the desired radio station !

* However, we find that even this ideal mixer term causes

problems, as there is a second solution. An RF signal at 160
MHz would likewise result in a mixer product at 30 MHz—
even in an ideal mixer!

* We will find this second solution to this ideal mixer (i.e.,

down-conversion) term can be particularly problematic in
receiver design. As such, this solution is given a specific
name—the image frequency.

For this example, 160 MHz is the image frequency when we

tune to a station at 100 MHz.

fLO + fRF
130 + fRF = 30
130fRF = 30 − 130
fRF = −100
No problem here!

2fRF
2fRF = 30
30
fRF =
2
fRF = 15

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS

3/31/2005 The Preselector Filter.doc 9/14

Finally, we must consider one 1st order term:

fRF
fRF = 30

In other words, an RF signal at 30 MHz can “leak” through the

mixer (recall mixer RF isolation) and appear at the IF port—
after that there’s no stopping it until it reaches the
demodulator!

In summary, we have found that that:

1. An RF signal (e.g., radio station) at 30 MHz can cause a

1st-order product at our IF filter frequency of 30 MHz.

2. RF signals (e.g., radio stations) at either 15 MHz or 160

MHz can cause a 2nd -order product at our IF filter
frequency of 30 MHz.

3. RF signals (e.g., radio stations) at 10 MHz, 50MHz, 80

MHz, 230 MHz, or 290 MHz can cause a 3rd -order product
at our IF filter frequency of 30 MHz.

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS

3/31/2005 The Preselector Filter.doc 10/14

W/Hz W/Hz
Many other spurious
signals at other freq.
are likewise created,
but not shown!

f f
30 50 80 100 160 230 30MHz

ˆ
i (t )
G ( 30MHz ) T (30MHz ) ≈ 1
1

W/Hz
fLO = 130MHz

T (ω )
tuning

f
30MHz

Q: I now see the problem! There is no way to separate the

spurious signals at the IF frequency of 30 MHz from the
desired station at 30 MHz. Clearly, your hero E.H. Armstrong
was wrong about this Super-Heterodyne receiver design!

A: Armstrong wrong !?!

NEVER!

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS

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There is an additional element of Armstrong’s super-het

design that we have not yet discussed.

The preselector filter.

The only way to keep the mixer from creating these spurious
signals at our IF filter center frequency is to keep the RF
signals that produce them from the mixer!

Of course, we must simultaneously let the desired station

reach the mixer.

Q: Hmmm… A device that lets

signals pass at some
frequencies, while rejecting
signals at other frequencies—
sounds like a microwave filter!

A: That’s correct! By inserting a preselector filter between

the antenna and the mixer, we can reject the signals that
create spurious signals at our IF center frequency, while
allowing the desired station to pass through to the mixer
unimpeded.

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS

3/31/2005 The Preselector Filter.doc 12/14

W/Hz W/Hz

f f
30 50 80 100 160 230 30 50 80 100 160 230

T (100MHz ) ≈ 1

fLO = 130MHz W/Hz

Preselector Filter
tuning

f
30MHz

Q: So how wide should we

make the pass-band of the
preselector filter?

A: The pass-band of the preselector

filter must be wide enough to allow any and
all potential desired signals to pass
through.

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS

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* Consider our example of f0 = 100 MHz. This signal is

smack-dab in the middle of the FM radio band, and so let’s
assume it is an FM radio station (if it were, it would actually
be at frequency 100.1 or 99.9 MHz).

* If we are interested in tuning to one FM station, we might

be interested in tuning into any of the others, and thus the
preselector filter pass-band must extend from 88 MHz to
108 MHz (i.e., the FM band).

* Note we would not want to extend the pass-band of the

preselector filter any wider than the FM band, as we are
(presumably) not interested in signals outside of this band,
and those signals could potentially create spurious signals at
our IF center frequency!

As a result, we find that the preselector filter

effectively defines the bandwidth of a super-
heterodyne receiver.

Q: OK, one last question. When

calculating the products that could
create a spurious signal at the IF
center frequency, you neglected
the terms fLO , 2fLO and 3fLO . Are
these terms not important?

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS

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A: They are actually very important! However, the value of

fLO is not an unknown to be solved for, but in fact was (for our
example) a fixed value of fLO = 130MHz .

Thus, 2fLO = 260MHz , and 3fLO = 390MHz —none of these are

anywhere near the IF center frequency of 30 MHz, and so
these products are easily rejected by the IF filter.
However, this need not always be true!

* Consider, for example, the case were we again have

designed a receiver with an IF center frequency of 30 MHz.
This time, however, we desire to tune to radio signal operating
at 60 MHz.

* Say we use low-side tuning in our design. In that case, the

LO signal frequency must be fLO = 60 − 30 = 30MHz .

* Yikes! You must see the problem! The Local Oscillator

frequency is equal to our IF center frequency (fLO = fIF ). The
LO signal will “leak” through mixer (recall mixer LO isolation)
and into the IF, where it will pass unimpeded by the IF filter
to the demodulator (this is a very bad thing).

Thus, when designing a receiver, it is unfathomably

important that the LO frequency, along with any of its
harmonics, lie nowhere near the IF center frequency!

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS