EE320A

Tutorial 7
Date: 15th Sept. 2023
1. Consider a narrowband FM signal approximately defined by:
s(t) ≈ Ac cos(2πfc t) − βAc sin(2πfm t) sin(2πfc t).
(a) Determine the envelope of s(t). What is the ratio of the maximum
to the minimum value of this envelope.
(b) Determine the total average power of the narrowband FM signal.
Determine the total average power in the sidebands.
(c) Assuming that s(t) can be written as:
s(t) = a(t) cos(2πfc t + θ(t))
expand θ(t) in the form of a power series. Assume that β < 0.3.
What is the power ratio of the third harmonic to the fundamental
component.

frequency
1/f0
fc + ∆f

fc t

fc − ∆f

ft (t) τ fr (t)

Figure 1: Variation of the instantaneous frequency with time in an FM radar.

2. In a frequency modulated radar, the instantaneous frequency of the trans-

mitted carrier ft (t) is varied as in Figure 1. The instantaneous frequency
of the received echo fr (t) is also shown, where τ is the round-trip delay
time. Assuming that f0 τ ≪ 1 determine the number of beat (difference
frequency) cycles in one second, in terms of the peak deviation (∆f ) of
the carrier frequency, the delay τ and the repetition frequency f0 . Assume
that f0 is an integer.
3. The FM signal
 Z t 
s(t) = Ac cos 2πfc t + 2πkf m(τ ) dτ
τ =0
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FM
Envelope Output
signal R
detector signal
s(t)

Figure 2: Frequency demodulation using a highpass filter.

is applied to the system shown in Figure 2. Assume that the resistance

R is small compared to the impedance of C for all significant frequency
components of s(t) and the envelope detector does not load the filter.
Determine the resulting signal at the envelope detector output assuming
that kf |m(t)| < fc for all t.
4. A carrier wave is frequency modulated using a sinusoidal signal of fre-
quency fm and amplitude Am .
(a) Determine the values of the modulation index β for which the carrier
component of the FM signal is reduced to zero.
(b) In a certain experiment conducted with fm = 1 kHz and increasing
Am starting from zero volts, its is found that the carrier component
of the FM signal is reduced to zero for the first time when Am = 2
volts. What is the frequency sensitivity of the modulator? What is
the value of Am for which the carrier component is reduced to zero
for the second time?
5. The bandwidth of an FM signal extends over both sides of the carrier
frequency. However in the single sideband version of FM, it is possible to
transmit either the upper or the lower sideband.
(a) Assuming that the FM signal is given by
s(t) = Ac cos(2πfc t + φ(t))
explain how we can transmit only the upper sideband. Express your
result in terms of complex envelope of s(t) and Hilbert transforms.
Assume that for all practical purposes, s(t) is bandlimited to fc −
BT /2 < |f | < fc + BT /2 and fc ≫ BT .
(b) Verify your answer for single-tone FM modulation when
φ(t) = β sin(2πfm t)
Use the Fourier series representation for this FM signal given by:
X
∞
s(t) = Ac Jn (β) cos(2π(fc + nfm )t).
n=−∞
 EE320A
Solutions for Tutorial 7
Date: 15th Sept. 2023

1. Solution: The envelope is given by:

q
a(t) = Ac 1 + β 2 sin2 (2πfm t). (1)

Therefore, the maximum and the minimum value of the envelope is given
by:
p
Amax = Ac 1 + β 2
Amin = Ac
Amax p
⇒ = 1 + β2. (2)
Amin
The total average power of narrowband FM is equal to:

A2c 2β 2 A2c
Ptot = + (3)
2 8
The total average power in the sidebands is equal to:

2β 2 A2c
Pmes = (4)
8
Assuming that β ≪ 1, the narrowband FM signal can be written as:

s(t) = a(t) cos(2πfc t + θ(t)) (5)

where θ(t) denotes the instantaneous phase of the message component and
is given by:

θ(t) ≈ tan−1 (β sin(2πfm t)). (6)

Now, the Taylor series expansion of tan−1 (x) is (ignoring higher terms):

x3
tan−1 (x) ≈ x − . (7)
3
Thus
1
θ(t) = β sin(2πfm t) − β 3 sin3 (2πfm t). (8)
3
Using the fact that:

3 sin(θ) − sin(3θ)
sin3 (θ) = (9)
4
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(8) becomes:
θ(t) ≈ β sin(2πfm t)
1
− β 3 (3 sin(2πfm t) − sin(2π(3fm )t))
 12 3 
β β3
= β− sin(2πfm t) + sin(2π(3fm )t). (10)
4 12
Therefore the power ratio of the third harmonic to the fundamental is:
 3 2
β 4
R= × . (11)
12 (4β − β 3 )

τ
frequency
1/f0 (a)
fc + ∆f
Y

f2
t3 t4
t
fc
X
t1 t2 t5

fc − ∆f

τ
ft (t) − fr (t)
(b)
E F
f1

A D G
t

−f1
B C

1/(2f0 )

Figure 3: Variation of the instantaneous difference frequency with time in an FM

radar.

2. Solution: Let the transmitted signal be given by:

 Z t 
s(t) = A1 cos 2π ft (τ ) dτ . (12)
τ =0

Let the received signal be given by

 Z t 
r(t) = A2 cos 2π fr (τ ) dτ . (13)
τ =0
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The variation of the beat (difference) frequency (ft (t) − fr (t)) with time
is plotted in Figure 3(b). Note that the number of beat cycles over the
time duration 1/f0 is given by:
Z t1 +1/f0
N = |ft (t) − fr (t)| dt
t=t1
= |area of ABCD| + |area of DEFG| . (14)
Note that:
f1 = fc + ∆f − f2 . (15)
The equation of the line XY in Figure 3(a) is
y = mt + c (16)
where
m = 4f0 ∆f. (17)
At t = t1 + τ we have
fc + ∆f = 4f0 ∆f (t1 + τ ) + c. (18)
At t = t1 we have:
f2 = 4f0 ∆f t1 + c
= fc + ∆f − 4f0 ∆f τ. (19)
Therefore
f1 = fc + ∆f − f2
= 4f0 ∆f τ. (20)
Now:
 
1τ 1
N = 4 f1 + 2f1 −τ
22 2f0
1 − 2τ f0
= τ f1 + f1
f0
≈ τ f1 + f1 /f0 . (21)
The number of cycles in one second is:
N f0 = f1 (1 + τ f0 )
≈ f1 = 4f0 ∆f τ (22)
which is proportional to τ and hence twice the distance between the target
and the radar. In other words:
τ = 2x/c (23)
where x is the distance between the target and the radar and c is the
velocity of light. Thus the FM radar can be used for ranging.
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3. Solution: The transfer function of the highpass filter is

R
H(f ) =
R + 1/(j 2πf C)
≈ j 2πf RC (24)
provided
1
R≪ . (25)
2πf C
Thus, over the range of frequencies in which (25) is valid, the highpass
filter acts like an ideal differentiator. Hence the output of the highpass
filter is given by:
ds(t)
x(t) = RC
dt
 Z t 
= −RCAc [2πfc + 2πkf m(t)] sin 2πfc t + 2πkf m(τ ) dτ .
τ =0
(26)
The output of the envelope detector is given by:
y(t) = 2πRCAc [fc + kf m(t)] . (27)

4. Solution: From the table of Bessel functions, we see that J0 (β) is equal to
zero for:
β = 2.44
β = 5.52
β = 8.65
β = 11.8. (28)
For tone modulation
kf Am
β =
fm
βfm
⇒ kf =
Am
= 1.22 kHz/volt. (29)
The value of Am for which the carrier component goes to zero for the
second time is equal to:
βfm
Am =
kf
5.52
⇒ Am =
1.22
= 4.52 volts. (30)
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5. Solution: Recall that in SSB modulation with upper sideband transmitted,

the signal is given by

s(t) = m(t) cos(2πfc t) − m̂(t) sin(2πfc t)


= ℜ (m(t) + j m̂(t)) e j 2πfc t (31)

where m̂(t) is the Hilbert transform of the message m(t), which is typically
bandlimited between [−W, W ] and fc ≫ W . Observe that m(t) in (31)
can be complex. For the case of the FM signal given by:

s(t) = Ac cos(2πfc t + φ(t))

n o
= Ac ℜ e j (2πfc t+φ(t)) (32)

the complex envelope is given by:

s̃(t) = Ac e j φ(t) . (33)

Clearly, s̃(t) is bandlimited to −BT /2 < |f | < BT /2.

Using the concept given in (31) the required equation for the FM signal
with only the upper sideband transmitted is given by:
n  o
s1 (t) = ℜ s̃(t) + j b̃
s(t) e j 2πfc t (34)

where b̃
s(t) is the Hilbert transform of s̃(t).
Now in the given example

s(t) = Ac cos(2πfc t + β sin(2πfm t))

X∞
= Ac Jn (β) cos(2π(fc + nfm )t). (35)
n=−∞

The complex envelope can be written as

X
∞
s̃(t) = Ac Jn (β)e j 2πnfm t
n=−∞
X∞
= Ac Jn (β) (cos(2πnfm t) + j sin(2πnfm t)) . (36)
n=−∞

The Hilbert transform of s̃(t) in (36) is

X
−1
b̃
s(t) = Ac Jn (β) (cos(2πnfm t + π/2) + j sin(2πnfm t + π/2))
n=−∞
X
∞
+ Ac Jn (β) (cos(2πnfm t − π/2) + j sin(2πnfm t − π/2))
n=1
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X
−1
= Ac Jn (β) (− sin(2πnfm t) + j cos(2πnfm t))
n=−∞
X
∞
+ Ac Jn (β) (sin(2πnfm t) − j cos(2πnfm t)) (37)
n=1

since the Hilbert transformer removes the dc component (n = 0), intro-

duces a phase shift of π/2 for negative frequencies (n < 0) and a phase
shift of −π/2 for positive frequencies (n > 0). Hence

X
∞
s̃(t) + j b̃
s(t) = Ac J0 (β) + 2Ac Jn (β)e j 2πnfm t (38)
n=1

and s1 (t) in (34) becomes

X
∞
s1 (t) = Ac J0 (β) cos(2πfc t) + 2Ac Jn (β) cos(2π(fc + nfm )t). (39)
n=1

Thus we find that only the upper sideband is transmitted, which verifies
our result.