Fundamentals of Electronic Communications Chapter 4: Radio Receivers

Intended Learning Outcomes

1. To describe the functions and parameters of a radio receiver
2. To be able to discuss the functions of the TRF and Superheterodyne Receivers.
3. To be able to calculate the frequencies in each of the block diagrams of receivers.

Activities

Tune in to an AM radio station using a radio receiver. Imagine how the signal is processed
from your receiver antenna to the audio output.

Processing

Basic Functions of a Receiver

The receiver should be capable of changing the range of frequencies to be
received
The receiver should be able to detect and convert the received RF signal
to the original source information
The receiver should be able to provide sufficient amplification

Receiver Parameters
Selectivity
A measure of the ability of a receiver to accept a given band of
frequencies and to reject all others
A measure of the extent to which a receiver can differentiate
between the desired information signals and the disturbances or
information signal at other frequencies
Can be expressed as a bandwidth and as the ratio of the bandwidth at the
receiver at some predetermined attenuation factor (commonly -60dB) to
the bandwidth at the -3dB (half-power) points

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Fundamentals of Electronic Communications Chapter 4: Radio Receivers

Bandwidth Improvement
The noise reduction ratio achieved by reducing the bandwidth

Noise Figure Improvement

NFimprovement = 10 log BI
Sensitivity
The minimum RF signal level that can be detected at the input to the
receiver and still produce a usable demodulated information signal
Dynamic Range
The difference in decibels between the minimum input level necessary
to discern a signal and the input level that will overdrive the receiver
and produce distortion
The range of input power over which the receiver is useful
DR = 10 log (Pmax/Pmin)

Fidelity
A measure of the ability of a communications system to produce, at
the output of the receiver, an exact replica of the original source
information
Insertion Loss
The ratio of the power transferred to the load to the power at the
source
IL = 10 log (Pin/Pout)
Types of Radio Receivers
Tuned Radio Frequency Receiver
Advantages
• Enhanced sensitivity
• Simple circuitry
Disadvantages
• Poor selectivity
• Instability
• Requires multistage tuning

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Fundamentals of Electronic Communications Chapter 4: Radio Receivers

Superheterodyne Receiver
Heterodyning means mixing two frequencies together in a non-linear
device.
Advantages
• Good selectivity
• Sufficient image frequency rejection
Disadvantages
• Moderate sensitivity (relatively poor compared to the TRF)
• Complex circuitry

Sections of a Superheterodyne Receiver

RF Section
Generally consists of a preselector and an amplifier stage

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Fundamentals of Electronic Communications Chapter 4: Radio Receivers

Preselector
Provides enough initial bandlimiting to prevent a specific unwanted radio
frequency (image frequency) from entering the receiver

RF Amplifier
Determines the sensitivity of the receiver
.

Advantages of including RF amplifiers in a Receiver

• Greater gain, thus better sensitivity
• Improved image-frequency rejection
• Better signal-to-noise ratio
• Better selectivity
Mixer/Converter Section
Includes a local oscillator and a radio-frequency oscillator stage.
Heterodyning takes place in the mixer stage and the radiofrequencies are
down converted to intermediate frequencies (IF).

Image Frequency, fsi

• The frequency other than the desired which when mixed with the
local oscillator will produce the same intermediate frequency

Where:
fs = desired signal frequency, (Hz)

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Fundamentals of Electronic Communications Chapter 4: Radio Receivers

fi = intermediate frequency, (Hz)

fsi = image frequency, (Hz)
fo = oscillator frequency, (Hz)

Image Frequency Rejection Ratio

• The ratio of the gain at the signal frequency to the gain at the
image frequency

IFRR = √1 + 𝑄2 ⍴2
IFRR dB = 20 log IFRR
where: Q = quality factor of the tuned circuit.

𝑓𝑠𝑖 𝑓𝑠
⍴ = −
𝑓𝑠 𝑓𝑠𝑖

IF Section
Consists of a series of IF amplifiers and bandpass filters and is often called
the IF strip. Most of the receiver gain and selectivity is achieved in this
section
Detector
Converts the IF signal back to the original source information

Audio Section
Comprises several cascaded audio amplifiers and one or more speakers
Single Sideband Receivers
.
Beat Frequency Oscillator (BFO)
• Produces a frequency input to beat (mix) with the IF signal and results in
• a difference and sum frequencies with the result being the original audio
• Should have at least the tuning range of 1.5 kHz above and below the
center of the IF passband

Non- Coherent BFO SSB Receiver

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Fundamentals of Electronic Communications Chapter 4: Radio Receivers

Coherent BFO SSB Receiver

Reading Assignment

Read more on gang tuning.

Assessment Tasks

Practice Problems
1) A TRF receiver is to be designed with a single tuned circuit using a 20- µH inductor.
a) Calculate the capacitance range of the variable capacitor required to tune from 535-
1605 kHz.
b) The ideal 10- kHz bandwidth is to occur at 1000kHz, Determine Q.
c) Calculate the bandwidth of this receiver at 535 kHz and at 1605 kHz.

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Fundamentals of Electronic Communications Chapter 4: Radio Receivers

2) For an AM receiver that uses high-side injection and has a local oscillator frequency of
1445 kHz, Determine the IF carrier upper side frequency and lower side frequency for an
RF signal that is made up of a carrier , an upper and lower side frequencies of 1000 kHz,
1005 kHz, 995 kHz, respectively.
3) A receiver tunes the 300 kHz to 3 MHz MF band in one range, using an IF of 35.75 MHz.
Calculate the range of oscillator frequencies and the range of image frequencies.
4) What is the local oscillator frequency range in the commercial AM broadcast if the IF is
equal to 455 kHz?
5) Determine the image frequency of a broadcast band receiver using a 455 kHz IF tuned
to 630 kHz – DZMM.
6) Determine the local oscillator frequency of a broadcast band receiver using a 455-kHz IF
tuned at 630 kHz.
7) For a receiver with IF, RF, and local oscillator frequencies of 455 kHz, 630 kHz and 1085
kHz, respectively, Determine the:
a) Image frequency
b) IFRR for a pre-selector Q of 80.
8) A superheterodyne receiver is tuned to a frequency of 10 MHz when the local oscillator
frequency is 12.5 MHz.
a) What is the IF?
b) Which type of injection is in use?
9) One receiver has a sensitivity of 1 µV and another has a sensitivity of 10 𝑑𝐵𝑓 under the
same measurement condition. Both receivers have an input impedance of 75Ω. Which
receiver is more sensitive?
10) A receiver has a sensitivity of 0.75 µV and a blocking dynamics range of 80 dB. What is
the strongest signal that can be present along with a 0.75-µV signal without any
blocking/desensitization taking place?

References:

1. Tomasi W. Electronic Communications Systems – Fundamentals through Advanced 5th

Edition, New Jersey, Prentice Hall
2. Roddy J., Coolen E., Electronic Communications 5th Edition, New Jersey, Prentice Hall
3. Frenzel L., Principles of Electronic Communication Systems, New York, Mc Graw Hill

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