FEE3 421
Frequency Modulation Problems & Solutions
FEE3 421
A. Faris
December 29, 2025
problem
Phase modulation is performed using a cosine wave carrier with a frequency of 80 MHz and
the message signal shown in Figure below.
d m(t)
1. Sketch , the derivative of the given message signal m(t).
dt
2. Determine the maximum and minimum instantaneous frequencies of the FM signal
when the phase deviation constant is 4π.
3. Sketch the frequency-modulated waveform based on these instantaneous frequencies
and the given deviation constant.
solution
1. For 0 ≤ t ≤ 0.05, m′ (t) = [m′ (t)]max = 1−0
0.05×10−3 s
= 20 × 105 s−1 ;
For 0.05 ≤ t ≤ 0.1, m′ (t) = [m′ (t)]max = 0.
For 0.1 ≤ t ≤ 0.15, m′ (t) = [m′ (t)]min = 0−1
(0.15−0.1)×10−3
= −20 × 105 s−1 .
See sketch of m′ (t) in Figure. (b) below.
2. From part (1), [m′ (t)]max = 20 × 105 s−1 ; [m′ (t)]min = −20 × 105 s−1 .
kf 4π × 20 × 105
fc,max = fc + [m(t)]max = 8 × 106 + = 8.04 MHz
2π 2π
kf 6 4π × (−20 × 105 )
fc,min = fc + [m(t)]min = 8 × 10 + = 7.96 MHz
2π 2π
3. Sketch the frequency-modulated waveform is given in Figure. (c).
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problem
Frequency modulation is performed with a message signal given by
m(t) = 2 cos ωm t
and a carrier given by c(t) = 5 cos(10ωm t), where ωm = 3π × 104 .
1. What is the maximum possible value of the frequency deviation constant kf if the
modulated signal is narrowband FM .
2. If kf = 1.5π × 103 , obtain an expression for the spectrum of the narrowband FM signal
and sketch its positive frequency amplitude spectrum.
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solution
1.
m(t) = 2 cos ωm t
ωm = 3π × 104
∆ω
∴β=
ωm
Am kf
=
ωm
2kf
β=
3π × 104
for NBFM
β ≤ 0.3
2kf
∴β= ≤ 0.3
3π × 104
⇒ kf ≤ 4.5π × 103
2.
kf = 1.5π × 103
∆ω Am kf
β= =
ωm ωm
2 [1.5π × 103 ]
=
3π × 104
β = 0.1 < 0.3 ⇒ NBFM
1 1
ϕF M (t) = Ac cos ωc t + βAc cos(ωc + ωm )t − βAc cos(ωc − ωm )t
2 2
1 1
ϕF M (t) = Ac cos 2πfc t + βAc cos 2π(fc + fm )t − βAc cos 2π(fc − fm )t
2 2
ϕF M (t) = 5 cos 2πfc t + 0.25 cos 2π(fc + fm )t − 0.25 cos 2π(fc − fm )t
The Spectrum is given by:
ΦF M (ω) = F [5 cos 2πfc t + 0.25 cos 2π(fc + fm )t − 0.25 cos 2π(fc − fm )t]
ΦF M (ω) = 5[δ(f + fc ) + δ(f − fc )] + 0.25[δ(f + fc + fm ) + δ(f − fc − fm )]
− 0.25[δ(f + fc − fm ) + δ(f − fc + fm )]
The spectrum is shown in Figure. 2,
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Problem
A transmitted angle-modulated waveform is given by
φ(t) = 20 cos(106 t + 10 cos 500t)
(a) What is the instantaneous frequency of φ(t)?
(b) What is the approximate bandwidth of φ(t)?
(c) If φ(t) is a PM wave, what is the message signal m(t)?
(d) If φ(t) is an FM signal, what is the message signal m(t)?
Solution
The transmitted angle-modulated waveform is:
φ(t) = 20 cos(106 t + 10 cos 500t)
This can be written in the standard form:
φ(t) = Ac cos[ωc t + ϕ(t)]
where:
• Ac = 20 (carrier amplitude)
• ωc = 106 rad/s (carrier angular frequency)
• ϕ(t) = 10 cos 500t (phase deviation)
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(a) Instantaneous Frequency
The instantaneous angular frequency is:
d
ωi (t) = [106 t + 10 cos 500t]
dt
ωi (t) = 106 − 10 × 500 sin 500t
ωi (t) = 106 − 5000 sin 500t rad/s
The instantaneous frequency in Hz is:
ωi (t) 106 5000
fi (t) = = − sin 500t
2π 2π 2π
fi (t) ≈ 159,155 − 796 sin 500t Hz
(b) Approximate Bandwidth
The message signal has angular frequency ωm = 500 rad/s, so:
500
fm = ≈ 79.6 Hz
2π
The frequency deviation is:
5000
∆f = ≈ 796 Hz
2π
The modulation index is:
∆f 796
β=
= = 10
fm 79.6
Using Carson’s rule for bandwidth:
BW ≈ 2(∆f + fm ) = 2(796 + 79.6) = 2(875.6)
BW ≈ 1751 Hz ≈ 1.75 kHz
(c) Message Signal if PM
For Phase Modulation (PM):
ϕ(t) = kp · m(t)
where kp is the phase sensitivity constant (in rad/V).
Given ϕ(t) = 10 cos 500t:
kp · m(t) = 10 cos 500t
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FEE3 421
10
m(t) = cos 500t V
kp
If we normalize with kp = 10 rad/V:
m(t) = cos 500t V = cos(2π × 79.6 × t) V
(d) Message Signal if FM
For Frequency Modulation (FM):
Z
ϕ(t) = kf m(t) dt
where kf is the frequency sensitivity constant (in rad/s/V).
Differentiating both sides:
dϕ(t)
= kf · m(t)
dt
Given ϕ(t) = 10 cos 500t:
dϕ(t)
= −5000 sin 500t
dt
Therefore:
kf · m(t) = −5000 sin 500t
5000
m(t) = − sin 500t V
kf
If we normalize with kf = 5000 rad/s/V:
m(t) = − sin 500t V = − sin(2π × 79.6 × t) V
Problem.
Given the angle-modulated waveform
φ(t) = 10 cos[90 × 106 t + 200 sin 4000πt]
(a) What is the modulation index?
(b) Is φ(t) wideband or narrowband? Why?
(c) What is the required bandwidth for φ(t)?
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Solution
(a) The general form of an angle-modulated signal is:
φ(t) = Ac cos[ωc t + β sin ωm t]
Comparing with the given waveform:
Ac = 10
ωc = 90 × 106 rad/s
β = 200
ωm = 4000π rad/s
Therefore, the modulation index is β = 200.
(b) For narrowband modulation, we require β ≪ 1 (typically β ≤ 0.3).
Since β = 200 ≫ 1, this is wideband angle modulation.
(c) First, find the modulating frequency:
ωm 4000π
fm = = = 2000 Hz = 2 kHz
2π 2π
Using Carson’s rule for wideband FM:
BW = 2(∆f + fm ) = 2(fm β + fm ) = 2fm (β + 1)
BW = 2(2000)(200 + 1) = 2(2000)(201) = 804,000 Hz = 804 kHz
Alternatively, using the simplified form:
BW ≈ 2βfm = 2(200)(2000) = 800 kHz
Therefore, the required bandwidth is approximately 800 kHz or more precisely 804
kHz.
Problem
Design an Armstrong indirect FM modulator in block diagram to generate an FM signal
with carrier 96.3 MHz and ∆f = 20.48 kHz. A narrowband FM generator with fc = 150
kHz and ∆f = 10 Hz is available. Only a limited number of frequency doublers are available
as frequency multipliers. In addition, an oscillator with adjustable frequency from 13 to 14
MHz is also available for mixing, along with bandpass filters of any specification.
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Solution
Given Specifications
• Final carrier frequency: fc = 96.3 MHz
• Final frequency deviation: ∆f = 20.48 kHz
• Narrowband FM generator: fc1 = 150 kHz, ∆f1 = 10 Hz
• Available: Frequency doublers, oscillator (13-14 MHz), mixers, bandpass filters
Required Frequency Multiplication
The total frequency multiplication factor needed is:
∆f 20.48 × 103
nTotal = = = 2048 = 211
∆f1 10
Therefore, we need 11 frequency doublers in cascade. We split the multiplication into
two stages with mixing in between:
nTotal = n1 × n2 = 2048
We can choose: n1 = 128 = 27 and n2 = 16 = 24
Stage 1: First Multiplication by 128
Use 7 frequency doublers in cascade.
After first multiplication:
fc2 = n1 × fc1 = 128 × 150 kHz = 19.2 MHz
∆f2 = n1 × ∆f1 = 128 × 10 Hz = 1.28 kHz
Stage 2: Frequency Translation (Mixing)
We need to find the oscillator frequency fosc such that after mixing and final multiplication,
we get 96.3 MHz.
Required frequency after mixing:
fc 96.3 MHz
fc3 = = = 6.01875 MHz
n2 16
Using the lower sideband (difference frequency):
fc3 = fc2 − fosc
6.01875 = 19.2 − fosc
fosc = 19.2 − 6.01875 = 13.18125 MHz
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FEE3 421
This is within the available range of 13-14 MHz.
After mixing:
fc3 = 6.01875 MHz
∆f3 = ∆f2 = 1.28 kHz
(Note: Frequency deviation is not affected by mixing)
Stage 3: Final Multiplication by 16
Use 4 frequency doublers in cascade.
After final multiplication:
fc = n2 × fc3 = 16 × 6.01875 = 96.3 MHz
∆f = n2 × ∆f3 = 16 × 1.28 = 20.48 kHz
The Block Diagramis shown in Figure.