ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT

Principles of Communications/Communications 1 Manual

ACTIVITY 6: Limiters and the Effect of Noise on FM Demodulation

1.1 Program Outcomes (POs) Addressed by the Activity

a. ability to apply knowledge of mathematics and science to solve engineering problems
b. ability to design and conduct experiments, as well as to analyse and interpret data
c. ability to function on multidisciplinary teams

1.2 Activity’s Intended Learning Outcomes (AILOs)

At the end of this activity, the student shall be able to:
a. Determine the importance of limiter.
b. Observe the function of limiter.

1.3 Objectives of the Activity

The objectives of this activity are to:
a. To be able to determine the importance of limiter circuit in FM
b. To be familiar with the pre-detection and post detection of noise

1.4 Principle of the Activity

What is Noise?

Noise is simply an unwanted signal, which is mixed up with the required signal. In many
cases it is not a specific frequency but is made up of random combination of many frequencies.
Such unwanted noise may be generated internally by circuit elements like amplifiers or come
from the transmission medium such as cables or antennas. A very important characteristic of a
communication system is how well it works in the presence of noise.

FM systems offer some advantage over AM systems in their performance. The theory
behind this is quite complex and will not be dealt with here.

Signal-to-Noise Ratios
One measure of the quality of the received signal applied to the detector is its Signal-to-
Noise Ratio (SNR). This is simply the ratio of signal power to noise power, usually expressed in
decibels for convenience. A high SNR means that there is much more signal than noise.

After passing through the detector the demodulated output also has noise on it, and
therefore has a signal to noise ratio. These two ratios are often called pre-detection SNR (SNRi)
and post detection (SNRo).

ACTIVITY 6: Limiter and the effect of noise of FM demodulator 1

 In an AM system these two values are approximately equal, but in an FM system the
SNRo can be greater than SNRi. How much greater depends on many things, but especially on
the modulation index.

Another contrast between AM and FM is that an AM channel, SNRi is proportional to

SNRo but in FM is not; instead, as SNRi is reduced below a certain level, called the threshold,
SNRo drops very quickly. This means that FM systems tend to generate very quickly at low
SNR. In general, the greater the modulation index (and therefore the bandwidth) the greater the
improvement in SNR given by the detector. However, this is at the expense of a higher threshold.

As is often the case, selecting the parameters to get the best performance out of the
system is a compromise. An important point to note is that when noise is present it causes both
amplitude and frequency variations, and to obtain the best performance on an FM system the
amplitude noise should be removed with a limiter.

In the practical, the FM generator is connected to a quadrature detector. A variable

amount of noise is added to the signal fed to the detector generated by a special circuit that
stimulate the type of wide-band noise that would come from a telecommunications system.

A limiter is also provided, which can be switched in and out of use. The purpose of the
practical is to investigate the effect of noise on the demodulated output, and how this is affected
by the limiter.

Function of a Limiter
In an FM system the information is carried by variations in carrier frequency. Since the
variations in amplitude carry no information they can be removed before the signal arrives at the
detector. This is the function performed by a limiter. A limiter is simply a high gain amplifier
that turns the usually sine-wave carrier of varying amplitude into a square wave of constant
amplitude. The square wave still contains the frequency variations that contain the modulation.

The addition of a limiter means that the FM detector has a constant amplitude signal to
deal with which means that its output is only dependent on phase changes and not changes in
amplitude.

This can be shown in the practical by varying the carrier amplitude with no limiter in
operation and finding that the output signal also varies in amplitude. When the limiter is placed
in circuit the output no longer varies in this way.

ACTIVITY 6: Limiter and the effect of noise of FM demodulator 2

 1.5 Materials/Equipment

FM Workboard 53-140, which comprises the following blocks:

1. Signal Generation
2. Modulation
3. Oscilloscope
4. Spectrum Analyzer
5. VCO
6. Phase Comparator
7. Limiter
8. Quadrative Demodulator

1.6 Circuit Diagrams / Figures / Source Codes (if Applicable)

Figure 1. Experiment set-up

ACTIVITY 6: Limiter and the effect of noise of FM demodulator 3

1.7 Procedure/s

A. Limiter Off
1. Set Carrier level, noise level and modulation level to midscale with the limiter OFF.
2. Sketch the output from points 4, 11, & 14, both in the time and frequency domain.
3. Repeat procedures 1 – 2, setting the noise level to maximum.

B. Limiter On
1. Set Carrier level, noise level and modulation level to midscale with the limiter ON.
2. Sketch the output from points 4, 11, & 14, both in the time and frequency domain.
3. Repeat procedures 1 – 2, setting the noise level to maximum.

1.8 Activity Report

Section: Date Performed:

Course Code: Date Submitted:
Course Title:
Instructor:
Group No.: Activity No.:

Group Members: Signature:

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

ACTIVITY 6: Limiter and the effect of noise of FM demodulator 4

 1.8.1 Data and Results

PART A: Limiter OFF: NOISE LEVEL - MIDSCALE

Point 4: FM SIGNAL

TIME DOMAIN FREQUENCY DOMAIN

Amplitude: __________________ Frequency: __________________

Point 11: PHASE SHIFTED FM SIGNAL

TIME DOMAIN FREQUENCY DOMAIN

Amplitude: __________________ Frequency: __________________

Point 14: RECEIVED SIGNAL

TIME DOMAIN FREQUENCY DOMAIN

Amplitude: __________________ Frequency: __________________

ACTIVITY 6: Limiter and the effect of noise of FM demodulator 5

PART A: Limiter OFF: NOISE LEVEL – MAX SCALE

Point 4: FM SIGNAL

TIME DOMAIN FREQUENCY DOMAIN

Amplitude: __________________ Frequency: __________________

Point 11: PHASE SHIFTED FM SIGNAL

TIME DOMAIN FREQUENCY DOMAIN

Amplitude: __________________ Frequency: __________________

Point 14: RECEIVED SIGNAL

TIME DOMAIN FREQUENCY DOMAIN

Amplitude: __________________ Frequency: __________________

ACTIVITY 6: Limiter and the effect of noise of FM demodulator 6

PART B: Limiter ON: NOISE LEVEL – MIDSCALE

Point 4: FM SIGNAL

TIME DOMAIN FREQUENCY DOMAIN

Amplitude: __________________ Frequency: __________________

Point 11: PHASE SHIFTED FM SIGNAL

TIME DOMAIN FREQUENCY DOMAIN

Amplitude: __________________ Frequency: __________________

Point 14: RECEIVED SIGNAL

TIME DOMAIN FREQUENCY DOMAIN

Amplitude: __________________ Frequency: __________________

ACTIVITY 6: Limiter and the effect of noise of FM demodulator 7

PARTB: Limiter ON: NOISE LEVEL – MAX SCALE

Point 4: FM SIGNAL

TIME DOMAIN FREQUENCY DOMAIN

Amplitude: __________________ Frequency: __________________

Point 11: PHASE SHIFTED FM SIGNAL

TIME DOMAIN FREQUENCY DOMAIN

Amplitude: __________________ Frequency: __________________

Point 14: RECEIVED SIGNAL

TIME DOMAIN FREQUENCY DOMAIN

Amplitude: __________________ Frequency: __________________

ACTIVITY 6: Limiter and the effect of noise of FM demodulator 8

 1.8.2 Calculations

ACTIVITY 6: Limiter and the effect of noise of FM demodulator 9

 1.8.3 Observations and Conclusion/s

ACTIVITY 6: Limiter and the effect of noise of FM demodulator 9

 1.8.4 Rating

Pre-initiation Initiating Implementing Refining Sustaining

Criteria 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
1 2 3 4 5

1. Activity Member does Member follows Member follows Member follows Member follows
Conduct not follow good good and safe good and safe good and safe good and safe
and safe laboratory laboratory laboratory laboratory practice
laboratory practice some of practice most of practice at all at all times in the
practice in the the time in the the time in the times in the conduct of activity
conduct of conduct of conduct of conduct of and encourages
activity. activity. activity. activity. others to do the
same.
2.Equipment Member is Member is able Member is able Member is able Member is able to
Operation unable to to operate to operate to operate the operate the
and Material operate the equipment and equipment and equipment and equipment and
Handling equipment and instrument with instrument with instruments with instruments with
instruments. much supervision. ease and with ease and without
supervision. minimum supervision.
supervision.
3. Data The group has The group has The group has The group has The group has
Collection presented presented presentedrelevan presentedrelevan presentedrelevant
mostly relevant but t partial but t andalmost complete and
irrelevant data. incompleteandin accurate and complete but accurate data.
accurate data. relevant data. accurate data.
4. Data There are many There are some Analysis is Analysis is Analysis is correct.
Analysis and inaccuracies in inaccuracies in partially correct. correct. The The group
Evaluation analysis. The analysis. The The group group recognized recognized some
group did not group didattempt recognized some some errors and errors and
attempt to make to make some errors and inaccuracies in inaccuracies in the
some links to links to prior inaccuracies in the processed, processed,
prior knowledge. the processed, manipulated and manipulated and

ACTIVITY 6: Limiter and the effect of noise of FM demodulator 9

 knowledge. manipulated and presented data. presented data. The
presented data. The group is able group is able to
The group is able to make some relate presented data
to make some links to prior to other knowledge.
links to prior knowledge.
knowledge.
5. Results The group has The group has The group has The group has The group has clear
Interpretatio no vague clear and logical clear and logical and logical
n interpretation of interpretation of interpretation of interpretation of interpretation of data
data and has data and data and/ data and is able and is able to draw
invalid conclusion is attempts to to draw some suitable accurate
conclusion. fundamentally identify trends conclusions from conclusions from the
flawed. from the data. the data. data

Total Score

Mean Score = (Total Score / 5)

Percentage Score = (Total Score / 25) x 100%

Other Comments/ Observations:

Evaluated by:

Printed Name and Signature of Faculty Member Date

ACTIVITY 6: Limiter and the effect of noise of FM demodulator 9