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Question

Consider the following :

ST1 : F.M. signal produces more side bands than A.M.
ST2 : The carrier in a F.M. signal can never be dropped to zero amplitude.

Which of the following is valid ?

This question was previously asked in
UGC NET 2014 Paper 1 Question Paper (28-Dec-2014)
The correct answer is

Both ST1 and ST2

Both ST1 and ST2 — option (B), as recorded in the supplied key.

This item must be flagged. ST2 is false on standard FM theory, and a candidate reasoning correctly would answer option (C). The keyed option is recorded because it is the key; the correct account follows.

ST1 is certainly true. Angle modulation is a non-linear process, and expanding the FM signal in Bessel functions gives

\(s(t)=A_{c}\sum_{n=-\infty}^{\infty}J_{n}(\beta)\cos\left(\omega_{c}+n\omega_{m}\right)t\)

which contains an infinite number of side-frequency pairs spaced at multiples of the modulating frequency. AM produces exactly one pair. In practice the FM spectrum is truncated where the components fall below about 1% of the unmodulated carrier, giving Carson’s rule \(BW\approx 2\left(\Delta f+f_{m}\right)\), but the theoretical bandwidth is unbounded.

Why ST2 is false. The carrier amplitude in the expansion above is \(A_{c}J_{0}(\beta)\), and \(J_{0}\) is an oscillating function that passes through zero. At those values of the modulation index the carrier component vanishes completely :

Zero of \(J_{0}(\beta)\)Modulation index
First\(\beta\approx 2.405\)
Second\(\beta\approx 5.520\)
Third\(\beta\approx 8.654\)

These carrier nulls are not a curiosity — they are the classical laboratory method of calibrating frequency deviation. The modulating amplitude is raised until the carrier disappears on a spectrum analyser, and since \(\beta=\Delta f/f_{m}\) is then known exactly, the deviation follows as \(\Delta f=2.405\,f_{m}\) at the first null. The energy is not lost; total power is constant in FM and is simply redistributed into the sidebands.

The underlying principle is what distinguishes FM from AM: \(\sum J_{n}^{2}(\beta)=1\), so the total transmitted power never changes with modulation. Modulation only moves power between the carrier and the sidebands, whereas in AM the carrier is fixed and the sidebands add power on top.

Note on the recorded answer. The answer stored here follows the supplied key. On the standard theory the defensible answer is option (C) — ST1 true, ST2 false.

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Similar Questions

  1. In FM

  2. Which of the following is true ?

  3. The FM transmitters have the following blocks as per the following correct sequence :

    (A) Crystal Oscillator
    (B) Antenna
    (C) Frequency multiplier
    (D) Phase modulate / Audio source
    (E) Power amplifier

    Choose the most appropriate answer from the options given below :

  4. Consider an FM signal

    \(s(t) = 10\sin\left(4\pi \times 10^6 t + 9\cos\left(2\pi \times 10^3 t\right)\right)\)

    the frequency deviation and bandwidth of FM wave are

  5. In case of wideband FM, the modulation index value is :

  6. A high frequency signal is frequency modulated by n number of modulating signals. The ideal number of sidebands in the modulated signal will be :

  7. The approximate rule for transmission of an FM signal generated by a single-tone modulating signal of frequency fm, modulation index β and maximum frequency deviation Δf, is defined as :

  8. Assertion (A) : The FM radio broadcast of analog signals provides higher fidelity.

    Reason (R) : FM uses significantly larger channel bandwidth for signal transmission.

    Select your answer using the codes given below :

  9. What bandwidth is needed for an FM signal that has a peak deviation of ± 3 KHz and handles audio signals from 200 Hz to 5 KHz ?

  10. Which of the following techniques are used to generate frequency modulated signal :

    1. Armstrong
    2. Foster-Sealy Discriminator
    3. Balanced Modulator
    4. Reactance Modulator

    Which one of the following is true ?


Important Questions from Frequency Modulation

  1. Which of the following statements is true for FM?

  2. What is the modulation index in a frequency modulated signal with a modulating frequency of 500 Hz and frequency deviation of 10 kHz?

  3. Which of the following rules states that the bandwidth required to transmit an angle modulated wave is twice the sum of the peak frequency deviation and highest modulating signal frequency?

  4. If f mis modulating frequency and m fis modulation index, then by the Carson's rule, the bandwidth of an FM signal at the input of a conventional discriminator will be:

  5. In FM, "M" stands for

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