Nice explanation. When I first became interested in radio, I asked a friend who was the engineer at a local AM station what a carrier was. "Waves are nature's way of transferring information from one spot to another, and something has to 'carry' that information." I never forgot that since it makes a lot of sense. If you're making a series of these, I would be interested in seeing (with the scope and analyzer) SSB, RTTY, etc. I have a fairly good idea of how some of these types of signals work, but a picture is usually worth a thousand words. 73 de KA8VLW, Ken in Michigan
I'm know I'm a year late tot he party, but hopefully not too dumb a question: When you displayed the FM modulation deviation, it looks as though the waveform close to the axis is sharper (less deviant) than the waveforms moving outward... why aren't they the same? If the offset/deviation/whatever, is set for 900khz, why isn't it uniform? Is it just representative of "wavespread" with distance or something?
Grandma once told me FM/AM stood for "Fine Music" and "Awful Music". I think she was not far off. 😂 For the under 40 crowd, actually AM can sound as good as mono FM. Back in the day, AM broadcasters took great pride in their audio and were allowed to transmit up to 20KHz. Today, the FCC restricts them to 10KHz and most actually only broadcast out to 6KHz! THIS combined with really bad radios is most of the reason why AM got the shaft and now sounds muddy. The physics hasn't changed, just the law and the terrible engineering in our receivers. 73
Since am radio waves travel further at night, I guess that’s why most commercial am radio stations reduce power at sunset and increase power at sunrise. I live in West Palm Beach, Fl and listen to a Miami am sports radio station. During the day it is crystal clear but I can barely receive it at night because they decrease the power output.
Please please reply! An audio signal can have varying frequency and amplitude and both are the part of the information. But as per my knowledge , Frequency modulation is a technique where the frequency of the carrier wave is varied according to the amplitude or intensity of the modulating signal. So how does this work if under FM, if the carrier wave only has the in information about the intensity or the amplitude of the modulating signal as in FM , the carrier frequency is varied according to the intensity? Someone had told me to use a Voltage Controllable Oscillator(VCO), but the question remain as VCOs also vary the frequency according to the intensity of the input signal.What if the input signal is also varying in frequency (ofcourse inside a range)?
Good little primer video. I worked on AM transceivers for years, FM was hard for me to wrap my head around at first. I'm so used to looking at signals on a communications service monitor that the scope, not so much the SA looks strange to me. The SA is a familiar view after tuning duplexers and intermod hunting. Thanks Ape! de WB3BIT
Another good video! I’m in the market for an o-scope, which Rigol is that? I saw 8GSa/sec at one point. Is that an MSO5204/5354 or a DS7000 series? Thanks!!
I think a lot of the differences discussed here are not due to inherent differences in mode as mentioned, but rather differences in bands, and bandwidth used. For example, FM commercial radio signals don't travel as far because it is a very different band than AM commercial radio. Not because it is FM.
I was really hoping to learn about how the two modulations are created/ different by how they modulate. What I think I know is attenuation modulation AM is driven by the amplitude of the modulation vs frequency modulation is well the actual frequency of the wave or voltage. Is that even remotely close?
I don't quite understand AM. For FM, it make sense that you will create "bandwidth" because your frequency is deviate from the carrier. For example, if you modulate 1kHz to 20MHz carrier. It makes sense to have 20MHz, 20.1MHz, and 19.9MHz peaks on the spectrum analyzer. However, how come an AM modulation can create bandwidth???And how can you Amplitude modulate 1kHz to 20MHz amplitudely??? Thanks.
@@TheSmokinApe Yep, I’ve got that, but how come we can see it in the waterfall? If the frequency doesn’t change how can we see the upper and lower side band?
I'm no expert at all, but using the format shown here on the 'scope, AM varies in the height, FM varies in the width. It's really that simple. In both cases, if there's no signal, the carrier looks the same, just a sine wave. If you remember the old Dragnet series, I'll paraphrase: "The frequencies have been changed to protect the innocent." Otherwise, the carriers are identical. No change in height for AM and no change in width for FM with no overlaid modulation.
@@TheSmokinApe I don’t know if it was my question or what, let me put it this way. How come we can can have an interference from a station on adjacent frequency in AM? For example, if I’m listening on 14.250MHZ and there is another station transmitted at 14.255MHz. I will get an interference and I will have to filter the station on the adjacent frequency out. How can that interference happen if both stations are using AM modulation.
Mr Ape, you are a treasure to the ham community.
I’ll second that.
Thanks, I appreciate it 👍
Even if it's something that I understand completely it's cathartic to sit back and watch Ape explain it...after 5:00 relaxation
Lol, thanks Todd 👍
Nice explanation. When I first became interested in radio, I asked a friend who was the engineer at a local AM station what a carrier was. "Waves are nature's way of transferring information from one spot to another, and something has to 'carry' that information." I never forgot that since it makes a lot of sense. If you're making a series of these, I would be interested in seeing (with the scope and analyzer) SSB, RTTY, etc. I have a fairly good idea of how some of these types of signals work, but a picture is usually worth a thousand words.
73 de KA8VLW, Ken in Michigan
Hey Ken, glad you liked the video. I can do more on other signal types 👍
I'm know I'm a year late tot he party, but hopefully not too dumb a question: When you displayed the FM modulation deviation, it looks as though the waveform close to the axis is sharper (less deviant) than the waveforms moving outward... why aren't they the same? If the offset/deviation/whatever, is set for 900khz, why isn't it uniform? Is it just representative of "wavespread" with distance or something?
Nice explanation & demo of modulation. It really helps to be able to see the waveforms and spectrum! Nice scope & sig gen!
Thanks SF 👍
Per usual, good job professor!
Why thank you 👍
Grandma once told me FM/AM stood for "Fine Music" and "Awful Music". I think she was not far off. 😂
For the under 40 crowd, actually AM can sound as good as mono FM. Back in the day, AM broadcasters took great pride in their audio and were allowed to transmit up to 20KHz. Today, the FCC restricts them to 10KHz and most actually only broadcast out to 6KHz! THIS combined with really bad radios is most of the reason why AM got the shaft and now sounds muddy. The physics hasn't changed, just the law and the terrible engineering in our receivers. 73
Lol @ Awful Music 👍
Thanks for the tutorial, Professor Ape!
Anytime Gap, thanks for watching 👍
Since am radio waves travel further at night, I guess that’s why most commercial am radio stations reduce power at sunset and increase power at sunrise. I live in West Palm Beach, Fl and listen to a Miami am sports radio station. During the day it is crystal clear but I can barely receive it at night because they decrease the power output.
School buses are killing ham radio, LOL. Thanks for another good one, Ape.
Thanks for watching Mike 👍
YOU are an AWESOME instructor and if I don't get something.... I can play it again!! THANK YOU🦇
Thanks TK, glad you liked the video 👍
Please please reply! An audio signal can have varying frequency and amplitude and both are the part of the information. But as per my knowledge , Frequency modulation is a technique where the frequency of the carrier wave is varied according to the amplitude or intensity of the modulating signal. So how does this work if under FM, if the carrier wave only has the in information about the intensity or the amplitude of the modulating signal as in FM , the carrier frequency is varied according to the intensity?
Someone had told me to use a Voltage Controllable Oscillator(VCO), but the question remain as VCOs also vary the frequency according to the intensity of the input signal.What if the input signal is also varying in frequency (ofcourse inside a range)?
Always educational! Good refresher.
Thanks Scott 👍
Good work.
Which instruments did you use? Scope, SA, and generator?
Thanks Lee.
Scope: Rigol MSO5074
SA: Siglent SSA3021X
Sig Gen: Siglent SDG1062X
Good little primer video. I worked on AM transceivers for years, FM was hard for me to wrap my head around at first. I'm so used to looking at signals on a communications service monitor that the scope, not so much the SA looks strange to me. The SA is a familiar view after tuning duplexers and intermod hunting. Thanks Ape! de WB3BIT
Thanks man, glad you liked the video 👍
Another good video! I’m in the market for an o-scope, which Rigol is that? I saw 8GSa/sec at one point. Is that an MSO5204/5354 or a DS7000 series? Thanks!!
It's the R8gol MSO 5074
Good video Ape!
Thanks BA 👍
I think a lot of the differences discussed here are not due to inherent differences in mode as mentioned, but rather differences in bands, and bandwidth used. For example, FM commercial radio signals don't travel as far because it is a very different band than AM commercial radio. Not because it is FM.
Hey PCR, I think that's part of it for sure.
Good explanation.
Thanks Thump!
I was really hoping to learn about how the two modulations are created/ different by how they modulate. What I think I know is attenuation modulation AM is driven by the amplitude of the modulation vs frequency modulation is well the actual frequency of the wave or voltage. Is that even remotely close?
That's it exactly 👍
@@TheSmokinApe is there a way to see or visualize that?
Good video indeed.
Thanks Sean 👍
Where did you get the ruler contact paper for your worktop?
It’s called an Alvin cutting mat, got it off Amazon
@@TheSmokinApe thanks. Been looking all over for it.
Nice video Ape. 73
Thank you.
👍
I don't quite understand AM. For FM, it make sense that you will create "bandwidth" because your frequency is deviate from the carrier. For example, if you modulate 1kHz to 20MHz carrier. It makes sense to have 20MHz, 20.1MHz, and 19.9MHz peaks on the spectrum analyzer. However, how come an AM modulation can create bandwidth???And how can you Amplitude modulate 1kHz to 20MHz amplitudely??? Thanks.
Hey 55. AM doesn't change frequency like FM, what its does is change the strength of the signal which gets demodulated on the RX station 👍
@@TheSmokinApe Yep, I’ve got that, but how come we can see it in the waterfall? If the frequency doesn’t change how can we see the upper and lower side band?
It's the variation in the amplitude 👍
I'm no expert at all, but using the format shown here on the 'scope, AM varies in the height, FM varies in the width. It's really that simple. In both cases, if there's no signal, the carrier looks the same, just a sine wave. If you remember the old Dragnet series, I'll paraphrase: "The frequencies have been changed to protect the innocent." Otherwise, the carriers are identical. No change in height for AM and no change in width for FM with no overlaid modulation.
@@TheSmokinApe I don’t know if it was my question or what, let me put it this way. How come we can can have an interference from a station on adjacent frequency in AM? For example, if I’m listening on 14.250MHZ and there is another station transmitted at 14.255MHz. I will get an interference and I will have to filter the station on the adjacent frequency out. How can that interference happen if both stations are using AM modulation.
Love the video Mr. Ape! We would love to partner with you at some point!
Thanks HRP, I'll drop you an email... I still have our last correspondence 👍
THX
👍
I listen to my slow jams on AM.
Me too!
Well explained. 73, KF0NNQ.
Thanks Bill 👍
So glad I did not learn from this guy, too much wrong terminology used and misinformation here.