Tuesday, September 16, 2014
Browse »
home »
50W
»
am
»
and
»
modulator
»
output
»
rf
»
stage
»
AM Modulator and 50W RF Output Stage
The circuit presented here makes amplitude modulation possible, and it also has the significant advantage that it replaces the somewhat exotic and quite expensive OP603AP output opamp with a standard type. Of course, this amplitude modulator can also be used with other models of function generator or for other purposes. As you know, the gain of an NE592 video opamp can be set to 400, 100 or 10 by means of an external jumper. Intermediate settings can be achieved by using a suitable resistance in place of the jumper. This adjustment takes place in the emitter leads of the differential amplifier, directly at the input to the opamp, where the signal amplitude is low.
A BF245B FET is used here as a controllable resistance. With suitably low signal levels, it provides at least 50% of clean amplitude modulation for modulating signals (LF) up to 10 kHz and modulated signals (HF) up to 20 MHz. The FET can also be driven with a DC voltage to control the amplitude of the output signal over a 10:1 range with low distortion. Any slight asymmetry of the modulated signal can be corrected by applying a small correction voltage via P1. P2 is used to bias the FET at around –2.5 V. The output stage is built using discrete transistors and guarantees a 50 Ω output impedance with low DC offset.
The complete circuit can deliver a constant amplitude output signal of up to 2.5 Vpp (unmodulated) for frequencies ranging to over 20 MHz. If the signal is not modulated, the maximum amplitude can be increased somewhat. Output level controls (a potentiometer and/or range switches), if used, should be placed between the NE592 output and the input of the output stage. In such cases, an emitter-follower stage with a high input impedance might be a good idea, since the opamp should operated with a load of at least 1kΩ. Conceivably, the gate of the FET could be driven via an additional opamp, together with the demodulated signal from the output of the NE592 applied as negative feedback, to achieve higher modulation levels.
AM Modulator and 50W RF Output Stage
A BF245B FET is used here as a controllable resistance. With suitably low signal levels, it provides at least 50% of clean amplitude modulation for modulating signals (LF) up to 10 kHz and modulated signals (HF) up to 20 MHz. The FET can also be driven with a DC voltage to control the amplitude of the output signal over a 10:1 range with low distortion. Any slight asymmetry of the modulated signal can be corrected by applying a small correction voltage via P1. P2 is used to bias the FET at around –2.5 V. The output stage is built using discrete transistors and guarantees a 50 Ω output impedance with low DC offset.
The complete circuit can deliver a constant amplitude output signal of up to 2.5 Vpp (unmodulated) for frequencies ranging to over 20 MHz. If the signal is not modulated, the maximum amplitude can be increased somewhat. Output level controls (a potentiometer and/or range switches), if used, should be placed between the NE592 output and the input of the output stage. In such cases, an emitter-follower stage with a high input impedance might be a good idea, since the opamp should operated with a load of at least 1kΩ. Conceivably, the gate of the FET could be driven via an additional opamp, together with the demodulated signal from the output of the NE592 applied as negative feedback, to achieve higher modulation levels.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment