Chapter 13:

Modulation and Transmitters

Objectives:

When the students have finished this chapter they should:

Apparatus:

  1. HF receiver

  2. equipment to demonstrate digital modes

Handouts:

  1. Transmitter block diagrams

Lesson Plan:

  1. Answer any questions about the Chapter 12 homework.

  2. The following road blocks make this a difficult to lesson to teach with much student involvement:


    So perhaps the best tack here is to have them work together in small groups, using the block diagrams to learn what goes where and the function of each block. At the same time they can work through the Chapter 13 Quiz Questions.

  3. At the same time you can throw down the gauntlet, challenging them to qualify later on down the road for Advanced Qualification, which allows them to build transmitters. Show them plans for building transmitters in the ARRL Handbook or in the various magazines that serve the Amateur community. Check the Amateur community in your area to determine who has done some "home brewing" of transmitters and ask them to come along to the class to show off their efforts.

  4. Bring an HF transceiver or receiver to class. Arrange for two local Amateurs to get on the air at a given time. Have one of them deliberately "over modulate" so that your students can hear the distortion. Then have the Amateur make the necessary adjustments so that the distortion is eliminated. This is a variation on a picture is worth a thousand words, although it is an 'audio picture' rather than a visual one.

  5. Set up demonstrations of the various types of digital transmissions RTTY, PACKET, APRS, and AMTOR

Homework:

  1. Read Chapter 13

  2. Learn the block diagrams "What goes Where"

  3. Do the Chapter 13 Quiz questions.

  4. Skim Chapter 14

Chapter 13 Quiz:

Printable copy of the Review Quiz

Answers to Chapter 13 Quiz
1 A 16 B 31 D 46 C 61 D
2 A 17 B 32 B 47 A 62 B
3 C 18 C 33 B 48 A 63 C
4 C 19 C 34 A 49 A 64 A
5 C 20 D 35 B 50 D 65 D
6 B 21 A 36 C 51 D 66 A
7 B 22 A 37 D 52 A 67 D
8 C 23 C 38 C 53 D 68 C
9 B 24 D 39 D 54 A 69 B
10 A 25 B 40 A 55 C 70 C
11 C 26 D 41 D 56 B 71 D
12 A 27 B 42 A 57 B 72 C
13 B 28 A 43 D 58 A 73 D
14 C 29 D 44 A 59 B * *
15 C 30 A 45 D 60 C * *

Overhead Slide Versions of the Diagrams

  1. Slide 1
    13.1 Amplitude Modulation
    13.2 Amplitude Modulation Spectrum

  2. Slide 2
    13.3 Frequency Modulation