Question 2.11: For a 16-QAM modulator with an input data rate (fb) equal to......
For a 16-QAM modulator with an input data rate (f_{b}) equal to 10 Mbps and a carrier frequency of 70 MHz, determine the minimum double-sided Nyquist frequency (f_{N}) and the baud. Also, compare the results with those achieved with the BPSK, QPSK, and 8-PSK modulators in Examples 4, 6, and 8. Use the 16-QAM block diagram shown in Figure 33 as the modulator model.
The bit rate in the I, I′ , Q, and Q′ channels is equal to one-fourth of the input bit rate, or
f_{bI}=f_{bI^′}=f_{bQ}=f_{bQ^′}=\frac{f_{b}}{4}=\frac{10\,Mbps}{4}=2.5\,MbpsTherefore, the fastest rate of change and highest fundamental frequency presented to either balanced modulator is
f_{a}=\frac{f_{bI}}{2} or \frac{f_{bI^′}}{2} or \frac{f_{bQ}}{2} or \frac{f_{bQ′}}{2}=\frac{2.5\,Mbps}{2}=1.25\,Mbps
The output wave from the balanced modulator is
(sin 2πf_{a}t)(sin 2πf_{c}t)
\frac{1}{2}cos 2π(f_{c}\, – \,f_{a})t – \frac{1}{2}cos 2π(f_{c}\, +\, f_{a})t
\frac{1}{2}cos 2π[(70 – 1.25) MHz]t – \frac{1}{2}cos 2π[(70 + 1.25) MHz]t
\frac{1}{2}cos 2π(68.75 MHz)t – \frac{1}{2}cos 2π(71.25 MHz)t
The minimum Nyquist bandwidth is
B = (71.25 – 68.75) MHz = 2.5 MHz
The minimum bandwidth for the 16-QAM can also be determined by simply substituting into Equation 10:
B=\frac{f_{b}}{N} (10)
B=\frac{10\,Mbps}{4}
=2.5 MHz
The symbol rate equals the bandwidth; thus,
symbol rate = 2.5 megabaud
The output spectrum is as follows:
B = 2.5 MHz
For the same input bit rate, the minimum bandwidth required to pass the output of a 16-QAM modulator is equal to one-fourth that of the BPSK modulator, one-half that of QPSK, and 25% less than with 8-PSK. For each modulation technique, the baud is also reduced by the same proportions.
