1
FM Receiver
Alfonso Miguel A. Alvaran, Aileen U. Balbido, John Dereck A. De Guzman, Rachelle B. Delos Santos,
John Luis G. Gonzaga, Charl G. Legista, Jazper Rae A. Millo, Ross Elmart L. Trinidad, BSECE4C
Abstract-- Many of the different radio receiver types have been
around for many years. The component technology, and in
particular semiconductor technology has surged forwards
enabling much higher levels of performance to be achieved in a
much smaller space. The most familiar form of radio receiver is a
broadcast receiver, often just called a radio, which
receives audio programs intended for public reception
transmitted by local radio stations. Frequency modulation is
widely used for FM radio broadcasting. An advantage of
frequency modulation is that it has a larger signal-to-noise ratio
and therefore rejects radio frequency interference better than an
equal power amplitude modulation (AM) signal. In this paper, the
researchers used a simple circuit of FM receiver using LM386IC
and a 2N2222 transistor. Results showed that the circuit was
already capable of receiving static signals but no pertinent
frequencies were observed.
Index Terms
Radio receiver
Antenna
Radio frequency
Demodulation
Broadcast receiver
Modulation
I. INTRODUCTION
O
ver the years, many different types of radio receiver
have been designed. The different types of receiver
have arisen out of the needs of the day and the
technology available. Early radio receivers had poor
performance compared to those used today. Nowadays with
advanced techniques like digital signal processing, and high
performance semiconductors and other components, very high
performance radios are commonplace.
A radio receiver is an electronic device that receives
radio waves and converts the information carried by them to a
usable form. An antenna is used to catch the desired frequency
waves. The receiver uses electronic filters to separate the
desired radio frequency signal from all the other signals picked
up by the antenna, an electronic amplifier to increase the power
of the signal for further processing, and finally recovers the
desired information through demodulation.
Many of the different radio receiver types have been
around for many years. The component technology, and in
particular semiconductor technology has surged forwards
enabling much higher levels of performance to be achieved in a
much smaller space. The most familiar form of radio receiver is
a broadcast receiver, often just called a radio, which
receives audio programs intended for public reception
transmitted by local radio stations. The sound is reproduced
either by a loudspeaker in the radio or an earphone which plugs
into a jack on the radio. The radio requires electric power,
provided either by batteries inside the radio or a power cord
which plugs into an electric outlet. All radios have a volume
control to adjust the loudness of the audio, and some type of
"tuning" control to select the radio station to be received.
Of the radio waves, FM is the most popular one.
Frequency modulation is widely used for FM radio
broadcasting. It is also used in telemetry, radar, seismic
prospecting, and monitoring newborns for seizures via EEG,
two-way radio systems, music synthesis, magnetic tape-
recording systems and some video-transmission systems. An
advantage of frequency modulation is that it has a larger signal-
to-noise ratio and therefore rejects radio frequency interference
better than an equal power amplitude modulation (AM) signal.
This paper aims to devise a simple FM receiver to perceive its
operation.
II. METHODOLOGY
Modulation
A message carrying a signal has to get transmitted over
a distance and for it to establish a reliable communication; it
needs to take the help of a high frequency signal which should
not an ect the original characteristics of the message signal. The
characteristics of the message signal, if changed, the message
contained in it also alters. Hence, it is a must to take care of the
message signal. A high frequency signal can travel up to a
longer distance, without getting an ected by external
disturbances. We take the help of such high frequency signal
which is called as a carrier signal to transmit our message
signal. Such a process is simply called as Modulation.
Modulation is the process of changing the parameters of the
carrier signal, in accordance with the instantaneous values of
the modulating signal.
Advantages of Modulation
The antenna used for transmission, had to be very
large, if modulation was not introduced. The range of
communication gets limited as the wave cannot travel a distance
without getting distorted. Following are some of the advantages
for implementing modulation in the communication systems.
1) Reduction of antenna size
2) No signal mixing
3) Increased communication range
4) Multiplexing of signals
5) Possibility of bandwidth adjustments
6) Improved reception quality

FM Demodulation
Demodulation should provide an output signal whose
amplitude is dependent on the instantaneous carrier frequency
deviation and whose frequency is dependent on the rate of the
carrier frequency change.
FM Characteristics Curve
The block diagram above show the step-by-step flow
of signal from the antenna until it reaches the speaker. There are
signals from many radio transmitters in this band including
signal voltages in the antenna.
The main start of the blocks is the RF Amplifier block.
The RF amplifier selects and amplifies the desired station from
the many. It is adjustable so that the selection frequency can be
altered. This is called tuning. In cheaper receivers, the tuning is
fixed and the tuning filter is wide enough to pass all the signals
in the FM band.
Next in line is the mixer, the selected frequency is
applied to the mixer. The output of the oscillator is also applied
to the mixer. The mixer and oscillator form a frequency changer
circuit. Then, the output from the mixer is the intermediate
frequency. The IF is the fixed frequency of 10.7 MHz. No
matter what the frequency of the selected radio station is, the IF
is always 10.7 MHz. Then, the IF signal is fed to the IF
amplifier.
The advantage of the IF amplifier is that its frequency
and bandwidth is fixed, no matter what the frequency of the
incoming signal is. This makes the design and operation of the
amplifier much simpler. The amplified IF signal is fed to the
demodulator.
2
This circuit recovers the audio signal and discards the
RF carrier. Some of the audio is fedback to the oscillator as an
automatic frequency control voltage. This ensures that the
oscillator frequency is stable inspite of temperature changes.
After which, the audio signal voltage is increased in
amplitude by a voltage amplifier. And lastly, the power level is
increased sufficiently to drive the speaker by the power
amplifier.
LM386IC
LM386 is a low voltage audio amplifier and frequently
used in battery powered music devices like radios, guitars, toys
etc. The gain range is 20 to 200, gain is internally set to 20
(without using external component) but can be increased to 200
by using resistor and capacitor between PIN 1 and 8, or just with
a capacitor. Voltage gain simply means that Voltage out is 200
times the Voltage IN. LM386 has a wide supply voltage range
4-12v. Below is the Pin diagram of LM386.
LM386 Pin Diagram
2N2222 Transistor
The 2N2222 is a common NPN bipolar junction
transistor (BJT) used for general purpose low-
power amplifying or switching applications. It is designed for
low to medium current, low power, medium voltage, and can
operate at moderately high speeds.
The 2N2222 is considered a very common transistor
and is used as an exemplar of an NPN transistor. It is frequently
used as a small-signal transistor, and it remains a small general
purpose transistor of enduring popularity.
The 2N2222 was part of a family of devices described
by Motorola at a 1962 IRE convention. Since then it has been
made by many semiconductor companies
FM Receiver Circuit
 3

Above is an FM receiver with minimum components the transmitted signal. Because transmitted FM signals use
for local FM reception. Transistor BF495 (T2), together with a more bandwidth than AM signals, this form of modulation is
10k resistor (R1), coil L, 22pF variable capacitor (VC), and commonly used with the higher (VHF or UHF) frequencies
internal capacitances of transistor BF494 (T1), comprises the used by TV, the FM broadcast band, and land mobile radio
Colpitts oscillator. The resonance frequency of this oscillator is systems. For the FM receiver, the presented circuit is one of the
set by trimmer VC to the frequency of the transmitting station simplest receiver circuits with expected results although, the
that we wish to listen. That is, it has to be tuned between 88 and device was not able to receive anticipated signals. As a
108 MHz. The information signal used in the transmitter to recommendation, stick to the transistor offered by the circuit. It
perform the modulation is extracted on resistor R1 and fed to is a great factor on why the circuit does not performed well.
the audio amplifier over a 220nF coupling capacitor (C1).
One should be able to change the capacitance of the
variable capacitor from a couple of picofarads to about 20 pF. V. REFERENCES
A 22pF trimmer is a good choice to be used as VC in the circuit. [1] Electronics Radio, “Radio Types: Types of Radio Receiver,” Electronics
It is readily available in the market. If you are using some other Notes. [Online]. Available: https://www.electronics-
capacitor that has a larger capacitance and are unable to receive notes.com/articles/radio/radio-receivers/receiver-types.php. [Accessed:
25-Oct-2018].
the full FM bandwidth (88-108 MHz), try changing the value of
[2] “Simple FM Receiver | Electronics Circuit with Full
VC. Its capacitance is to be determined experimentally. The Explanation,” Electronics For You, 24-Feb-2018. [Online]. Available:
self-supporting coil L has four turns of 22 SWG enamelled https://electronicsforu.com/electronics-projects/simple-fm-receiver.
copper wire, with air core having 4mm internal diameter. It can [Accessed: 25-Oct-2018].
[3] “Radio receiver,” Wikipedia, 12-Oct-2018. [Online]. Available:
be constructed on any cylindrical object, such as pencil or pen,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio_receiver#Broadcast_radio_receivers
having a diameter of 4 mm. When the required number of turns . [Accessed: 25-Oct-2018].
of the coil has reached, the coil is taken off the cylinder and [4] D. C. Anselmo, “FM receiver,” prezi.com, 17-Oct-2012. [Online].
stretched a little so that the turns don’t touch each other. Available: https://prezi.com/m/urnbbdvgydda/fm-receiver-final/.
[Accessed: 25-Oct-2018].
Capacitors C3 (100nF) and C10 (100µF, 25V), together with
R3 (1k), comprise a band-pass filter for very low frequencies,
which is used to separate the low-frequency signal from the
high-frequency signal in the receiver. A good reception can also
be obtained with a piece of isolated copper wire about 60 cm
long. The optimum length of copper wire can be found
experimentally.
The performance of this receiver depends on several
factors such as quality and turns of coil L, aerial type, and
distance from FM transmitter. IC LM386 is an audio power
amplifier designed for use in low-voltage consumer
applications. It provides 1 to 2 watts, which is enough to drive
any small-size speaker. The 22k volume control (VR) is a
logarithmic potentiometer that is connected to pin 3 and the
amplified output is obtained at pin 5 of IC LM386. The receiver
can be operated off a 6V-9V battery.

III. RESULTS
During the conduct of the study, there is a significant change of
transistors to be used. The researchers used 2N222 transistor
instead of a BF949 transistor, which is not available during the
conduct of the experiment. The circuit can receive static signals
but no pertinent frequencies, between 88MHz to 108Mhz,
observed.

IV. CONCLUSION
Frequency modulation or FM is a form of modulation
which conveys information by varying the frequency of a
carrier wave; the older amplitude modulation or AM varies the
amplitude of the carrier, with its frequency remaining constant.
With FM, frequency deviation from the assigned carrier
frequency at any instant is directly proportional to the amplitude
of the input signal, determining the instantaneous frequency of