The 5th International Conference on Electrical Engineering and Informatics 2015

August 10-11, 2015, Bali, Indonesia

Development of High Sensitivity Amplifier

for VLF Receiver Application

Kusnandar1 , Kusmadi2 , Asep Najmurrokhman1 , Sunubroto1 , Chairunnisa2 and Achmad Munir2†

1
Department of Electrical Engineering
Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Jenderal Achmad Yani, Indonesia
2
Radio Telecommunication and Microwave Laboratory
School of Electrical Engineering and Informatics, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Indonesia
† munir@ieee.org

Abstract—In this paper, the development of amplifier based
on AD744 monolithic Op-Amp is proposed for VLF receiver
application. Due to the wide usage of very low frequency
(VLF) wave for research on natural phenomena, a VLF
receiver application particularly with high sensitivity is absolutely
required. The proposed VLF amplifier which is intended to
produce high sensitivity for the frequency range of 10-30kHz
is designed to have an output connectable to the soundcard
of personal computer for further data processing. After
achieving the optimum design, the hardware realization is then
implemented on a printed circuit board (PCB). From the
measurement result, it shows that the sensitivity is almost linear
for the input signal lower than -12dBm and becoming quadratic
for the input signal higher than -12dBm.
Keywords—High sensitivity; Op-Amp; amplifier; very low
frequency (VLF) receiver.
I. I NTRODUCTION
As is well-known, long distance communication using very
low frequency (VLF) is very important. Basically the VLF
wave, also known as myriametre wave, is produced by a
variety of natural phenomena. One of the phenomena that
dominantly generates VLF wave in nature is lightning where
the impulse travels along the magnetic field lines of earth
from one hemisphere to the other. The VLF wave can also
be excited electronically for numerous applications such as
for government radio station and military communication that
require high security level [1]– [2]. Several radio transmitters
operate throughout the world in the VLF range, i.e. 15-30kHz,
and are used mainly for marine navigation, communication
with submersed submarines, and other purposes [3]. At large
distances from the transmitter, the electromagnetics (EM) field
is effectively planar and horizontal. A conductor that strikes
in direction of the transmitter is cut by the magnetic vector,
and these primary magnetic fields cause electric currents to
flow in subsurface conductors. Furthermore, the VLF wave is
also applied for weather observation and research that involves
EM wave. Atmospheric, Weather, Electromagnetic System for
Observation, Modeling, and Education (AWESOME) is one of
the research projects that has VLF transmitter spread around
the world [4]– [7].
This work is partially supported by the 2014 Collaboration between HEIs
Research Grant (Hibah PEKERTI 2014) Contract No. 1107/K4/KM/2014
from the Directorate General of Higher Education, Ministry of Culture and
Education, the Republic of Indonesia.
The VLF radio spectrum extends from 3-30kHz. The wave
which is in the VLF radio spectrum has a capability to achieve
very long distance and is easily affected by the condition
of ionosphere. However, standard communications receivers
do not receive signals that low in such frequency, whilst
the use of common antennas will not be effective due to
the dimension of its wavelength which ranges from 10km
to 100km. Furthermore, most antennas used with standard
communications receivers are optimized for higher frequency
regions and perform poorly in the VLF radio spectrum.
Therefore, few radio amateurs or shortwave listeners have
ever heard VLF signals and most known very little about
the large number of stations in that part of radio spectrum.
Meanwhile, to compensate an unavoidable matter influenced
by natural phenomena, a high performance equipment of VLF
communication is definitely required.
Some researchers work on seismo-electromagnetic field
have utilized recently the VLF/LF wave associated with
earthquake as detected by the sub-ionospheric radio signal
for earthquake precursor [8]– [10]. Moreover, reliability of
communication by using VLF wave is certainly important so
that the research related VLF/LF wave can be run properly.
In order to maintain the reliability of communication using
VLF wave, an amplifier works on radio frequency (RF) is one
of the essential devices required for the communication. It is
significant to ensure that the VLF signal arriving at the receiver
can be processed further without defecting the information
contained inside the signal. Thus, the amplifier with high
sensitivity will be required to support the transceiver system
in the VLF communication.
In this paper, a high sensitivity amplifier for VLF receiver
application is proposed to be investigated for designing,
realizing and characterizing. The proposed amplifier which is
intended to work at frequency range of 10-30kHz employs high
sensitivity AD744 monolithic Op-Amp as a main component
to achieve the required specification. The VTX transmitter
at India which works at frequency of 18.2kHz and NWC
transmitter at Australia which has operating frequency of
19.8kHz will be used as a basis on the development of VLF
receiver. Further, the amplifier is expected to have high gain
along the desired frequency range. Hence, gain and sensitivity
will be more focused in the development process. In addition,
the amplifier is also designed to be equipped with a socket
connectable to the soundcard of personal computer.

978-1-4673-7319-7/15/$31.00 ⃝2015
c IEEE

328
 TABLE I. VALUES OF SOME COMPONENTS FOR VARIOUS GAINS AND
II. B RIEF OVERVIEW OF A MPLIFIER D ESIGN LOAD CONDITIONS

In the design of amplifier for VLF receiver application, 𝑅7 𝑅8 Gain 𝐶10 Slew rate -3dB BW
there are several parameters that should be paid attention (Ω) (Ω) (pF) (V/𝜇S) (MHz)
including gain, noise figure and sensitivity. Among those 4.99k 4.99k 2 50 75 2.5
parameters, in this paper the fist and the last parameters, i.e. 4.99k 4.99k 2 150 37 2.3
gain and sensitivity, will be paid more attention due to their 4.99k 4.99k 2 1000 14 1.2
important roles to acquire the required specification. To achieve 499 4.99k 11 270 75 1.2
the objectives, a monolithic operational amplifier (Op-Amp) of 499 4.99k 11 390 50 0.85
AD744 is employed in the design of high sensitivity amplifier. 499 4.99k 11 1000 37 0.60
The use of AD744 monolithic Op-Amp as a front-end
component of amplifier is based on consideration that the TABLE II. VALUE OF EACH COMPONENT FOR SCHEMATIC DIAGRAM
AD744 offers the excellent dc characteristics with enhanced
settling, slew rate, and bandwidth. It also provides the option of Capacitor (F) Resistor (Ω) Diode
using custom compensation to achieve exceptional capacitive 𝐶1 100n 𝑅1 4k7 𝐷1 1N4148
load drive capability. The AD744 is internally compensated for 𝐶2 10𝜇 𝑅2 10k 𝐷2 1N4148
stable operation as a unity gain inverter or as a non-inverting 𝐶3 100n 𝑅3 4k7 - -
amplifier with a gain of two or greater [11]. 𝐶4 10𝜇 𝑅4 10k - -
𝐶5 100n 𝑅5 10M - -
The schematic diagram of proposed amplifier for VLF 𝐶6 10𝜇 𝑅6 100M - -
receiver developed using an AD744 monolithic Op-Amp is 𝐶7 100n 𝑅7 500 - -
shown in Fig. 1. A voltage follower with gain of amplifier is 𝐶8 10𝜇 𝑅8 10k - -
implemented in which the gain is determined from the ratio 𝐶9 100n 𝑅9 4k7 - -
of 𝑅8 and 𝑅7 . To achieve a stable operation with external 𝐶10 470p 𝑅10 220 - -
compensation for a capacitive load, 𝐶10 is connected in parallel 𝐶11 100p - - - -
with 𝑅8 . Table I tabulates the recommended values of 𝑅7 , 𝑅8 𝐶12 100n - - - -
and 𝐶10 along with expected slew rates and bandwidths (BW) 𝐶13 10𝜇 - - - -
for a variety of gains and load conditions [11]. Whilst the 𝐶14 100n - - - -
value of each component for proposed schematic diagram is
𝐶15 10𝜇 - - - -
summarized in Table II. Furthermore, the input of amplifier is
𝐶16 33n - - - -
obtained from the antenna which is coupled with 𝐶9 that also
acts as a lowpass filter to avoid the interference of dc current.
The schematic diagram also shows that 𝐷1 and 𝐷2 connected
to 𝑅𝐶 filters are applied to protect the amplifier from surge Based on a cross-coupled electronically balanced topology,
voltages coming from input signals. To work properly, the the SSM2142 mimics the performance of fully balanced
amplifier is biased using symmetrical voltage obtained from transformer-based solutions for line driving. However, the
a dc-dc converter of NMH1215S [12]. SSM2142 maintains lower distortion and occupies much less
board space than transformers while achieving comparable
Moreover, the output of AD744 monolithic Op-Amp is common-mode rejection performance with reduced parts count
then buffered using a balanced line driver of SSM2142 to [13]. An output signal obtained from the SSM2142 balanced
obtain a balanced output signal pair with high output drive. line driver is then fed into the audio transformer of A262A2E
The SSM2142 is chosen due to its performance in the where its output is connectable to the soundcard of personal
solution of fully balance transformer-based for line driving. computer for further data processing.

A262A2E

C1 C2 C3 C4 Pri1 Sec1
R2
C12 to PC SOUNDCARD
R1 AD744 R9
+15V
+15V C13
Pri2 Sec2 C16 R10
D1
C9 7 SSM2142
6 2
from ANTENNA 3 C11
+ 6 4
2 + 1
- 0V PC GROUND
3 -
D2 8
4
5 7 NMH1215S LM7805CT Out +5V
C14 Vin +15V Vin +5V
R3 -15V R8
-15V 0V
C10 GND
C5 C6 C7 C8 C15 GND -15V
R4 R5 R6 R7
BATTERY12V

Fig. 1. Schematic diagram of proposed amplifier for VLF receiver based on AD744 monolithic Op-Amp equipped with SSM2142 balanced line driver

329
 10
III. H ARDWARE R EALIZATION AND M EASUREMENT
After achieving the optimum design, the hardware
8
realization is implemented on a PCB for experimental
characterization. Fig. 2 shows the layout diagram of PCB

Gain (dB)
and its component placement for the realization. While Fig. 6
3 shows the picture of realized amplifier for VLF receiver
application on a PCB with the dimension of 64mm (length)
× 56.7mm (width). The measurement is carried out by using 4
a signal generator and a spectrum analyzer to characterize
some parameters of realized amplifier including the gain and Vin 0dBm Vin -8dBm
2 Vin -1dBm Vin -21dBm
sensitivity for the frequency range of 10-30kHz. It is noticeable Vin -5dBm Vin -30dBm
that the range of frequency above is chosen to be suit with the
real application. The measured results are plotted in Figs. 4 0
10 15 20 25 30
and 5 for gain and sensitivity, respectively.
Frequency (kHz)
The gain of realized amplifier shown in Fig. 4 is measured
with input signal from a signal generator varied from -30dBm Fig. 4. Measured gain of realized amplifier for VLF receiver application
up to 0dBm, meanwhile the sensitivity depicted in Fig. 5
is characterized by setting input signal generator for some 12
different frequencies. In the sensitivity measurement, the input
and output signals are measured at 10kHz, 17kHz, 18kHz, 10
19kHz, 20kHz, and 30kHz. From the measured gain plotted in 10kHz
17kHz

Output voltage (V)

Fig. 4, it is seen that the gain performance of realized amplifier 8 18kHz
has satisfied the requirement for frequency range of 10-30kHz 19kHz
20kHz
6 30kHz

0
-30 -25 -20 -15 -10 -5 0
Input signal (dBm)

Fig. 5. Measured sensitivity of realized amplifier for VLF receiver application

(a) top layer (b) bottom layer with the maximum gain of 8dB for the input signal around
-5dBm. It shows that the gain of realized amplifier tends to
Fig. 2. Layout diagram of printed circuit board and its component placement be linear for the input signal above than -8dBm and becomes
lower for the input signal less than -8dBm. Although there is
some fluctuation of output signal in the frequency range below
15kHz for the input signal of -8dBm, in general the gain of
realized amplifier is almost flat for various frequency ranges
of input signal.

Furthermore, the sensitivity of realized amplifier plotted

in Fig. 5 seems almost linear for the input signal lower
than -12dBm and is becoming quadratic for higher than
-12dBm. This is in contrast with the measured gain for the
same range of input signal which is probably evoked by
the basic characteristic of Op-Amp itself. From the result it
can be inferred that the sensitivity of realized amplifier is
invulnerable as the variation of input signal frequency where
it is a beneficial for some fluctuating frequency in VLF signal.
The result shows that the input signal less than -25dBm
around frequency range of 18-20kHz is still detectable by
the receiver which is indicating high sensitivity of realized
amplifier. Therefore, it can be concluded that the realized
receiver is implementable for receiving VLF signal such as
Fig. 3. Picture of realized amplifier for VLF receiver application from VTX or NWC transmitters.

330
 IV. C ONCLUSION
A high sensitivity amplifier constructed based on AD744
monolithic Op-Amp has been developed for VLF receiver
application. The realized amplifier has been implemented on a
PCB and measured experimentally for characterizing gain and
sensitivity. It has been shown that the gain performance of
realized amplifier has satisfied the requirement for frequency
range of 10-30kHz. Meanwhile the measured sensitivity is high
enough to receive the small input signal. In addition, although
the measurements have been still conducted in the laboratory
instead of field measurements; however the measured results
have shown that the realized amplifier is applicable for VLF
receiver application.
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