INTRODUCTION

Superheterodyne is a word comes from supersonic heterodyne. Supersonic is

indicates frequencies above the range of human hearing, where the heterodyne means
different power. In a complex word, heterodyning is the translation of a signal from a higher
Radio Frequency (RF) carrier signal to a lower Intermediate Frequency (IF)

COMPONENTS IN SUPERHETERODYNE RECEIVER

There are three important frequencies in Superheterodyne Receiver:
1. Radio Frequency The center frequency the signal is broadcast on.
2. Intermediate Frequency Fixed frequency inside the receiver circuit.
3. Local Oscillator Tuneable frequency inside receiver used to translate the Radio
Frequency to the Intermediate Frequency.
In Superheterodyne receiver circuit, there are some important components that
process the signal. The basic components are antenna, mixer, local oscillator, filter, IF
amplifier and demodulator.

Bill Components Functions
1 Antenna
A device that receive electromagnetic wave signal, then
convert it into electrical signal.
2 Mixer
A device for adding or multiplying signal or frequency
together.
3 Local Oscillator
An electronic oscillator used to generate a signal normally for
the purpose of converting a signal of interest to a different
frequency using a mixer
4 Filter A component that remove or block unwanted frequencies.
5 IF Amplifier An amplifier used to raise signal levels in a heterodyne circuit.
6 Demodulator
A circuit that has been used to extract or recover the
information in carrier signal.

These are the basic components of Superheterodyne receiver. Nowadays, there are a
lot of additional component added to improve the quality and also provide power saving to
the systems.


PRINCIPLE OF OPERATION

Superheterodyne receiver does two things, (a) converting the desired incoming carrier
to a new frequency, (Intermediate Frequency) and (b) amplifying the Intermediate Frequency
(IF) in fixed-tuned amplifier that operates only at the Intermediate Frequency (IF).


The basic things that make it as superheterodyne is the process if mixing. Mixer is
used to mix the received signal with local oscillator, then intermediate frequency produced.
When two signals are multiplied together the output is the product of the instantaneous level
of the signal at one input and the instantaneous level of the signal at the other input.

The received signal enters one input of the mixer. A locally generated signal (local
oscillator signal) is fed into the other. The result is that new signals are generated. These are
applied to a fixed frequency intermediate frequency (IF) amplifier and filter. Any signals that
are converted down and then fall within the passband of the IF amplifier will be amplified
and passed on to the next stages. Those that fall outside the passband of the IF are rejected.




COMPLETE PROCESS

1. Signals enter at the antenna. The signal is then amplified using RF amplifier before
the signal enters the mixer. The level of this amplification is carefully calculated so it
will not overload the mixer.
2. The tuned and amplified signal is now enter one port of the mixer while local
oscillator signal enter another port. The signal from the mixer is called Intermediate
Frequency.
3. The signal leaves the mixer and they enter the intermediate stages. These stages
contain filtering process and also amplification process. Filtering process enables
signals on one frequency to be separated from those on the next.
4. Lastly, the signal needs to be demodulated to acquire the original data.