Frequency Modulation

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What Does Frequency Modulation Mean?

Frequency modulation (FM) is a technique used to encode data on an alternating digital or analog signal. The method includes varying the frequency of the carrier wave on which useful information is imposed or impressed upon. The signal on which data is imposed is known as the carrier signal and the resulting signal with variable frequency is called a frequency modulated signal.

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Techopedia Explains Frequency Modulation

Frequency modulation is widely used for radio transmission due to the fact that the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is large in this method of modulation and hence radio frequency interference is minimized. FM signals are used in technology such as radars, telemeters, EEG, radio broadcasting, satellite communication and magnetic tape recording systems. The frequencies vary by up to 5 kHz in the case of wireless two-way communication and they vary up to several MHz in the case of wireless broadcasting.

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Margaret Rouse
Technology Specialist
Margaret Rouse
Technology Specialist

Margaret is an award-winning writer and educator known for her ability to explain complex technical topics to a non-technical business audience. Over the past twenty years, her IT definitions have been published by Que in an encyclopedia of technology terms and cited in articles in the New York Times, Time Magazine, USA Today, ZDNet, PC Magazine, and Discovery Magazine. She joined Techopedia in 2011. Margaret’s idea of ​​a fun day is to help IT and business professionals to learn to speak each other’s highly specialized languages.