FREQUENCY MODULATION (FM)

Modulation in which the instantaneous frequency of a sine wave carrier is caused to depart from the center frequency by an amount proportional to the instantaneous value of the modulating signal . ( 188 ) Note 1: In FM, the carrier frequency is called the center frequency. Note 2: FM is a form of angle modulation . Note 3: In optical communications , even if the electrical baseband signal is used to frequency-modulate an electrical carrier (an "FM" optical communications system ), it is still the intensity of the lightwave that is varied (modulated) by the electrical FM carrier. In this case, the " information ,"as far as the lightwave is concerned, is the electrical FM carrier. The lightwave is varied in intensity at an instantaneous rate corresponding to the instantaneous frequency of the electrical FM carrier . [After FAA ]