Modulation is the process of putting information onto a high frequency carrier wave for transmission. The key reasons for modulation are:
- To allow for frequency division multiplexing and support multiple transmissions via a single channel.
- For practicality, as transmitting very low frequencies would require antennas with miles in wavelength.
There are different types of modulation including analogue modulation (AM, FM, PM), pulse modulation, and digital modulation. Amplitude modulation (AM) varies the amplitude of the carrier wave and produces sidebands at sums and differences of the carrier and modulating frequencies. Double sideband suppressed carrier (DSB-SC) modulation suppresses the carrier wave to improve power efficiency but requires a complex receiver for demodulation.