Question
How is a product detector used?
Answer Options
- A) Used in test gear to detect spurious mixing products
- B) Used in transmitter to perform frequency multiplication
- C) Used in an FM receiver to filter out unwanted sidebands
- D) Used in a single sideband receiver to extract the modulated signal
Correct Answer: D
Explanation
A product detector is the final stage in a Single Sideband (SSB) receiver that performs demodulation. Unlike an AM detector, which simply requires rectification, an SSB signal is demodulated by mixing the incoming signal with a locally generated carrier.
The product detector works by taking the incoming SSB signal and multiplying it (or mixing it) with the signal from the Beat Frequency Oscillator (BFO) or carrier reinsertion oscillator. This process shifts the signal back down to the original audio frequency, and it is used in a single sideband receiver to extract the modulated signal (audio) from the RF envelope.
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