🔍 Key Concepts

• Role of a speech (audio) amplifier in a transmitter chain • Where the modulator sits in relation to the microphone and RF (radio frequency) stages • What is meant by signal-to-noise ratio in audio circuits

💭 Think About

• In a basic AM or SSB transmitter, what happens to the tiny signal coming from the microphone before it can effectively control the RF carrier? • Does a speech amplifier normally work on RF signals, IF signals, or low-level audio signals from the microphone? • Which option best describes what you do to a weak microphone signal so the modulator can use it properly?

✅ Before You Answer

• Identify which choice talks specifically about microphone signal and its strength or quality before modulation • Check which options incorrectly refer to stages that are after modulation (like mixers, filters, or received signals) instead of before the modulator • Ensure the described function matches a low-level audio preamplifier rather than RF or IF amplification