In an FM receiver, AFC controls the frequency of which component?

In an FM receiver, the Automatic Frequency Control (AFC) plays a crucial role in maintaining the stability of the received signal. Specifically, it controls the frequency of the local oscillator. The local oscillator generates a frequency that mixes with the incoming radio signal to produce the intermediate frequency (IF) that the receiver processes.

When the frequency of the incoming signal shifts due to various factors such as Doppler effects or minor drifts in the transmitter frequency, the AFC system automatically adjusts the frequency of the local oscillator to keep it locked onto the desired signal. This ensures that the receiver consistently tunes to the correct frequency, providing clear audio and reducing distortion. The AFC is vital for ensuring that the FM receiver can effectively filter out unwanted signals and maintain quality reception, which is especially important in FM broadcasting where fidelity is a key component.

Other components such as the antenna, amplifier, and detector each have their specific functions in the reception process but do not directly relate to the frequency control mechanism that AFC manages. The antenna is responsible for capturing radio waves, the amplifier boosts the signal strength, and the detector demodulates the signal into audio, but none of these collectively involve frequency adjustment as performed by the local oscillator under AFC control.