Method and apparatus for automatic modulation calibration in a radio transmitter

In a transmitter (100), circuitry is employed to automatically calibrate errors in a modulated carrier signal. A generator (320) is activated to generate (510) a low frequency square wave for use as data, which is used to generate a modulating signal from which the modulated carrier signal is generated. The modulated carrier signal is down-converted to an intermediate frequency (IF) signal having a steady state IF signal level. The instantaneous IF signal level is compared (545) to the steady state IF signal level to determine (550) whether the instantaneous IF signal level differs from the steady state IF signal level by greater than a predetermined amount, and, when the instantaneous IF signal level differs from the steady state IF signal level by greater than the predetermined amount, the modulating signal is adjusted (560).