Owing to the theory depend heavily on mathematical models in communication lessons, instructors find students lost in all the equations and notations that given. Setting a lab component for students to put together the theory with practical implementations is not very easy in many times because it may cost a large number of equipment that is not low-priced. Yet there are still some solutions which reduce the cost in designing a real-life communication laboratory and effective in teaching. We present the usage of NI-USRP Software Defined Radio (SDR) and Emona DATEx Add-on Board on digital modulation techniques that take part in communication engineering education. Most commonly used digital modulation techniques; Amplitude Shift Keying (ASK), Phase Shift Keying (PSK) and Frequency Shift Keying (FSK) are analyzed in both devices. Both modulations and demodulations of mentioned techniques are done by experimentally.