DATASHEET
Echotek Series RFM-1802RF With Synthesizer
ADV-1800S Dual-Channel Wideband Microwave Tuner
Ultimate Performance for RF Conversion
s 5LTRA FAST DUALCHANNEL TUNING
s %XCELLENT PHASE NOISE
s (IGH DYNAMIC RANGE
s 7IDE BANDWIDTH
s -ULTICHANNEL MODE WITH INDEPENDENT OR PHASECOHERENT OPERATION
s 2UGGEDIZATION FOR TEMPERATURESHOCKVIBRATIONALTITUDE
The Echotek™ Series RFM-1802RF With Synthesizer ADV-1800S
Dual-Channel Wideband Microwave Tuner from Mercury Computer
Systems is an ultra high-performance tuner, featuring low phase
noise and extremely fast tuning speed. These critical characteristics are provided by the direct digital synthesis (DDS), which
uncouples tuning speed from phase noise, thereby creating a
high-performance tuner. The two high-performance receivers
and frequency agile synthesizer are compressed into a two-slot
VME solution.
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Ultra Fast Tuning and Low Phase Noise
The RF products from Mercury leverage a patented direct digital
synthesis (DDS) technology, creating the fastest and highestperformance commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) tuners on the
market. This unique implementation of DDS has allowed the
uncoupling of tuning speed and phase noise. The DDS architecture
offers fast frequency agility with the elimination of the tuned
frequency overshoot or undershoot typically associated with
traditional analog phase-locked loop (PLL) designs. It tunes to a
new frequency extremely quickly; tuning performance data is
ITAR controlled.
The measured phase noise is typically -86 dBc/Hz at 100 kHz
offset and -96 dBc/Hz at 1 KHz offset. The digital circuits used to
implement signal-processing functions do not suffer the effects
of thermal drift, aging and component variations associated with
their analog counterparts. As a result, no temperature compensation is necessary in the RFM-1802RF, allowing for more
repeatable and predictable RF performance over a larger range
of temperatures.
Narrowband and Wideband Tuner
The Echotek Series microwave tuner design is composed of
the RFM1802RF tuner and the ADV-1800S synthesizer modules.
These modules form a multi-channel mode tuner capable of either
independent or phase-coherent operation as a dual-channel
microwave downconverter.
This powerful combination is tunable over the entire range of
0.5 GHz to 18.0 GHz, while providing simultaneous outputs with
bandwidths of 80 MHz and 500 MHz centered at 160 MHz and
1 GHz, respectively. The IF outputs are suitable for direct input
into an external A/D converter for special signal processing,
spectral analysis and pulse parameterization. The tuner’s design
is optimized to interface with Echotek Virtex™-5 based digital
receivers, DCM-V5-4R250-VXS or DCM-V5-4R1500-VXS.
Design Features
The tuner’s design incorporates an internal local oscillator (LO)
distribution system. This feature makes the RFM-1802RF the
tuner of choice for beamforming and direction-finding systems.
Figure 1 is a high-level RF block diagram. The tuner design allows
for external control commands via the RS-232, VME bus or fiber
optics. In addition, the RF Module (RFM) is instrumented with a
dedicated control bus between the synthesizer and tuner(s),
allowing for multi-tuner configurations while maintaining
high-performance phase coherence. The dedicated control bus
is a key feature, ensuring that the RFM receives command
and control via the synthesizer, thereby allowing one external
point of control. This assures that all tuners are functioning
as an integrated system.
Modes of Operation
Part of an Integrated System
The RFM can operate in three modes: conventional CW, scan or
sequence. The modes are operator-configurable and selectable via
any of the external control links. These three modes can be utilized
by the operator to dynamically tailor functions to match changing
mission requirements, such as frequency, dwell time and gain. In
addition, the onboard control allows the operator to select functions such as data valid (stable IF ready to process) and external
trigger capabilities (steps to next parameters of interest), providing
high-speed mission agility with a high degree of data collection
confidence. When in scan or sequence mode, the operator can
choose between auto and manual trigger capabilities. In the auto
trigger mode, the tuner is triggered to step to the next parameters
of interest after a set dwell time.
The Echotek Series products are easily integrated into low- risk, turnkey,
real-time signal processing systems to form a complete receiver/analysis
solution that enables communications intelligence (COMINT) and electronic
intelligence (ELINT) practitioners to act promptly on the resulting information.
s #7 )N THE #7 MODE THE OPERATOR HAS FULL CONTROL OF THE
frequency, gain and dwell. This allows the operator to
configure the system on the fly to collect data even while
the RF environment changes as mission demands evolve.
s 3CAN )N THE SCAN MODE THE OPERATOR DElNES THE SWEEP BY
entering the start frequency, step size and stop frequency. The
gain and dwell time can also be configured in this mode.
s 3EQUENCE )N THE SEQUENCE MODE THE OPERATOR CAN STORE UP TO
2000 sequences in multiple frequency lists. The gain and dwell
time can also be configured in this mode. An added feature
is the ability to alter a frequency list while concurrently running
another list, which provides even more flexibility for the operator
to adapt to dynamic mission requirements on the fly.
The OpenVPX™ Industry Working Group was an industry initiative
launched by defense prime contractors and COTS system developers to take a proactive approach to solving the interoperability
issues associated with the VITA 46 (VPX) family of specifications.
This group has created an overarching system specification defining VPX system architecture through pinout definitions to establish
a limited set of application-specific reference solutions. These
OpenVPX standard solutions provide clear design guidance to
COTS suppliers and the user community, assuring interoperability
across multi-vendor implementations.
Exceptional Spur Reduction
The ADV-1800S synthesizer module features impressive spurious
reduction compared to conventional DDS sources. Conventional
DDS sources have typical spurious output levels of around -60 dBc.
Mercury’s DDS source achieves typical spurious levels of better than
-80 dBc over a wide frequency range. This optimized spurious performance allows the RFM-1802RF tuner to leverage the fast tuning and
low phase noise performance of the ADV-1800S synthesizer module.
Echotek’s family of high-performance RF tuners and synthesizers, when
coupled with Echotek’s family of powerful A/D conversion modules, supplies the user with unsurpassed performance in a compact package. The
arrangement in Figure 1 provides the RF input connected to data collection, coupled to robust FPGA processing. This solution provides optimal
processing speed, combined high-performance density (to minimize size,
weight and power consumption), modularity for economy, and scalability to
simplify expansion of processing capability.
Proven Expertise in High-Performance Signal Collection,
Digitization and Processing Solutions
Mercury has proven expertise in helping industry leaders get to market
quickly with solutions that solve tough RF challenges dealing with high
frequencies, wide bandwidths and demanding digitization followed by difficult computing challenges. Our hardware and firmware expertise is backed
by applications and systems engineers who understand client requirements
and can map them to the best possible solutions. Because Echotek Series
COTS-based RF-IF-Digital architecture enables the rapid incorporation of
new technology advances in areas such as DDS, A/D and FPGA, designers
can start development work on today’s platforms with low risk, knowing
that migration to the most powerful data collection and processing architectures will be available at deployment time. Customers thereby avoid
becoming locked into dated platforms as a result of development-phase
decisions, and retain the flexibility to satisfy their end-customer demands.
First Stage Mixing and Filtering
Gain and Band Selection
9 Bands
LNA
IF 1
FPGA Control
Gain 0 to 15 dB
1dB steps and
Band Selection
LO 1
Second Stage Mixing and Filtering
Output Level Scaling
1 GHz
Input
2nd Stage
IF 2
FPGA Control
0 to 30 dB
1 dB Steps
LO 2
Third Stage Mixing and Filtering
80 MHz
LO 3
RFM-1802RF
Tuner 1
Tuner 2
ADV-1800S
DCM-V5-VXS
A/D
Conversion
FPGA
Processing
SBC
Global
Information
Grid
1st Stage
Ouput
Input
3rd Stage
2nd Stage
Output
Linear IF
160 MHz
IF 3
Power
Divider
500 MHz
Linear IF
1 GHz
Specifications
RF
Frequency tuning range
0.5-18.0 GHz
Tuning resolution
3 Hz
Tuning speed
3µs
Image rejection
70 dB min
Noise figure
13 dB typ, 15 dB max
Input attenuator
0-15 in 1-dB steps
Input third-order intercept
+7 dBm typ, 0 dBm min
Input 1 dB compression
-5 dBm typ, -10 dBm min
LO radiation
-80 dBm max
Input VSWR
2:1 typ, 2.5:1 max
Maximum RF, no damage
+20 dBm
Internally generated spurious -80 dBm max
Linear dynamic range
90 dB at 1 MHz BW
Single-tone dynamic range 60 dBc typ
Pre-selection
9 band switched filter
IF rejection
70 dB min
Phase noise typical
10 Hz
-54 dBc/Hz
100 Hz
-86 dBc/Hz
1 KHz
-96 dBc/Hz
10 KHz
-101 dBc/Hz
100 KHz
-119 dBc/Hz
1 MHz
-130 dBc/Hz
Note: Using internal OCXO
Internal Reference Frequency Stability
Temperature stability ±5 e-8
Aging
±5 e-8 per year
External Reference
Ext. reference frequency
10 or 100 MHz
Blanking/response
TTL/To -20 dBc, 200 ns
Wideband IF
Frequency
Bandwidth
Gain
Passband ripple
Group delay
BW
Spectrum sense
Narrowband IF
Frequency
Bandwidth
Gain
Passband ripple
Group delay
BW
Spectrum sense
IF output attenuator
1 GHz
500 MHz min
2205 dB ±2 dB
±1.5 dB across 100% of the IF BW
5 ns across center 80% of the IF
Varies with tune frequency
160 MHz
80 MHz min
24.5 dB ±2 dB
±1.5 dB across 100% of the IF BW
11 ns across center 80% of the IF
Non-inverted
0.30 dB in 1 dB steps
Packaging
Format/size
6U VME
Weight
< 3.2 kg
Power
<70W
I/O and other RF connectors SMA/SMC throughout
Environmental
Temperature
Operating
0˚C to 55˚C
Storage
-40˚C to +70˚C
Convection-cooled Consult factory for rugged options
BIT
Phase-lock status, power supply status, temperature
Copyright © 2012 Mercury Computer Systems, Inc. 2147.01E-­0512-­DS-­echo-­rfm1802rf
Challenges Drive Innovation®
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Challenges Drive Innovation, Echotek, EchoCore, Ensemble and MultiCore Plus are registered trademarks, and StreamDirect, Application Ready Subsystem and ARS are trademarks of Mercury Computer Systems, Inc. Other products mentioned may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders. Mercury Computer Systems, Inc. believes this information is accurate as of its publication date and is not responsible for any inadvertent errors. The information contained herein is subject to change without notice.