presents a
solution for an
EMI Receiver
for
EMSEC/EMI Applications
29 July 2015
Restrictions on Use and Disclosure of Proposal Data:
The information (data) contained in all sheets of this proposal constitutes a trade secret and/or information that is
privileged. It is furnished in confidence with the understanding that it will not, without permission of Acquired Data
Solutions, be used or disclosed for other than evaluation purposes. This restriction does not limit the right to use or
disclose this information (data) if obtained from another source without restriction.
Acquired Data Solutions, Inc.
Suite 420
11900 Parklawn Dr.
Rockville, MD 20852
301.984.4193
Table of Contents
SECTION 1: DESCRIPTION ............................................................................................................. 2
SECTION 2: SPECTRUM DEFENDER ............................................................................................... 4
SECTION 3: SCHEDULE ................................................................................................................ 5
APPENDIX: SPECTRUM DEFENDER EMSEC/EMI SPECIFICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS .... 6
Use or disclosure of data contained on this sheet is subject to the restriction on the cover page of this proposal
SECTION 1: DESCRIPTION
Acquired Data Solutions, Inc. (ADS) provides a complete system solution for an EMSEC/EMI
Receiver. ADS is a leader in test solutions for Fortune 1000 companies and as a prime and subcontractor to the Department of Defense (DoD) and other government agencies. ADS is a Silver
Alliance Member of National Instruments (NI). NI is a global test equipment provider with
worldwide service and substantial local support.
Utilizing NI Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) platforms, we are uniquely positioned to provide
the industry and government with an EMI Receiver solution combining high-performance,
widely available RF instrumentation hardware with software specifically developed for the
EMSEC/EMI community.
The modular hardware is manufactured by National Instruments in high volume, and used in
thousands of commercial RF and wireless applications throughout the world. It is well
supported by service depots in many regions. These factors will allow for an extended
calibration and support lifecycle across many years, with excellent time to repair, regardless of
an installation’s geography as well as system upgrades as new NI product becomes available.
Our solution leverages the National Instruments hardware to acquire raw RF signal data in IQ
format, while our Spectrum Defender™ software suite performs the Digital Signal Processing
(DSP) necessary for in-depth EMSEC/EMI analysis applications. Spectrum Defender’s Surveyor,
Recorder, Reviewer and Player software modules have a proven track record in both
commercial and mil-aero applications for the detection, recording and reproduction of wide
blocks of RF spectrum. Modern DSP and data bus technology allows Spectrum Defender to
record and reproduce very high fidelity, wide bandwidth, RF signals.
ADS is offering two new Spectrum Defender software modules, “EMSEC Basic” and “EMSEC
Advanced” that are specifically targeted to meet the needs of the EMSEC/EMI communities.
These new modules, combined with Spectrum Defender’s four existing software modules, open
many new signal analysis opportunities to the EMSEC/EMI community, including the following:
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Simultaneous AM and FM demodulation of observed signals
Recordkeeping based on actual IQ signal recordings instead of just spectral plots and traces
Continuous looping playback of captured RF signals for in-depth analysis across long time
periods and across multiple technicians/engineers
Comparison of currently observed signals with signals previously recorded at different locations,
or emitted from different aircraft, etc.
Analysis of “constellation distortions” (e.g. detectable patterns in Wi-Fi modulation impairments
Use or disclosure of data contained on this sheet is subject to the restriction on the cover page of this proposal
2
ADS is confident that Spectrum Defender’s combination of high volume commercial RF signal
acquisition hardware with advanced software specifically designed for the EMSEC/EMI
community has the potential to fundamentally change the EMSEC/EMI test equipment
landscape, and spur further innovation in the development of EMSEC/EMI test platforms with
more sustainable support and upgrade lifecycles.
In addition to the sustainable support and product lifecycle advantages of our approach, ADS is
introducing a Downtime Protection Program (DPP) that protects against unexpected hardware
component failures within the Spectrum Defender platform. DPP customers have access to
ADS’s “standby spares” inventory to return their Spectrum Defender platform to full
operational readiness within two (2) to three (3) business days. DPP ensures that a hardware
failure within Spectrum Defender does not result in substantial lost productivity or missed
delivery milestones.
The Hardware configuration for Spectrum Defender EMSEC/EMI is shown below:
Figure 1: Spectrum Defender EMSEC/EMI Receiver with 7GHz VSA, Model # SD-BTO-3802
(Packaging may vary)
Spectrum Defender Model Number SD-BTO-3802 configuration includes:
Part Number
05-000-0007
780291-01
782450-04
782367-02
781204-01
780981-01
Qty Manufacturer
1
Acquired Data Solutions
1
National Instruments
1
National Instruments
1
National Instruments
1
National Instruments
1
National Instruments
Description
Spectrum Defender EMSEC/EMI Suite License
PXIe-1075 18-slot PXIe chassis
PXIe-8135 CPU Win&-64
PXIe-5667 Spec Mon VSA, 7GHz, 256MB, 50MHz LNA
PXIe-5451 AWG, 128MB, 2CH, Baseband, OSP
NI-8260 SSD RAID, 4 drive, 1.2TB, PXIe In-Chassis
Use or disclosure of data contained on this sheet is subject to the restriction on the cover page of this proposal
3
SECTION 2: SPECTRUM DEFENDER
Spectrum Defender™ is a complete solution for detection, capture, analysis and reproduction of
RF signals in today’s congested and hostile electromagnetic spectrum. Four software
components form the core of Spectrum Defender: Surveyor, Recorder, Player and Reviewer.
These software components are compatible with a wide variety of instrumentation hardware,
with frequency ranges from 9kHz to 26.5GHz, and analysis/record/reproduction bandwidths of
up to 100MHz/channel. Two additional software components, EMSEC Basic and EMSEC
Advanced, extend Spectrum Defender’s capabilities to EMSEC/EMI applications.
The Spectrum Defender EMSEC/EMI Software Suite will consist of all core Spectrum Defender
software modules except “Player” (which is an optional feature), and the two EMSEC/EMI
software modules. Detailed Specifications and Requirements are identified in Appendix A.
Core Software Modules
Surveyor
Recorder
 Scan the RF spectrum for signals of interest
and log signals above a user defined threshold
 Scan plan allows user to prioritize or ignore
specific bands and frequencies
 Monitor specific frequencies for signal activity
or mask compliance
 Measure frequency, power, and band power
with user defined markers
 Capture RF signals with full fidelity
 Continuously record up to 50MHz of RF
spectrum for minutes, hours or days
 Display and observe spectrum prior to
recording with a familiar spectrum analyzer
mode user interface
 Tag recordings with user comments
Player
Reviewer
 Playback RF capture files with real-time, full
fidelity reproduction of the original RF signal
 Reproduce complex, time variant, real-world
RF signals from the field in a repeatable,
controlled, laboratory environment
 Analyze RF capture files
 Review previously recorded files on-screen in
a spectrum analyzer style display
 Quickly verify signal capture quality in the field
 Preview files onscreen prior to playback
Specialized Software Modules
EMSEC Basic
EMSEC Advanced
 View RF signal envelope with on-screen time
domain display (volts vs. time)
 AM/FM demodulation
 Time domain display of demodulated signal
with horizontal & vertical axis controls
 Demodulated signal routed to baseband
audio/headphone output with user adjustable
sensitivity and volume controls
 Hardware peripheral control knob for signal
tuning and analyzer settings
 Post-detection (“video”) analog output port
(50MHz bandwidth)
 Post-detection low-pass filter (user adjustable)
 Oscilloscope style triggering for time domain
displays
Use or disclosure of data contained on this sheet is subject to the restriction on the cover page of this proposal
4
SECTION 3: SCHEDULE
The core Spectrum Defender software modules have been delivered in many applications and
updates and improvements continue as we address the needs of the community. For
EMSEC/EMI applications we have added two new modules to the Spectrum Defender Suite,
EMSEC/EMI Basic and EMSEC/EMI Advanced.
The initial configuration will incorporate the NI 7GHz VSA with the Spectrum Defender
EMSEC/EMI software suite. Additional configurations with alternate NI VSAs and Play-back
capability will be available for delivery shortly thereafter. Our schedule, after delivery of the
EMSEC/EMI basic module, is flexible and will be based heavily on interest within the
EMSEC/EMI community.
The inclusion of specific functions or additional capabilities beyond the Spectrum Defender
Suite will be addressed at any time. Scheduling and incorporation of specific functions and
additional capabilities will be based upon many factors including community interest,
contractual requests, and development effort.
In the event users have additional features or capabilities not addressed by the Spectrum
Defender EMSEC/EMI Software Suite we recommend scheduling a requirements discovery
meeting. This could occur at any time and would cross reference specific user requirements to
Spectrum Defender EMSEC/EMI capabilities. To incorporate additional features or capabilities
in a timely fashion after release of Spectrum Defender EMSEC/EMI Basic we recommend a
discovery meeting as soon as possible.
Delivery of initial EMSEC Basic Units is anticipated in late 2015/early 2016.
Use or disclosure of data contained on this sheet is subject to the restriction on the cover page of this proposal
5
APPENDIX: SPECTRUM DEFENDER EMSEC/EMI SPECIFICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS
Model: SD-BTO-3802
System Specifications
Key Features
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Monitor, record and analyze RF signals from off-air antennas (or any other RF source)
for EMSEC/EMSEC/EMI applications
Signal acquisition/record center frequency adjustable from 10KHz to 7.0GHz
Signal reproduction/play from 85MHz to 6.6GHz (optional)
Signal record bandwidth adjustable from 100kHz to 50MHz with 1Hz resolution
Top-tier RF performance specifications and integrated Low Noise Amplifier ensure
acquisition of low level RF signals and excellent recording fidelity
Instrument Architecture
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National Instruments PXI Express modular instrumentation
Intel i7 Quad Core CPU with Microsoft Windows 7 64-bit operating system
High performance Vector Signal Analyzer (VSA) acquires and downconverts RF signals to
baseband IQ data stream
Integrated 1.2TB solid state hard disk array enables continuous RF recording for more
than 2.4 hours at a 30MHz signal bandwidth.
Deep memory buffers ensure continuous, gap-free RF signal recording with no dropped
samples.
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Spectrum Defender EMSEC/EMI Software Suite
Surveyor Software Module
 Scan the RF spectrum for signals of interest and log signals above a user defined
threshold
 Scan plan allows user to prioritize or ignore specific bands and frequencies
 Monitor specific frequencies for signal activity or mask compliance
 Measure frequency, power, and band power with user defined markers
Recorder Software Module
 Record Preview Mode
o View incoming RF signals in the frequency domain (spectrum analyzer display)
o Adjustable parameters: Center Frequency, Span, Resolution Bandwidth, Display
Averaging (None, RMS averaging, Peak Hold), Amplitude Reference Level, LNA
Enable/Disable
 Record Mode Features
o Record incoming RF signals to hard disk (continuous, gap-free recording)
o Signal recording format: Time series of IQ baseband data
o File format: 16-bit, interleaved I and Q samples (file format specification
document provided; directly compatible with MatLab and all PC-based
programming languages)
o Metadata: Text file with recording metadata for each signal recording event
(includes date/time and instrument settings at recording start time)
o Adjustable parameters: Center Frequency, Record Bandwidth, Amplitude
Reference Level, Record Duration, Trigger Type, Record Destination
Reviewer Software Module
 Review previously recorded signals on-screen in the frequency domain (spectrum
analyzer display for existing recordings)
 Search entire recording duration using slider bar or user specified direct time entry
 Export portions (snippets) of existing recordings
 Adjustable parameters: Current time, Graph limits (amplitude and frequency), Export
destination
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EMSEC/EMSEC/EMI Basic Software Module
Analysis
 Real-Time AM/FM Demodulator
o Real-time DSB AM demodulation of RF input signals
o Real-time FM demodulation of RF input signals
o Demodulation and buffer algorithms optimized for low latency
o Carrier frequency tracks current VSA center frequency value
o Demodulation bandwidth tracks current VSA span and may be further limited by
user adjusted low-pass digital filter (bandwidth and filter parameters adjusted by
user in GUI, with controls presented in Hz/kHz/MHz units)
o Latency from RF input to demodulated audio output: 75mS (target value )
o Demodulation bandwidth (max, real-time): 1MHz (target value)
o Simultaneous AM/FM demodulation permitted (target performance: AM/FM
demodulation bandwidth not derated during simultaneous operation)
 Non Real-Time AM/FM Demodulator
o DSB AM demodulation of previously recorded IQ files
o FM demodulation of previously recorded IQ files
o Simultaneous AM/FM demodulation permitted
o Analysis and presentation of demodulated video signal on-screen in the time and
frequency domains (demodulated signal may be viewed on screen at user
adjustable, slower than real-time, playback speeds)
o Demodulated video signal recorded to file for subsequent playback using
Windows audio system (20kHz bandwidth) or playback to video output port
(50MHz bandwidth, requires EMSEC Advanced option)
o Carrier frequency controlled by VSA center frequency setting during record
o Demodulation bandwidth limited by VSA span during recording and may be
further limited by user adjusted low-pass digital filter (bandwidth and filter
parameters adjusted by user in GUI, with controls presented in Hz/kHz/MHz
units)
o Maximum demodulation bandwidth: 50MHz
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Presentation of Demodulated (Video) Signals
 Time Domain Display
o Time domain presentation of demodulated video signal (oscilloscope style)
o User adjustable horizontal controls (uS/msec/sec time units)
o User adjustable vertical controls (uV/mV/Volts amplitude units)
o Free-run trigger
 Frequency Domain Display
o Frequency domain presentation of demodulated video signal (spectrum analyzer
style)
o User adjustable vertical controls (dB/div, dB ref level)
o User adjustable resolution bandwidth (Hz/kHz/MHz units)
o User adjustable averaging (number of averages, RMS averaging, peak hold
averaging)
 Operational Conditions
o Simultaneously active time and frequency domain displays possible
o Frequency domain display delayed relative to audio output, with latency
controlled by user selected resolution bandwidth
Presentation of RF Signals
 Time Domain Display
o Time domain presentation of RF signal (oscilloscope style)
o User adjustable horizontal controls (uS/msec/sec time units)
o User adjustable vertical controls (uV/mV/Volts amplitude units)
o Free-run trigger
 Frequency Domain Display
o Frequency domain presentation of RF signal (spectrum analyzer style)
o User adjustable vertical controls (dB/div, dB ref level)
o User adjustable resolution bandwidth (Hz/kHz/MHz units)
o User adjustable averaging (number of averages, RMS averaging, peak hold
averaging)
 Operational Conditions
o RF time domain display activation and real-time demodulator activation mutually
exclusive
o RF frequency domain display delayed relative to audio output, with latency
controlled by user selected resolution bandwidth
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Signal Generation
 Audio Output
o Real-time demodulator output routed to MS Windows audio subsystem for
presentation to user
o User selected AM or FM signal
o Demodulated signal low-pass filtered to audio frequency range (20kHz low pass).
User settings permit adjustment of low-pass filter cutoff to values less than
20kHz.
o Demodulated signal sample rate converted to standard digital audio rates
o User adjustable volume control (manual gain control)
o Compatible with standard USB audio devices for 1/8” and ¼” analog headphone
output (ADS recommends USB audio device required to guarantee latency
performance)
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EMSEC/EMSEC/EMI Advanced Software Module
Signal Acquisition
 Hardware peripheral knob and buttons to provide tactile control of key signal
acquisition parameters, including:
o Center Frequency Tune (jog, fine, medium, coarse)
o Span/Bandwidth
o Amplitude sensitivity
Presentation of Demodulated (Video) Signals
 Additional Triggers for Time Domain Display
o Positive edge trigger
o Negative edge trigger
o Auto trigger
o Normal trigger with level control
Signal Generation
 Wideband Baseband (Video) Output (Real-Time)
o Adds wideband video output port (enables connection to external oscilloscopes,
spectrum analyzers, etc…)
o Real-time demodulator output routed to video output port
o User selected AM or FM signal
o User adjustable gain/attenuation control
o User adjustable low-pass digital filter
o Maximum bandwidth in real-time mode: 1MHz (target value)
 Wideband Baseband (Video) Output (non Real-Time)
o Demodulated signal playback from file to video output port
o User adjustable gain/attenuation control
o Maximum bandwidth: 50MHz
Use or disclosure of data contained on this sheet is subject to the restriction on the cover page of this proposal
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