Typical Applications Applied Radar, Inc. Radar Pulse-Doppler processing General purpose waveform generation and collection Multi-channel digital beamforming Military applications SIGINT/ELINT MIMO and coherent distributed aperture (CDA) processing Features 400 MHz Instantaneous Bandwidth (expandable to 500 MHz) Waveform synthesis and data collection Operates from 7 to 11 GHz Compatible with the Radar Open System Architecture (ROSA) Linux Real-time operating system ROSA Client software Available Matlab toolbox General Description Applied Radar s SWORD DREX is a four channel general purpose X-band digital receiver exciter (DREX) system suitable for radar and general purpose test and measurement applications. The is a 19-inch rack based four channel system which consists of a server computer, an AR1006 FPGA Mezzanine Board with the AR8005 ADC and and AR8006 DAC Mezzanine cards installed, an AR1004-2-18-4 RF Downconverter, an AR1001 LO Synthesizer Distribution Unit (LSDU) which provides the LO1, LO2, ADC clock, DAC clock, and 1 PPS timing signal (via Applied Radar s AR2006 GPS Module), and four channels of RF upconversion through four AR1002 RF Upconverters. Real-time DREX software is implemented on the server computer for both controlling the various system components and for implementing the ROSA waveform and beam steering commands. Supported waveforms include pulsed CW and linear FM (LFM) upchirps and down-chirps. Capability exists for more advanced waveforms, Waveforms are generated digitally at IF with LO1 and LO2 fixed. Control of the SWORD DREX is through a user supplied client computer over CAT-5 UDP. Client software is provided with the DREX, or optionally the user can provide their own client software using the ROSA protocol. The client software may also be run on the included server computer using UDP port loopback. The SWORD DREX is a scalable system and is available with additional channels, please contact our sales department for more information. Electrical Specifications Parameter Min. Typ. Max. Units Frequency Range 7 11 GHz Number of Channels 4-1- Revised 03/18/2011
Electrical Specifications (continued) Parameter Min. Typ. Max. Units IF center frequency 1.125 GHz Instantaneous 3 db bandwidth 400 500 MHz RF output P1dB 10.5 dbm Saturated RF output power 12 dbm Upconverter Gain 48 dbm Downconverter Gain 35 dbm DAC 2nd Nyquist output power at 1125 MHz -42 dbm Receive spurious-free dynamic range 50 db Noise Figure 4.5 5 6 db Tuning Speed 20 ms Minimum Pulse repetition interval (PRI) 100 ms LO 1 frequency range 23.63 39.63 GHz LO 1 input power 0 dbm LO 2 frequency 22.755 GHz LO 2 input power 0 dbm Typical Performance Figures 1 through 4 show the typical performance of the SWORD DREX. Figure 1: Typical DAC output sweep at IF Baseband (2nd Nyquist). Rolloff is due to 2nd Nyquist performance of the DACs. -2- Revised 03/18/2011
Figure 2: Typical RF Output after upconversion, 80 MHz RF output steps, LO1 in integer mode. Figure 3: Typical RF Loopback Sweep. Rolloff is due to 2nd Nyquist performance of the DACs. -3- Revised 03/18/2011
Figure 4: RF Loopback frequency spectrum. DREX Layout Figure 5: layout -4- Revised 03/18/2011
Figure 6: VME Chassis layout Functional Block Digram Figure 7: block diagram Operation The SWORD DREX is a four channel Digital Receiver Exciter system built on the Radar Systems Open Architecture (ROSA). The SWORD DREX is an all inclusive solution, from waveform generation to waveform capture, processing, and display. The antenna/subarray and the client computer are user supplied. The output waveform is generated by the onboard DACs at the baseband frequency, 25-435 MHz and also contains a copy of the signal in the second Nyquist zone, 875-1375 MHz, which is the first IF. The output waveform is translated in frequency from the IF baseband frequency to the desired RF output frequency through the RF Upconverters. The antenna/subarray is attached to the system through the Circulator patch panel. The received waveform is passed through the circulator to the RF Downconverter which translates the received signal s frequency to the first IF frequency, 875-5- Revised 03/18/2011
Applied Radar, Inc. SWORD Digital Receiver EXciter (DREX) to 1125 MHz, which is bandpass sampled by the onboard ADCs. The sampled waveform is then read by the Server software which sends the result to the Client software for further processing. All four channels of the SWORD DREX are phase coherent. The phase coherency is achieved by using common LOs for the RF Upconverters and Downconverters and locking all components to a common 10 MHz reference. The common 10 MHz reference signal is generated by an ultra-stable OCXO which is capable of being disciplined by the onboard GPS unit. The ADC and DAC clocks, along with the 1 PPS signal, are all derived from the system 10 MHz reference. The transmitted and received waveforms exhibit amplitude artifacts from the frequency and amplitude response of the system components. In order to take these system artifacts into account, the Client software that ships with the system has a Calibration mode which is used to remove the artifacts in the waveform during the matched filtering process. When a waveform is calibrated the system is put into one of three loop back modes; Digital, RF at the Circulator, or RF at the antenna/subarray. The received waveform is captured and stored on the Client computer. When performing matched filtering, the stored waveform from calibration is used rather than the ideal mathematical representation of the waveform. Hardware The SWORD DREX is comprised of several Applied Radar, Inc. components, each of which is discussed briefly below. For more information regarding any of these Applied Radar products, please see the product s datasheet and/or manuals. Server PC The server PC is a customized AMD Quad Core computer running Fedora version 14 Linux and is housed in a 2U rackmount chassis. The server PC runs the DREX server software and accepts ROSA commands from a user supplied client computer through a UDP connection. The server configures the DREX hardware through the Slot 0 Controller in the VME rack and the USB connection with the AR1001 LSDU. When the server PC is powered up, after it has gone through its initial boot sequence, the DREX server software will automatically launch and begin accepting commands from the client computer. No user interaction is required with the server PC. AR1006 Dual Mezzanine FPGA Processor VME Card The AR1006 Dual Mezzanine FPGA Processor is a VXS-enabled FPGAbased processing node which features two Xilinx Virtex-5 FPGAs capable of handling demanding DSP and logic algorithms. The AR1006 features two custom mezzanine interface sites which provide a gateway of analog flexibility to the system and allow for a wide range of interchangeable mezzanine modules to be interfaced with the AR1006. The AR1006 is compliant with the VME64 and VXI standards and is 6U compatible. The AR1006 is offered with LXT and SXT Virtex-5 family FPGAs. The AR1006 offers I/O bandwidth speeds up to 31.25 Gb/s with two front panel transmit and receive multi-gigabit fiber connections. With separate transmit and receive fiber connections the AR1006 supports full-duplex fiber communications and is superior to all other processors that only offer a single-connection half-duplex fiber communications interface. -6Revised 03/18/2011
Applied Radar, Inc. SWORD Digital Receiver EXciter (DREX) The AR1006 features two Xilinx Virtex-5 FPGAs with basic I/O framework supplied as a factory core. The AR1006 has the available option to be populated with the SXT and/or the LXT family FPGAs. The LXT family is more logic rich while the SXT family is more DSP geared. The AR1006 processor is supported in Windows and Linux. The AR1006 is controllable in a VME64 or VXI rack using the VME64/VXI protocols and is additionally controllable over USB when used in a bench-top environment with the AR9010 USB interface board. The AR9010 allows for the Dual Mezzanine FPGA Processor to function as a USB Test and Measurement Class (USBTMC) Device. AR8005 Quad Channel 8-bit 1.5 GSPS ADC Mezzanine The AR8005 Quad Channel 8-bit 1.5 GSPS ADC Mezzanine card provides four channels of analog to digital conversion, allowing the to directly sample the return signal from the output of the AR1004-2-18-4 downconverter module. AR8006 Quad 14 bit 1.5 GHz DAC Mezzanine The AR8006 Quad Channel 14-bit 1.5 GSPS DAC Mezzanine card provides four channels of digital to analog conversion, providing the waveform output of the. The AR8006 is used in the 2nd Nyquist zone to provide the baseband frequency which is fed to the AR1002-7-11-1 RF upconverters. Due to limitations of the AR1006, the AR8006 runs at 1.4 GSPS in the, which allows for an IF bandwidth of 400 MHz. AR1004-2-18-4 Four Channel VME RF Downconverter Module The contains an AR1004-2-18-4 Four Channel VME RF downconverter module which provides four channels of RF downconversion, taking in 7-11 GHz and producing a 500 MHz BW IF output centered at 1125 MHz (875 to 1375 MHz). Although the only operates from 7 to 11 GHz, the AR1004-2-18-4 is capable of operating with RF inputs from 2 to 18 GHz. -7Revised 03/18/2011
(a) Gain Figure 8: AR1004-2-18-4 typical performance (b) IF bandwidth AR1001-2-8 LO Synthesizer Distribution Unit (LSDU) The AR1001-2-8 LO Synthesizer Distribution Unit (LSDU) provides the LO 1 and LO 2 signals for the AR1004 VME RF Downconverter modules and the AR1002-7-11-1 RF Upconverters. In addition to the LO1 and LO2 RF synthesizers, the AR1001 contains the DAC and ADC clock generators and the AR2006 GPS module which provides the system 10 MHz reference and the 1 PPS signal for the AR1006. The AR1001 is capable of being controlled through either a USB or LAN connection. The AR1001 will identify itself as a piece of test equipment and is compliant with the VISA protocols for easy integration into existing test and measurement setups while requiring no custom drivers. The AR1001 is available with a touch screen LCD to provide feedback and manual control of the LSDU to the operator. Figure 9: AR1001 typical LO1 performance -8- Revised 03/18/2011
Figure 10: AR1001 typical LO1 Phase Noise performance Figure 11: AR1001 typical LO2 Phase Noise performance -9- Revised 03/18/2011
AR1002-2-18-1 19-inch Rack RF Upconverter The AR1002 RF Upconverter is a 1U 19-inch rackmount 2 to 18 GHz single channel RF Upconverter with 500 MHz of instantaneous bandwidth. When used in the SWORD DREX, a 1 to 11 GHz bandpass filter is added to the output of the RF Upconverter to suppress spurious signals outside of the DREX operating frequency range. When configured by the factory, the output bandpass filter is integrated into the RF Upconverter. Figure 12: AR1002-7-11-1 typical Gain performance from 7 to 11.5 GHz Software The SWORD DREX software is divided into two components, the server and the client. The server software resides on the server PC and starts automatically when the system is powered on. The server software requires no user interaction. The client software is a Linux based program which resides on the client PC, which is a user furnished PC and is not part of the SWORD DREX. The client software communicates with the server software through a CAT-5 UDP connection. The ships with a client GUI; however, the server software will work with any ROSA compliant client software. When using a client program other than the supplied client GUI, the user will be unable to monitor the status of the individual components of the. Client GUI The supplied client GUI, shown in Fig. 13, provides a control interface for the. Through the client GUI, the user can control the system configuration, select the desired waveform, modify stored waveforms, add/remove waveforms, monitor the system status, access the status of the individual components of the, start/stop the DREX, calibrate the waveforms, apply matched filtering and background subtraction, view the time and frequency domain response of the received waveform, view the received waveforms frequency as a function of time (STFT), and form pulse-doppler maps. -10- Revised 03/18/2011
Related Products Figure 13: Applied Radar Client GUI software (included with the system) Customers interested in the SWORD DREX might also be interested in the following Applied Radar, Inc. products. AR2001 RF Synthesizer Series The AR2001 RF synthesizer series from Applied Radar, Inc. offers a low cost solution to today s demanding RF signal generation needs. The AR2001 series is ideally suited for bench top test and measurement as well as low-cost small form-factor radar and communications systems. Their wide output frequency range, superb spurious rejection, and excellent phase noise performance provide a high-quality, low-cost alternative to bench top RF signal generators The AR2001 synthesizers are USB controlled. The AR2001 series of RF synthesizers are VISA compliant, enabling seamless cross-platform use. AR2006 GPS Timing & Reference Module with 10 MHz output The AR2006 GPS Timing & Reference Module provides a GPS disciplined ultra precise 10 MHz reference and 1 PPS timing signal suitable for the most exacting frequency control applications. The AR2006 uses an onboard 10 MHz OCXO to generate the 10 MHz reference signal or the AR2006 can be configured to lock to an externally applied 10 MHz or 1 PPS signal, providing the highest degree of flexibility when integrating into existing systems. The AR2006-11- Revised 03/18/2011
Table 2: AR2001 RF Synthesizer Models ARI Product Number AR2001-05-20 AR2001-10-20 AR2001-21-24 Frequency 5 to 20 GHz 10 to 20 GHz 21 to 24 GHz has been designed to drive up to four devices, with a fifth amplified output available for daisy chaining the AR9003 Reference Distribution Module to provide additional outputs. In addition to the 10 MHz sine signal, a 10 MHz CMOS and a 1 PPS output are provided. The AR2006 utilizes the embedded GPS timing signals to compensate the drift of the 10 MHz OCXO. The AR2006 is capable of using passive and active antennas, with +3.3, +5, and +12 volt antenna voltages available onboard. When GPS lock cannot be established, the AR2006 will go into holdover mode and continue to provide the 10 MHz output from the onboard OCXO. The user can also force the AR2006 into holdover if it is known that a GPS lock will not be established, such as when used in a lab. The AR2006 connects as a USB Test & Measurement Class (USBTMC) device and talks using the VISA protocol, allowing for seamless integration into your new or existing equipment and/or test setup. AR1005-2-18-4 Four Channel, 2-18 GHz RF Upconverter VME Module (Available Late 4 th Quarter 2011) Applied Radar s AR1005-2-18-4 Four Channel, 2-18 GHz RF Upconverter VME module provides four channels of RF upconversion with an IF input frequency centered at 1125 MHz with a 500 MHz bandwidth (875-1375 MHz). The RF output is tunable over 2 to 18 GHz. The module provides typical gains of 30 db at 2 GHz and 20 db at 18 GHz. The form-factor is a single-slot 6U VME module. The AR1005-2-18-4 is a companion module to the AR1004-2-18-4. Together, the AR1004 and AR1005 provide a full wideband transmit/receive capability. Mezzanine Cards for the AR1006 Applied Radar, Inc. offers a line of of single and dual mezzanine cards for the AR1006 Dual FPGA Processor. Customers who purchase the SWORD DREX might also be interested in the mezzanine cards for the AR1006 listed in Table 3. For a complete list of available mezzanine cards, please see our website at or contact a member of our Sales team. ARI Product Number AR8007 AR8008 AR8009 Table 3: Related Mezzanine Cards Description 4 Channel 250 MHz 14 bit ADC Single Mezzanine Module 4 Channel 200 MHz 16 bit ADC Single Mezzanine Module 4 Channel 2.3 GHz 12 bit DAC Single Mezzanine Module AR1011 Analog RF Receiver Unit (ARRU) The AR1011 Analog RF Receiver Unit (ARRU) is a complete 19-inch rack solution which provides up to 64 channels of RF downconversion. The AR1011 can be configured to support multiple users, with each user having a dedicated number of RF channels. -12- Revised 03/18/2011
The AR1011 includes a VME chassis, control and processing computer, up to 16 AR1004-2-18-4 Four Channel VME RF Downconverter modules, and up to two AR1001 LO Synthesizer Distribution Units (LSDU) to provide the LO1 and LO2 signals. Host side control software is also provided with a command set to allow remote users to connect to the AR1011 and control their assigned modules. A Matlab toolbox is available for communicating with and controlling the AR1011. Absolute Maximums Operating Temperature 40 C RF Input Power 20 dbm Ordering Information Options The AR1012 SWORD DREX nominally operates between 2 and 18 GHz and can be ordered with factory installed output filters to improve the spurious output response. The AR1012 can be configured with any desired number of RF channels. Systems with more than 16 channels may be split across multiple 19-inch racks. Part Numbering Ordering Example To order the AR1012 SWORD DREX with a frequency range of 7-11 GHz and four channels, order part number AR1012-7-11-4 Warranty The SWORD DREX comes with Applied Radar s standard 1 year parts and labor warranty. -13- Revised 03/18/2011