X-Band 4 x QTRM Plank Product Capability
MA-100002
Description
The X-band Plank described below contains four Quad Transmit Receive Modules providing sixteen ports
which can be connected to individual antenna elements to form a 1-D phased array active antenna unit.
Three M2 threaded holes in the end of each QTRM facilitates the attachment of a quad antenna module.
Alternatively, equal length, low loss microwave cables can be used to connect to individual antenna
elements in which case the holes could be used to attach a plate fitted with four cables.
Provision for liquid cooling allows continuous transmission of long pulse widths at high duty cycles
through all sixteen elements simultaneously, thus creating a high power transmitter pulse at X-band.
A closed loop cooling system comprising of a fluid reservoir, pump and heat exchanger can be used to
pump the coolant through the Plank.
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QTRM
Common module ‘Building Block’
4-Channel integrated assembly comprising of DC, Logic CTRL/Interface & T/R Module
Designed for high volume manufacture
Minimal alignment, custom ATE for factory ‘calibration’
Description
The Plank is supplied from a single 28 volt DC supply and contains the necessary supply conditioning
to power the four QTRM’s. A power-up sequence ensures that the input current surge is managed both
within the individual QTRM’s and within the Plank so as to avoid overloading the primary 28 volt supply on
switch-on.
In addition, a half-duplex, asynchronous, RS485 bus allows communication to and from an external
Beam Steering Computer (BSC) that provides control and monitoring of the Plank and its QTRM’s. The
serial data takes the form of a number of messages assigned to either control the individual T-R elements
or to retrieve information about their settings or health status. RF2M have developed a Graphical User
Interface (GUI) to control and monitor the behaviour of the Plank and can be run from a laptop or desktop
computer.
Timing is provided by either an internal or external 100MHz clock and is selected via the micro-D
connector.
A transmitter power amplifier gating pulse must be provided to activate the PA power supplies just before
the RF pulse arrives at the common RF I/O port. This is to ensure that any amplitude and phase transients
caused by the PA’s turning on do not interfere with the integrity of the RF pulse. All subsequent timing
within the plank is derived from this TX PA gating pulse leading edge. The plank may be driven with a CW
signal for test purposes as internal modulation is provided.
A scheduler mode can be selected which rapidly stores a maximum of sixteen, pre-determined beam
steering coordinates. An external Beam Steer pulse must be provided by the BSC to step through the
schedule to allow very fast beam switching.
The QTRM’s are factory calibrated to minimise amplitude and phase variations over temperature and
frequency, making them line-replaceable units. Additional calibration constants that are User system
related can be uploaded to the QTRM’s via the RS485 serial data link.
This product offering from RF2M Microwave provides the means to experiment with X-band phased array
radar and to further develop a 2-D radar by stacking Planks up to eight deep. This product significantly
reduces development time allowing customers to focus their valuable resources on radar signal
processing and beam control.
RF2M Microwave would welcome the opportunity to work with customers during their product
development by providing technical support to customise an active antenna array solution.
Electrical Performance
Over T
OP
Unless Otherwise stated. Limits & Conditions are indicated values. Indicated
values given per channel unless otherwise stated.
Parameter
Min.
Typ.
Max.
Units
Conditions
Parameters: Transmit
Centre Frequency
Operating BW
Input Return Loss
Output Return Loss
Pulse Width
Duty Cycle
RS485 Serial Data bus
Data Control Rate
TX PA Gating Pulse
Beam Steering Pulse
No. of Stored Beam Settings
Beam Steer Data Transfer Time
Plank Input Voltage Range
Plank Input Current
DC Input Consumption
Beam former Insertion Loss
Selectable Int. or Ext. Clock
TX Psat
TX Input Power Level
Spurious
TX Phase Variation across pulse
TX Amplitude Variation across pulse
Harmonics
TX Insertion Phase Balance
TX Power Balance
RX Output P1dB
RX Gain
RX Input IP3
RX Noise Figure
Receiver Protection per Channel
RX Insetion Phase Balance
RX Gain Balance
±15
±2.0
26
+28
8.5
238
13
100
Parameters: Transmit
8.5
+20
-60
4.0
0.5
-20
±15
±2.0
Parameters: Receive
-4
14
-8
4
15
dBm
dB
dBm
dB
deg
dB
See Note (4). Target <3.5dB
Between any two channels. Target ±10
Between any two channels. Target ±1
Watts PK
Protection from reflected TX Power
See Note (2) & (3)
+23
Watts(pk) 8.5Watts output per antenna port at Fo
dBm
dBc
deg
dB
dBc
deg
dB
Between any two channels. Target ±10
Between any two channels. Target ±1
Across 80μS Pulse at 30% Duty
Across 80μS Pulse at 30% Duty
For Psat Out.
3
5
Differential
5.0
Differential
Differential
16
350
30
μS
Volts
Amps
Watts
dB
MHz
Average current @ 28v, 30% duty
Average power @ 28v, 30% duty
To be confirmed
±20ppm LVDS
Mbps
Gate TX PA on 2.6 μS before RF pulse,
target 1 μS
Triggers Beam Direction change
Scheduler Mode
Time taken to re-load the Scheduler
register
9.5
1
10
10
100
30
GHz
GHz
dB
dB
μS
%
See Note 1
See Note 1
Common RF In/Out port
Individual Antenna ports
80μS at 30% Duty max.
80μS at 30% Duty max.
Asynchronous UART, half-duplex
Product Features
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RS485 Half-Duplex, 5.0 Mbps serial data bus for control and monitoring.
Plank operating current and power supply health monitored and reported on request along
with health status of each QTRM
Automatic shut-down of individual QTRM’s if their internal temperature reaches a critical limit
where damage could occur. Hysteresis applies.
Positive supplies inhibited (with the exception of the digital control circuits) if negative supply
is lost
Direction cosines used for beam steering
QTRM’s respond to individual address or broadcast messages.
Module position assignment
Sequenced QTRM power-up timing based on module position address
Ability to schedule up to 16 phase & amplitude settings for rapid beam switching
Ability to disable internal modulation and apply externally
Array CAL allows end-user to add additional TRU phase & amplitude calibration.
Read-back of CAL phase & amplitude values for each TRU.
Selection of internal/external Clock source to allow synchronisation of multiple QTRM’s.
European Manufacture.
Mechanical
Approximate Size: 203mm(L) x 270mm(W) x 20mm(D) excluding connectors. See Note (5)
Approximate Mass: 1.2 Kg
RF Connectors: Male SMP shroud
DC Connector : 37-way Micro-D plug
Hydraulic Connectors : Staubli CGO 03 type, non-spill
Cooling Fluid : Glycol mix
Inlet Temperature : +48°C max.
Fluid Flow Rate : 1Litre/min
Outlet Temperature : approximately +58°C for an inlet temperature of +48°C
Pressure Drop : < 0.2 bar with a fluid flow rate of 1L/min
Environmental
Operating Ambient: -30 to +70°C.
Assumes Plank Fluid Inlet Temperature is in the range +10 °C to +48 °C
Storage: -40 to +85°C
MTBF : TBD
NOTES
(1) Limited by circulator specification and physical dimensions of the QTRM
(2) Up to 3dB reduction in useable attenuation range due to Calibration.
(3) Figure given for Ref Attenuator state, Ref Phase State and includes Beam former losses.
(4) N.F. given for Ref Attenuator state, Ref Phase State and includes Beam former losses.
(5) Dimension “D” is for Demo Unit only. Potential to reduce to 14.1mm for a practical AESA
configuration. See outline diagram in section 8 below.
Functional Block Diagram
Tx PA Gate
Beam Steer
RS485 ASYNC
Bus
+v
e
-ve
+v
e
-ve
+v
e
-ve
Bus to
QTRM's
Bus to
QTRM's
Bus to
QTRM's
QTRM A
Antenna Port 1
Antenna Port 2
Antenna Port 3
Antenna Port 4
Antenna Port 5
QTRM B
Antenna Port 6
Antenna Port 7
Antenna Port 8
RF
In/Out
+28v
Input
Switch
Logic
DRVR
Converters
& LDO's
+28v
+6.0v
+3.3v
+5.0v
-6.0v
QTRM C
Antenna Port 9
Antenna Port 10
Antenna Port 11
Antenna Port 12
Converter Sync
Monostable
100MHz
Clock
Div 100
Antenna Port 13
Antenna Port 14
QTRM D
Antenna Port 15
Antenna Port 16
Int Clk Enable
Ext. 100MHz Clock
-
+
-
+
Bus to
QTRM's
DC Pin-Out Connection’s (37-way
Mirco-D)
Pin No.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Description
+28V
+28V
PSU GND
PSU GND
ADDR_0
ADDR_2
Tx PA Gate -ve
RS485 +ve
Signal Gnd
Beam Steer -ve
Pin No.
11
(1)
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
Description
Ext_CLK +ve
Signal GND
Spare
+28V Flag
+6V1 Flag
+6V2 Flag
+5V Flag
Spare
Int_CLK Enable
+28V
Pin No.
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
Description
+28V
PSU GND
PSU GND
ADDR_1
Tx PA Gate +ve
Signal GND
RS485 -ve
Beam Steer +ve
Signal GND
Ext_CLK -ve
Pin No.
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
Description
Spare
Spare
-6V Flag
Pmon Flag
ICC_Mon
Spare
Spare
Notes
(1) External Clock (if used) 100MHz LVDS
±20ppm
max.
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