C-Band QTRM Product Capability
• Gallium Nitride Power Amplier Technology
• 1GHz Bandwidth
• Low Noise Figure (<4.5dB)
• 6-Bit Phase Control
• 6-Bit Attenuator Control
• Single +28V Supply
• BITE and PSU Supervisory
• Built in Tx and Rx Power BITE Detectors
• Factory Calibrated
• Accessible memory for External Calibration data
• Cooling interface
• Designed to t Typical Antenna Aperture Spacing
• Line Replaceable Unit
• European Manufacture.
QTRM - Quad Transmit Receive Module (4-Channel T/R Module)
Description
Mechanical
Approximate Size: 150 mm(L) x 128 mm(W) x 28 mm(H) excluding connectors
Approximate Mass: 1.2 Kg
RF Connectors: Male SMP
DC Connectors : 37-way Micro-D (Power Supply & Control) and 15-way Micro-D (Factory Use Only) plugs
Hydraulic Connectors : Staubli non-spill CGO 03 type or Similar
Cooling Fluid : Glycol Mix
Inlet Temperature: +48°C max.
Fluid Flow Rate : 1Litre/min Typ
Pressure Drop : < 0.2 bar with a fluid flow rate of 1L/min
The C-Band Module contains four Transmit/Receive (T/R) channels providing four RF ports which can be
connected to individual antenna elements to form part of a phased array active antenna unit.
The module is tted with blind mate RF connectors and its height and antenna port spacing dimensions
are specically designed to allow direct connection to the back of antenna aperture face. Alternatively, RF
cable assemblies may be used to connect to the individual antenna elements.
The power amplier section of each channel incorporates Gallium Nitride technology, this along with
provision for liquid cooling allows high power levels, long pulse widths and high duty cycles to be realised.
The Module is supplied from a single 28 volt DC supply and contains the necessary supply conditioning to
power the four channels. Built in power supply sequencing and built in test equipment (BITE) functions are
included to allow individual channel monitoring and shut-down in the presence of a fault condition.
Module communication for control and monitoring is provided by a half-duplex, asynchronous serial
EIA485 bus.
The serial data takes the form of a number of messages assigned to either control the individual T/R
channels or to retrieve information about the module’s settings or health status. RF2M have developed
a Graphical User Interface (GUI) to control and monitor the module which can be run from a laptop or
desktop computer.
Each module has a unique address which may be interrogated by an external controller; this allows the
external controller to address and individual module within an array.
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 (such as the interface between the radiating element to T/R channel and any associated antenna
taper requirements) can be uploaded to the module via the EIA485 serial data link.
The QTRM supports ‘scaleable’ AESA Radar thus providing exibility for dierent platforms applications.
Environmental
Operating Ambient: -40 to +70°C Dependent upon Transmit Pulse Width, Duty Cycle and Inlet Cooling Fluid Tem-
perature.
Storage: -40 to +85°C
NOTES
(1) Up to 3dB reduction in useable attenuation range due to factory Calibration
(2) Gallium Nitride Power Amplier technology enables long pulse durations
(3) Figure given for Ref Attenuator state, Ref Phase State