Friday, September 08, 2023

6U VPX Microwave Module with State of the Art Residual Phase Noise Designed and Tested

We've recently designed, built, and tested a 6U VPX microwave module for a high performance radar system with state of the art residual phase noise performance. The module was tested with our Holzworth Phase Noise Analyzer. Residual phase noise of <-155 dBc/Hz at 1 KHz offset and <-162 dBc/Hz at 10 KHz offset were acheived. Spurious levels were <-130 dBc. Internal detectors provided input and output detected power levels for Built-in-Test reporting. This module was tested using our in-house vibration, temperature, and shock qualification equipment.
Posted by Bob Wood at 7:10 PM
Edited on: Tuesday, September 19, 2023 10:27 PM
Categories: 10 QuickNews, 20 Hardware Products-Current, 40 Engineering Consulting Services-Current

Friday, June 16, 2023

New Design and Product Delivered: FSSDU


We've just designed and delivered a new product: First Stage Signal Distribution Unit (FSSDU). This 3U unit provides many functions, including:
  • Amplification and equalization of extremely wide RF and Microwave frequency bands
  • Distibution of bands to support many receivers and carry-on equipment
  • Combining of frequency bands to create a broad spectrum output for wideband analysis
  • Low noise figure, high dynamic range amplification to maintain the system RF signal path performance
  • This unit replaces an older unit with new hardware and expanded capability
  • Ethernet Interface
Posted by Bob Wood at 7:45 PM
Edited on: Friday, August 25, 2023 2:46 PM
Categories: 10 QuickNews, 20 Hardware Products-Current, 40 Engineering Consulting Services-Current

Thursday, June 15, 2023

New Product Designed and Delivered: BIT / DVA Assembly

 

We've recently designed and delivered a new 1U Height BIT (Built-in-Test) / DVA (Digital Variable Attenuators) Assembly. This unit provides:

  • Wide Microwave Frequency Band coverage across 8 inputs
  • The capability to inject BIT Signals into each microwave input to support system health testing and grooming
  • Gain Adjust and high dynamic range Amplification using our RCT0061 Wide-Band Digital Attenuator Amplifier
  • Equalization to correct negative slope across the frequency band
  • Creation of mmW BIT signals using frequency doublers
  • Ethernet Interface
This part can be used anywhere in a system to inject Built in Test signals, while still maintaining the RF path dynamic range and noise figure. It's small 1U height allows it to fit in many locations in a system.
Posted by Bob Wood at 6:55 PM
Edited on: Thursday, August 17, 2023 8:06 PM
Categories: 10 QuickNews, 20 Hardware Products-Current, 40 Engineering Consulting Services-Current

Thursday, October 01, 2020

14 X 12 Microwave Switch Matrix / Up Converter Delivered

We just delivered our 1st 14 X 12 Microwave Switch Matrix / Up Converter (RCT0060). This unit allows 14 microwave inputs to be switched to any of 12 Microwave outputs. This was an extremely challenging design, with custom designed 12-Way power dividers, our own RCT0050 WB Amplifiers, custom designed SP2T Switches, and custom designed WB Digital Attenuator/Amplifiers. The whole unit is made to fit in a 3U rack mount location. Congrats to our great mechanical and electrical design, and integration and test team for developing this successful design!
Posted by Bob Wood at 11:29 PM
Edited on: Monday, August 21, 2023 2:44 PM
Categories: 20 Hardware Products-Current, 40 Engineering Consulting Services-Current

Thursday, January 23, 2020

RF Receiver Simulator RCT0053

We designed and built an RF Receiver Sumiulator RCT0053, designed to simulate the front end characteristics of an EW system, from the antennas to the downstream rack equipment. We used our customer designed RCT0050 WB amplifiers in many of the 6 microwave channels.
Posted by Bob Wood at 1:30 AM
Categories: 10 QuickNews, 20 Hardware Products-Current, 40 Engineering Consulting Services-Current

Saturday, February 27, 2016

New Capability to provide tight tolerance surface mount capacitors

Hi Everybody

We've recently developed the capability to automatically measure surface mount capacitors and bin them into very tight tolerance windows. We can work with 0603, 0402, and 0201 size capacitors. We can provide down to 2-2.5% tolerance capacitors for values down to 0.1 pF. These parts are typically only available in very wide tolerances (up to 50%).

This capability is very useful for filter designs, and other microwave circuit designs.

These tight tolerance capacitors can reduce or eliminate tuning typically needed to meet performance requirements.

We are going to start providing these parts to customers on a trial basis. If you are interested, please contact us to see how we can help you out!
Posted by Bob Wood at 1:24 AM
Edited on: Monday, February 29, 2016 3:27 PM
Categories: 10 QuickNews, 20 Hardware Products-Current, 40 Engineering Consulting Services-Current

Tuesday, November 03, 2015

8X8 Switch Matrix / Up Converter Delivered

We delivered a new design to one of our customers: An 8X8 Microwave Switch Matrix /Up Converter. The unit allows 8 RF/microwave inputs to be routed to any of 8 RF/microwave output ports. The design includes:
  • Custom designed 8-way power dividers (covering a 4:1 bandwidth)
  • A low band Up Converter
  • An AC/DC power supply
  • High Speed LVDS interface
  • High Dynamic Range RF amplifiers on inputs and outputs
  • Custom designed equalizers for slope correction, and
  • FPGA board for control and status (Built in Test) monitoring
The entire assembly is housed in a 2U rack mount assembly, saving precious rack space. The full frequency coverage is 0.5 to 18 GHz.
Posted by Bob Wood at 12:11 AM
Edited on: Friday, July 27, 2018 7:30 PM
Categories: 10 QuickNews, 20 Hardware Products-Current, 40 Engineering Consulting Services-Current

Monday, May 06, 2013

New Bench Top RF Switch Digital I/O Test Interface Box

The RF Switch/DIO Box is a custom designed LRU that provides:
  • Automated RF Switching to 1 of 6 RF Inputs and 1 of 6 RF Outputs up to 18 GHz
  • Oscillators needed for Test Units
  • Digital I/O to control and read digital signals to/from Test Units
  • Relay Switching to read Resistances and switch DC Power to Test Units
  • Bench top or Rack mount
We have built 5 of these for our own automated test stations. The design is universal and can be used for multiple test applications.
Posted by Bob Wood at 12:29 PM
Edited on: Monday, October 07, 2013 7:20 PM
Categories: 10 QuickNews, 20 Hardware Products-Current, 40 Engineering Consulting Services-Current

Monday, June 04, 2012

Available Now! SimpleCycle Crystal Oscillators

We have officially released a new line of SimpleCycle crystal oscillators. These are temperature compenstated crystal osciillators in a very small package with +5 Volt DC in, and an SMA output connector. The key features include:

  • Small package size: 1.06" X 0.92" X 0.37"
  • 4 through-holes for mounting
  • Easy connections: +5V DC in, SMA out
  • Custom frequencies available from 40 MHz to 1.4 GHz
  • Frequency accuracy at +25C: < +/-1 ppm
  • Internally temperature compensated: < +/-1 ppm from -20C to +70C
  • Aging: < +/-3 ppm first year, < +/-1 ppm/year thereafter
  • Sine wave outputs (initially)

We will be working to supply these with very quick turnarounds. For more information see our SimpleCycle Oscillator page, or contact us.

Posted by Bob Wood at 7:35 PM
Edited on: Monday, October 07, 2013 7:22 PM
Categories: 10 QuickNews, 20 Hardware Products-Current, 40 Engineering Consulting Services-Current

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

New Quad Converter Designed and Delivered

We designed and built for production a 4 channel Quad Converter. Our Quad Converter design features:
  • 2 Input IF's from 2.2-5.3 GHz, available simultaneously
  • Output IF's: 4 outputs at 750 MHz, 375 MHz wide, providing 1.5 GHz instantaneous bandwidth across the input IF's
  • Control and Status: VME Interface A24 D32 and UART Serial Interface
  • Designed to drive 4 1 GHz Digitizers linearly up to +12dBm
  • 5 custom surface mount RF assemblies mounted to an aluminum plate
  • Separate multilayer circuit board accommodates power conditioning, FPGA signals and VME interfacing
  • Form Factor: VME 6U 1 Slot Design
  • RF Connector Interface: SMA
This is a very complex design with very high density surface mount assemblies. Surface mount assemblies are built using pick and place machines at a contract manufacturer. Automated RF test rack, fixtures and software has been designed at R. A. Wood Associates.
Posted by Bob Wood at 7:37 PM
Edited on: Tuesday, June 24, 2014 2:04 AM
Categories: 10 QuickNews, 15 Microwave Tuners, 20 Hardware Products-Current, 40 Engineering Consulting Services-Current

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

RCT0017 Automated RF/Microwave Test Station Designed, Built, and In Service

An automated RF/Microwave Test Station was designed and built by R. A. Wood Associates. The purpose was to provide automated test and device characterization to:
  • Reduce manual test time
  • Eliminate errors in recording of results
  • Increase throughput
  • Eliminate manual RF connections and DC connections in mid-test
  • Provide automated test reports
  • Save test results electronically in a database structure
This automated test station reduced product test time from 24 hours of semi-automated testing down to approximately 2 hours. The RCT0017 Automated RF/Microwave Test Station includes:
  • DAQ/Switch Unit
  • Three programmable power supplies
  • Signal Generator
  • Spectrum Analyzer
  • Custom RF Switch/DIO Box
  • Table/Work Surface
  • Rack Mount Computer
  • Monitor
  • LabVIEW Software utilities to support setting up the Spectrum Analyzer and Signal Generator, retrieving data from the Spectrum Analyzer, controlling the RF Switch/DIO Box and other measurement equipment in the Test Station
  • Storage drawer
 
Posted by Bob Wood at 8:30 PM
Edited on: Monday, October 07, 2013 7:50 PM
Categories: 10 QuickNews, 20 Hardware Products-Current, 30 LabVIEW Projects-Current, 40 Engineering Consulting Services-Current

Monday, November 14, 2011

LB RF Receiver Simulator Designed and Delivered

A LB RF Receiver Simulator was designed to simulate the RF front end of a submarine periscope subsystem. The noise figure, gains, and dynamic ranges were designed to simulate the actual subsystem. The amplifiers were custom designed and equalized by R. A. Wood Associates to cover a wide bandwidth from ~DC to 3 GHz. A variable attenuator allowed the output noise floor to be adjusted in 1 dB steps.
Posted by Bob Wood at 7:52 PM
Edited on: Wednesday, October 09, 2013 12:15 PM
Categories: 10 QuickNews, 20 Hardware Products-Current, 40 Engineering Consulting Services-Current

Monday, December 20, 2010

2nd Test Station Delivered to NAVSEA NSWC

We designed and built a 2nd (different) Automated RF Test Station for NAVSEA NSWC, which was delivered to Crane, Indiana. This Test Station contains many state of the art features and equipment, including:
  • Tektronix RSA6120A Real Time Spectrum Analyzer
  • An R. A. Wood Associates custom designed Test Set Load Box, capable of handling 50W loads
  • Rack mount computer, keyboard, and monitor with digital I/O, GPIB interfaces
  • A PXI chassis with fiber optic interface, digital I/O, serial interfaces, temperature monitors, and GPIB interface
  • LabVIEW Software utilities to support setting up the Real Time Spectrum Analyzer, retrieving information from the Real Time Spectrum Analyzer, controlling the Test Set Load Box, and controlling other measurement equipment in the Test Station
The customer wanted this delivered before the holiday, so we rented a delivery truck and spent several days driving it out and setting it up for the customer at their facility. They were very pleased with our commitment to deliver the station on time!

  
Posted by Bob Wood at 7:52 PM
Edited on: Monday, October 07, 2013 7:50 PM
Categories: 10 QuickNews, 20 Hardware Products-Current, 30 LabVIEW Projects-Current, 40 Engineering Consulting Services-Current

Saturday, May 08, 2010

Test Station Delivered to NAVSEA NSWC

We delivered a Test Station to NAVSEA Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) in Crane, Indiana. The Test Station contains many state of the art features, including:

  • The latest Agilent Network Analyzer (PNA-X Series)
  • A 10-port Extension for measuring multi-port S-parameters
  • An R. A. Wood Associates custom-designed RF Load Box/Chassis for testing high power RF devices
  • Rack mount computer, keyboard, and monitor with digital I/O, GPIB interfaces
  • A PXI chassis with fiber optic interface, digital I/O, serial interfaces, temperature monitors, and GPIB interfaces
  • LabVIEW Software utilities to support setting up the Network Analyzer, retrieving S-parameters from the Network Analyzer, controlling the RF Load Box, and controlling other measurement equipment in the Test Station

This was a very exciting project, and we really enjoyed working with our customer on this program. The complete project was delivered within 7 months of the order being placed. Great job everybody!

 
Posted by Bob Wood at 3:48 PM
Edited on: Wednesday, October 09, 2013 12:05 PM
Categories: 10 QuickNews, 20 Hardware Products-Current, 30 LabVIEW Projects-Current, 40 Engineering Consulting Services-Current

Monday, April 05, 2010

mmW Equalizers Designed and Built for our Customer

One of our customers had a need for a mmW equalizer to help offset a 7 dB negative slope across a 26.0 to 40.0 GHz band. We looked far and wide to see if there were any available components out there in the industry that we could buy as an off-the-shelf part, or have someone develop for us.
We could not find any available parts. So we took on the task ourselves to design a mmW equalizer with a 7 dB positive gain slope. This is just another example of how we can break new ground to come up with designs that are needed by our customers when they are not otherwise available.
The equalizer was installed in the system, and the 7 dB negative slope was flattened out. See before and after pictures below. Another exciting success story!
 
System RF Path Gain before equalization (26-40 GHz): System RF Path Gain after equalization (26-40 GHz):
 
Posted by Bob Wood at 11:55 PM
Edited on: Monday, October 07, 2013 9:50 PM
Categories: 40 Engineering Consulting Services-Current

Monday, October 05, 2009

ESSU SN3 Delivered

We've delivered the third Electronics Support Switching Uint (ESSU) for one of our customers (ahead of schedule!). This was another set of hardware slated to to be installed on a Navy Vessel. The ESSU is shown here with the cover removed, looking from the back. All RF components are mounted on both sides of a center RF plate. Shown are RF amplfiers, equalizers, attenuators, RF switches, cabling, FPGA card, and rear connectors (21 RF connectors, 12 video/75 ohm connectors, Audio, Power).

For additional information, please visit our ESSU information page.

ESSU SN3 with Cover off  
Posted by Bob Wood at 1:17 AM
Edited on: Thursday, August 17, 2023 6:49 PM
Categories: 40 Engineering Consulting Services-Current, 60 Hardware Products-Archive, 95 Other-Archive

Wednesday, July 08, 2009

Extreme BW RF Amplifier extended to 3 GHz for Direct Laser Modulation Application

We've extended the frequency range of our extreme BW RF Amplifier from 5 KHz to the upper end of 3 GHz. We customized the input equalizer to create a very flat gain response across the entire band. This amplfier was used for a direct laser modulation application. The measured performance was:
  • Average Gain: 16.31 dB
  • Slope: 0.53 dB
  • P-P Flatness: 0.83 dB
  • Min Gain(Low Freq): 15.30 dB
  • Max Input Return Loss: -13.02 dB
  • Max Output Return Loss: -9.99 dB
  • Average 1 dB Output Comp Point: 20.7 dBm
  • Min 1dB Output Comp Point: 19.97 dBm
  • Noise Figure at Low Freq: ~12.8 dB
  • Noise Figure at High Freq: ~ 5.77 dB

More information is available from our Extreme BW RF Amplifier page. Let us know if you are interested in this product line! Bob Wood.

Posted by Bob Wood at 2:07 PM
Edited on: Monday, October 07, 2013 7:27 PM
Categories: 10 QuickNews, 20 Hardware Products-Current, 40 Engineering Consulting Services-Current

Thursday, May 28, 2009

RF Receiver Simulator Delivered

We've delivered another RF Receiver simulator to one of our customers. This unit simulates the RF front end characterisitcs (noise figure, gain, dynamic range) of an EW system, so the customer can connect it to their back end system and validate full system end to end performance (system sensitivity, etc), without requiring the expensive front end components. Frequency coverage goes from 10 MHz to 40 GHz on this unit.

If you have a need for one of these types of products, please contact us.
Posted by Bob Wood at 2:43 PM
Edited on: Monday, October 07, 2013 7:28 PM
Categories: 10 QuickNews, 20 Hardware Products-Current, 40 Engineering Consulting Services-Current

Sunday, March 01, 2009

Automated RF/Microwave Test Stations designed and delivered

We've been very busy this past year. Over the last 8 months, our super qualified staff have accomplished the following:
  1. Developed automated test software for a complex RF/digital board providing RF receive, transmit, and digital signal processing functions
  2. Modified/retrofitted 12 automated test stations to test this complex RF/digital board
  3. Developed automated test software to test a LRU chassis, including point to point wiring and DC power supply checks
  4. Modified/retrofitted 2 automated test stations to test the LRU chassis
  5. Developed automated test software for a high frequency radar receiver/transmitter board, including a waveguide interface
  6. Modified/retrofitted 1 automated test station to test the high frequency radar receiver/transmitter board
  7. Developed automated test software for an IF frequency radar receiver/transmitter board
  8. Modified/retrofitted 1 automated test station to test the IF frequency radar receiver/transmitter board
Auomated RF Test Station
How can we help your company improve your manufacturing efficiencies with automated test stations and software?
Posted by Bob Wood at 1:25 PM
Edited on: Monday, October 07, 2013 7:52 PM
Categories: 10 QuickNews, 20 Hardware Products-Current, 30 LabVIEW Projects-Current, 40 Engineering Consulting Services-Current

Sunday, November 30, 2008

DF Antenna Assembly, designed and built by R. A. Wood Associates

Another great effort resulting in a great potential product!

R. A. Wood Associates designed and built a Direction Finding (DF) Antenna Assembly for one of our customers. The Assembly was designed, built, tested, and delivered in less than 6 months. The requirement was to develop an antenna assembly that could be used as a front end in front of a pair of COTS (Commercial Off the Shelf) receiver boards. The DF Antenna Assembly provided the capability to supply Direction Finding (DF) for incoming signals or emitters.

The DF Antenna Assembly included:
  • Capability to provide amplitude and phase DF between antenna pairs
  • 360 degree angular coverage
  • Low cost universal design (can be used with many different receivers)
  • Low noise figure RF front end (~3.5-4.0 dB)
  • Calibration injection to calibrate receiver amplitude and phase
  • Wide frequency coverage (500 MHz to 3 GHz)
  • High dynamic range
  • Digital Compass for DF Antenna Assembly pointing information
  • RF switches controlled by an Ethernet interface
More information is available from our DF Antenna Assembly www page
Posted by Bob Wood at 2:01 AM
Edited on: Wednesday, October 09, 2013 11:26 AM
Categories: 10 QuickNews, 20 Hardware Products-Current, 40 Engineering Consulting Services-Current