TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Ground/Sea Vehicles

ACQUISITION PROGRAM: Ships Signal Exploitation Equipment Increment F (ACATIII)

The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals, their country of origin, and what tasks each would accomplish in the statement of work in accordance with section 3.5.b.(7) of the solicitation.

OBJECTIVE: To develop a multiplexer that divides up the 30-88 MHz frequency band into a minimum of 30 channels with a minimum of 30 dB isolation between channels from band center to band center. This multiplexer must be smaller than 18 inches X 18 inches X 4 inches and have an insertion loss of less than 8 dB.

DESCRIPTION: Current state of the art in multiplexer design only allows the 30 to 88 MHz to be divided into 14 frequency bands and in an 18 inch X 18 inch X 4 inch package. This task is intended to develop the technology to build a 30 to 88 MHz multiplexer that can provide a minimum of 30 frequency bands with a band center to band center isolation of 30 dB and an insertion loss in band of 8 dB maximum. These bands are required to allow the frequency hopped Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio (SINCGARS) signal to be blocked in one of these bands and allow desired signal reception in the other bands. The greater the number of frequency bands the less frequency band will be blocked by the SINCGARS signal allowing reception over a greater portion of the band. Two of these multiplexers will be connected back to back in a Comb Limiter Combiner (CLIC) configuration and switches or limiters will be used to eliminate the frequency hopping SINGARS interferer and allowing desired signals to pass through the non-interfering bands.

PHASE I: Assess technical issues and risks associated with developing this multiplexer. Conduct computer modeling and demonstrate that this multiplexer can theoretically be built and provide a plan on how this multiplexer would be built to meet the performance and size requirements.

PHASE II: Design, Develop, manufacture and deliver two each advanced prototype multiplexers in compliance with the above specification. Validate the performance through calibrated RF measurements. DemonstrateShow that when these prototype multiplexers are connected back to back excessive ripple (greater than 6 dB) does not occur due to unmatched filter roll-offs. Under the Phase 2 Option task, the advanced prototype multiplexers will be assembled into the CLIC architecture with switches, limiters or other devices to limit the power through each channel and low noise amplifiers installed after these devices. Demonstrate this CLIC device showing rejection of a SINCGARS-like signal and transmission of desired signals.

PHASE III: Develop a pre-production version of the 30+ channel CLIC system. This pre-production CLIC will be integrated into on board SSEE system and its Military Utility Assessment will be determined in an operational sea trial.

PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL/DUAL-USE APPLICATIONS: This multiplexer technology could be used by the cellular telephone industry to connect several transmitters to the same antenna, increasing the number of transmit channels that could be coupled to one antenna.

REFERENCES:
1. United States Patent 6549560, Comb limiter combiner for frequency-hopped communications.
C. J. Savant Jr., et al., Electronic Circuit Design, An Engineering Approach, p. 43, 1987.

KEYWORDS: Multiplexer; CLIC; SINCGARS; comb; limiter; Combiner

TPOC: Hale Simonds
Phone: (619)533-2584
Fax:
Email: [email protected]
2nd TPOC: William Kordela
Phone: (619)524-7316
Fax: (619)524-7374
Email: [email protected]

** TOPIC AUTHOR (TPOC) **

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