VMEbus compliant RF downconverter and digitizer

An SBIR project is proposed to develop a VMEbus compliant RF downconverter and digitizer. The RF downconverter provides direct digitization of signals in the 0 to 10 MHz frequency range and tuning and digitization wit a bandwidth of 10 MHz and a step size of 500 kHz within the 10 to 1800 MHz frequency range. The RF downconverter function is performed with a set of two moduels that are compatible with the VMEbus interface and card size specifications. Each module is packaged in a single slot 6U VME form factor and both modules are controlled over the VMEbus. One module contains the RF preselection, frequency conversion, IF, and digitization stages of the tuner. The second module contains all of the phase locked oscillators required for the frequency converison stages, as well as the A/D converter clock generator. This set of VMEbus modules performing hte RF tuning and digitizing functions is a natural compliment to the wide range of high performance signal processing boards currently available for the VMEbus.