Home > What's New > Upper Saddle River, NJ - November 11, 2013

Pentek Introduces 2-Channel Analog RF Tuner for Communications, Radar and Signal Intelligence Systems

Wide RF signal tuning range from 400 MHz to 4 GHz Amplifies RF input levels as low as -60 dBm Output signal bandwidths to 390 MHz Available in PMC/XMC, AMC, VPX, cPCI and PCIe formats

Pentek, Inc., today announced the newest member of its Bandit® family of RF modules. The Model 7120 2-channel analog RF tuner accepts RF signals over the range of 400 MHz to 4 GHz, amplifying, filtering and downconverting them to an IF signal suitable for A/D conversion by any of several Pentek signal acquisition modules. The Model 7120 is packaged in a shielded PMC/XMC module with front panel connections for easy integration into RF systems without the use of an external tuner.

"The 7120 is a powerful addition to the existing Bandit RF tuner product line. With wider RF input signal frequency coverage, wider IF output bandwidths, improved noise figure and higher channel density, Pentek offers customers a new solution to their system requirements at an affordable price," said Paul Mesibov, chief technical officer, Pentek Inc.

Wide Programmable Input Level

The 7120 accepts RF signals on two front panel SSMC connectors. Low noise amplifiers are provided along with two programmable attenuators allowing downconversion of input signals ranging from -60 dBm to -20 dBm in steps of 0.5 dB. The Model 7120 input frequency is programmable across the 400 to 4000 MHz band with a tuning resolution of less than 100 KHz.

Input Filter Options

An optional five-stage lowpass or bandpass input filter can be specified with several available frequency and attenuation characteristics for RF image rejection and harmonic suppression./P>

On-board Reference Clock

The Model 7120 includes a programmable low noise LO frequency synthesizer. It accepts a 10 MHz reference from either a front panel reference input, or from or an on-board 10 MHz oven controlled crystal oscillator, which provides an exceptionally precise frequency standard with excellent phase noise characteristics.

Wideband Baseband or IF Output

Output is provided as baseband I and Q at bandwidths up to 390 MHz. Alternatively, either the I or Q output can be used as a real IF output signal. User provided output IF filters support custom output bandwidths for specific application requirements. Because of the gain, filtering and translation provided by the 7120, the output is well-matched to the A/D inputs of high-performance signal acquisition products from Pentek, including the popular Cobalt® and Onyx® families.

Easy Set Up and Connectivity

The Model 7120 is a shielded PMC/XMC form factor module designed to be integrated on a host carrier for power. The module features a MicroUSB port for programming the input tuning frequencies, gain and reference clock selection. Pentek's ReadyFlow® board support package includes the necessary programming support for the Model 7120.

Form Factors

The Model 7120 PMC/XMC module is designed for air-cooled, conduction-cooled and rugged operating environments. It is available as a 3U/6U Compact PCI (Models 7220/7320/7420), 3U VPX (Model 5220), PCIe (Model 7820) and AMC (Model 5620).

Photos and Attachments

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