EECL DCX-23202 Configurable Dual Channel Frequency Converter Module

The EECL DCX-23202 Dual Channel Converter module that can be configured for RF->IF or IF->RF (independent) conversion utilizing two frequency and phase-locked channels.  Featuring a gain control of 48dB on RF and 32dB on IF with a maximum conversion gain of 10dB, Up and Down conversion can be reversed as required independently. Each channel has high isolation of 90dB. The LO used for mixing is generated from an ultra-low phase noise VCO internally and can be set anywhere from 8GHz to 32GHz with a 1MHz step resolution. The unit’s low phase noise supports high-end modulation schemes with, for example QAM16 230MHz bandwidth, having an EVM of 32dB at 30GHz. This makes the unit suitable for use in advanced communication systems. The high level of integration and flexibility of the frequency plan makes the unit a perfect fit for defense applications. 

The unit has an integrated selectable filter bank to remove the unwanted side-band and suppress LO leakage, the unit provides extremely high dynamic range and low noise figure. The unit takes up to a 24V power supply and operates over USB with a simple UART-based command set and therefore is suitable for control with Matlab, C, Python and Labview. The unit is drift-stabilized by the inclusion of an oven and applicable for long term use in a calibrated system.

The system supports both up-conversion and down-conversion across the following frequency ranges: RF range: 8GHz to 32GHz; IF Range: 100MHz to 8GHz. The attenuators provide up to 60dB of control range. At minimum settings, the overall conversion gain is about 10dB positive, depending on the particular band being operated. The RF ports are capable of about +3 dBm output power. The RF port has a 0, 16, 32 or 48dB selectable attenuator and it is capable of handling high input powers up to 26dBm while still maintaining linearity. The unit can be internally or externally frequency locked.

EECL’s Dual-Channel 100MHz-32GHz Frequency Converter is a highly-integrated and highly-configurable solution for frequency conversion up to Ka-Band.