Enterprise Electronics MINIMAX-100C Multi-Mode Radar System User Manual 330758

System Manual

Technical Description for MINIMAX:

Transmitter Chain:

The transmitted RF pulse is generated by a 60MHz Coherent Oscillator

(COHO) operating in a CW mode and pulsed via a high isolation switch which is

then up-converted to the operating RF frequency. The up-convert mixer is of the

triple balanced topology providing generally 25dB of suppression. This RF

pulsed signal is filtered via a 6-cavity tunable filter to ensure that no mixer images

or spurious emissions are generated. A signal preamplifier is then used to

amplify this signal to the level necessary for the high power amplifier. A solid

state amplifier utilizing “Gallium Arsenide Field Effect Transisors” (GaAsFET). The

GaAsFET’s comprise individual power modules which are then combined with

phase matched power combiners to achieve the required power output. Finally,

a harmonic filter is used to eliminate any spurious and harmonic emissions.

Receiver Chain:

The receiver is comprised of a Low Noise Amplifier setting a front end

noise figure of 2.5dB. A 6-pole cavity tunable filter is used as a pre-selector then

to eliminate out of band interferers and to limit spectral content available for

processing. A double balanced mixer is used as a single stage down-converter

with an Intermediate Frequency (IF) of 60MHz. This IF is further processed with

an amplifier, Linear and Logarithmic amplifiers, and a quad phase detector to

form the Intensity and Quadrature (IQ) signals necessary for digitization and

weather moment processing