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High Power Hopping Filter
Navy SBIR 2009.1 - Topic N091-075 ONR - Mrs. Tracy Frost - [email protected] Opens: December 8, 2008 - Closes: January 14, 2009 N091-075 TITLE: High Power Hopping Filter TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Information Systems, Ground/Sea Vehicles, Electronics, Battlespace 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: Develop an electronically tuned SINGARS (Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio System) high power hopping notch filter multi-coupler assembly suitable to remove interference for up to 8 SINCGARS co-located radios. This technology would be applicable to other frequency-hopping tactical radios in the VHF (very high frequency) and lower UHF (ultra high frequency) bands. DESCRIPTION: The United States Marine Corps is interested in minimizing the number of vehicular antennas specifically at the VHF frequency range. At VHF frequencies, the SINCGARS radio is primarily used. Using the radio in hopping mode is critical for VHF (30-88 MHz) operation. The need for four SINCGARS links and up to eight links may be necessary for some operations. A multi-coupler capable of supporting up to eight links in a single transmit/receive antenna is required. Some consideration can be given to the use of one single transmit and single received antenna. The output power of the SINCGARS radio after amplification is 50 W. Hopping filters that are high power, high Q, low insertion loss, and have high out of band rejecting is needed to reduce broadband noise and inter-modulation products produced by amplification of the various transmitting links. The hopping filters need to hop synchronized to the SINCGARS radio. The Q of the filters should in the order of 130. Due to poor isolation of co-located antennas on vehicles, receive antennas are subjected to high power co-site signals. To reduce co-site signal and other interference signal, high power hopping filters capable of rejecting interference are also needed on the receive side. The multi-coupler designed during this effort must be capable of supporting both transmit and receive. Consideration should be given to extending the technology developed under this effort to UHF applications. Size, weight, and power minimization is critical. The primary application would be for a USMC vehicle. The width should not exceed a standard 19 inch equipment rack. PHASE I: Develop an architecture with sufficient justification to proceed to a Phase 2. PHASE II: Develop functional hardware prototype. Demonstrate proper functionality of prototype. PHASE III: Develop a ruggedized, functional multi-coupler. PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL/DUAL-USE APPLICATIONS: Many public service providers operate radios in the VHF and lower UHF bands. Where ever a multi-radio installation is used in a limited area such as an on-site command center, co-site interference is a problem. Co-site interference leads to reduce radio performance and at times an inability to effectively communicate. This technology, if successful, will allow implementation of on-site and mobile command centers with improved performance and therefore more effective application of the needed services. REFERENCES: 2. USMC S&T Strategic Plan, August 2007: 3. Additional information provided by TPOC to clarify the topic requirements: In the Objective, the phrase should read: "Develop ... high power hopping BAND-PASS filter multi-coupler assembly ..." instead of "... hopping NOTCH filter multi-coupler assembly...". KEYWORDS: Tunable hopping filters, SINCGARS, VHF, co-site interference
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