Radio-Link Subsystem Targets 71 To 86 GHz

Ducommun Technologies has developed an E-band radio-link RF subsystem for use at 71 to 86 GHz. The millimeter-wave subsystem includes two complementary transceiver blocks, with block A transmitting at 71 to 76 GHz and receiving at 81 to 86 GHz and block B transmitting at 81 to 86 GHz and receiving at 71 to 76 GHz. Each block includes a transmitter, receiver, local oscillator (LO), and phase-locked dielectric-resonator-oscillator (PLDRO) modules. Typical transmitter performance includes 29-dB conversion gain and +15 dBm output power at 1-dB compression, using an open gain control loop. Typical receiver performance also includes 29-dB conversion gain and 9-dB noise figure. The typical power consumption for one block is about 6.8 W. The E-band radio-link RF subsystem is ideal for high-speed communications links, such as an E-band multi-gigabit wireless communications system that provides local area networks with data, voice, and video transmissions at rates of 1 to 10 Gb/s.