Unlock RF Spectrum Secrets with the GaGe CSE1622 Digitizer

Summary: High-speed spectrum sensing is essential in many radar applications and can be achieved by modern digitizers paired with radios. The GaGe CSE1622, a gallium-germanium 16-bit, 200-MS/s PCIe digitizer, is utilized for this purpose. It rapidly captures 40-MHz-wide snapshots of the spectrum, which are filtered and down-converted by the SI-8614 Nanoceptor receiver. The data is then processed using LabVIEW virtual instruments (VIs), optimized for near-continuous capture rates and efficient real-time monitoring.

For optimal performance, a LabVIEW producer-consumer loop is employed. The producer loop quickly queues data captured from the digitizer; however, the consumer loop processes it slower using CUDA to perform multi-channel fast Fourier transform (FFT) computations. This setup is effective for wideband spectrum sensing and detecting nonlinear targets. Additionally, a higher resolution digitizer, the NI PXI-5922, is integrated to measure harmonics as low as -130 dBm, while maintaining the ability to capture higher power fundamental signals.

Explorations into using 24-bit high-fidelity audio cards as a low-cost, high-resolution digitizing solution for narrowband applications are also conducted, showcasing the versatility and efficiency of the GaGe CSE1622 digitizer in various spectrum monitoring tasks.

By leveraging the capabilities of the GaGe CSE1622 digitizer, researchers and engineers can achieve precise and efficient RF data capture, making it an invaluable tool in advanced spectrum analysis applications.

Read the full story on the Defense Technical Information Center website.

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