Avalon Electronics - AE7800 SIGINT Disk Recording System

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Product Features

Accepts almost any microwave receiver IF
Outputs data in original IF analog format and as named computer- compatible files
Integral AE7000 Disk Recorder with 2.2 Terabit Hot-swappable Crate
Integral Windows NT Workstation 4 PC
Control by standard keyboard, mouse and video monitor
Record time-stamping to 100 ns resolution (optional)
Networks easily into any NT or UNIX environment via 10/100 Ethernet Port
Backup/Restore to/from built-in Exabyte M2 or AIT-2tape drive (optional)
Long-term Monitoring options

Avalon AE7800 SIGINT Data Capture System

The AE7800 SIGINT Data Capture System is a revolutionary means of capturing, storing and distributing the IF output of microwave receivers in a single, totally integrated package.The integral Microsoft NT Workstation 4 allows the user to save and distribute selected passages of data directly to disk as named binary or ASCII files, totally eliminating the computer interfacing problems traditionally associated with high performance data recorders.

System Overview

Avalon’s AE7800 SIGINT Data Capture System offers a revolutionary new means of capturing, storing and distributing the output of microwave receivers in a COMINT or ELINT environment. The system solves all of the data handling and system integration problems traditionally associated with this type of application.

For maximum signal fidelity, the unit accepts all standard I/F analog outputs up to 250 MHz. Record time-stamping to a one-second resolution is standard while GPS time-stamping to an accuracy of 100 ns is a user-specified option. Data can be recorded continuously, or in looping or triggered mode, depending upon the application. The recording medium is a bank of high performance hard-disks, presently offering a storage capacity of 2.2 Terabit per hot-swappable disk crate.

Two methods of replay are provided as standard. First, data can be output in analog form at its original IF (intermediate frequency) directly into a standard signal and pulse analyser. But more importantly for many applications, selected passages can be saved to disk as named binary or ASCII files and then distributed to other users within an NT or UNIX network environment via a 10/100 Ethernet connection. To facilitate this process, the AE7000 is linked to a built-in 2U Windows NT Workstation 4 via its SCSI connector. Avalon provides a range of basic software utilities for this process as part of the package. In both analog and digital replay modes, data can be replayed continuously or in repetitive, variable width slices - down to just 36 ms duration at 50 MHz, if required.

Details of major system components

System Control

Manual remote control of all AE7800 system functions is by means of a standard computer keyboard, mouse and monitor. The four multi-function pushbuttons of the AE7000 Disk Recorder are mapped to keyboard function keys F1 to F4. The keyboard cursor keys duplicate the action of the rotary digital encoder while the Enter key emulates that action of pressing the encoder button. The AE7000’s color display can be presented on an external video monitor. Thus all functions and status indications of the AE7000 Disk Recorder can be achieved at a remote station without any special systems engineering. All AE7000 functions can also be called from bespoke control programs which do not form part of the standard AE7800 package. The basic operation of the AE 7000 is described in AE7000 Disk Recorder.

The BlackBox ServSelect Video/Keyboard Switch allows the user to operate both the AE7000 Disk Recorder and the NT Workstation, the Desktop of which displays ‘shortcuts’ to the proprietary utilities, described below.

IF-to-Baseband Converter Control

For applications where it is necessary to switch rapidly between several microwave receiver set-ups, Avalon normally installs the appropriate proprietary configuration utility. Once this has been launched, the IF input frequency and baseband frequency can be adjusted at the system keyboard. For more complex systems, a range of multi-input / multi-mode multiplexer options exist. Please contact Avalon for further details.

Recording

Typically, the IF output of the user’s microwave receiver is basebanded to either 20 or 50 MHz in order to achieve the best possible signal fidelity. Any adjustments to input sensitivity, offset, etc. can be made by switching keyboard/monitor control to the AE7000.

Text annotations and event marks can be made from the keyboard as recording proceeds.

Time/Date-stamping

For many applications, the one second accuracy of the AE7000’s standard internal Time/Date-stamping feature is adequate. However, where greater precision is required, an optional GPS-based Time & Frequency System can be specified. The standard fit is the Zyfer GPSTARPLUS Model 565 which offers a timing accuracy of better than +/-100 ns (95% probability) with respect to UTC in timelocked mode or better than +/-7µs in coasting mode (with a Rubidium oscillator). The recording is time-stamped precisely at the start of each ‘cluster’ (1 cluster = 4,096 MB), intermediate time interval being calculated with reference to the sampling clock.

When data is replayed in Play Loop mode a TTL output pulse is issued at the start of each playback loop . This pulse can be used to trigger an oscilloscope set to delay trigger mode in order to determine the Time of Arrival of a certain data point to an accuracy equivalent to resolution of the recorder time-stamp (+/- 100 ns in the case of the GPS-base method).

Extracting Data in Computer Compatible File Formats

A unique feature of the AE7800 SIGINT Data Capture System is the way that recorded data can be converted directly into named binary or ASCII files. Using proprietary utilities which are called from the Desktop of the Workstation, selected passages can be saved either to the Workstation’s own hard disk or to any other networked drive via a 10/100 Ethernet connection. Files created in this way are immediately available to all authorised users on the network.

Since the IBM-compatible computer which forms part of the AE7800 SIGINT Data Capture System is a fully spec’ed NT Workstation, it can be linked directly into any Windows or UNIX network environment in the usual way via its 10/100 Ethernet port. This means that files can be copied, saved, transmitted, analysed and otherwise manipulated without the need of any special systems integration. For example, AE7800 supports Windows Network Neighbourhood and FTP file transfers, as standard

Long-term Monitoring Solutions

For applications requiring continuous data capture for extended - even indefinite - periods, Avalon offers a range of Automated Data Storage Solutions. Please contact Avalon Electronics for further details.