Evaluation of X-band Up/Down Converter Design for Pulse Radar Application

This paper presents the evaluation of the X-band frequency converter design for multiple applications (e.g. electronic warfare, pulse-Doppler radar, passive radar) in a system based on the Radio Frequency System-on-Chip (RFSoC) chip. Two hardware implementations are being compared - one based on Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) components and the solution built on a dedicated Printed-Circuit-Board (PCB). The advantages and disadvantages of both approaches are shown in terms of achievable parameter ranges, mechanical properties, fields of application, and scalability. A general comparison of the Up/Down Converter (UDC) performance is analyzed. The developed hardware has been validated within the real-life radar system in a laboratory; thus, the signal processing results are also covered.