Development of a receiver downconverter module for Ka-band satellite payload

This paper describes the design and the test results of the receiver-downconverter module for a Ka-band Satellite Payload. The developed module has the low noise amplification in front stage and frequency down conversion which translates from 30.6 GHz - 31.0 GHz to 20.8 GHz - 21.2 GHz.. It has been fabricated and tested by the qualified satellite component manufacturing process and it shows the best performance of the receiver-downconverter modules operating at Ka-band frequency up to date. The module has the performance of 1.9 dB of NF, 55 dB of Gain, and 57 dBc of C/13 for the two-tone signals of -59 dBm input power, respectively, at ambient temperature. It is a small and light module with the size of 93 mm /spl times/ 84 mm /spl times/ 26 mm and the weight of 240 g.