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"With the ATE for SSR we
created using NI PXI modular
instruments and LabVIEW, our
customer reduced radar test
time by 90 percent compared
to earlier desktop instrument
manual connections. Our
customer also saved 60
percent of costs compared
to other ATEs built with
traditional box instruments."
- Vishwanath Kalkur, Captronic
Systems Pvt Ltd
The Challenge:
Using PXI Modular Instruments and
LabVIEW for Secondary Surveillance
Radar ATE
The Solution:
Using NI PXI modular instruments,
along with the NI LabVIEW FPGA
Module, to create a customized,
scalable solution to test the entire
range of radar function.
Unlike primary radars, SSR
calculates the range and azimuth of
a target, such as an aircraft, using
a bidirectional communication link
to gather information, including
identity, altitude, and country code.
Engineers use SSR in both military
and civil aviation, with the former
incorporating an identifying friend-
or-foe system.
SSR works in different modes
to obtain information from
the target. The system sends
interrogating pulses from the radar
in a bidirectional rotating antenna
at 1,030 MHz. If a target detects
interrogation, the transponder of the
target replies with a frame of pulses
at 1,090 MHz. Radar at the ground
station generates interrogating
pulses and requests information
such as identity, altitude, or country
code from the target represented
as mode-A/3A, mode-C, or mode-S.
Based on the interrogation answers,
the aircraft replies with a standard
reply pulse format. The system
calculates range and azimuth based
on the speed-to-distance relation
and rotary antenna position with
respect to north or the heading
direction.
Today’s radars need rigorous testing
before they are deployed in military
or civil
aviation.Wedeveloped an ATE
using NI PXI modular instruments to
facilitate the functionality tests of the
radar and physical parameters test
of the receiver (Rx) and transmitter
(Tx), including Rx bandwidth, Rx
sensitivity, Tx power, and Tx pulse
Using PXI Modular Instruments and LabVIEW
for Secondary Surveillance Radar ATE
Vishwanath Kalkur - Captronic Systems Pvt Ltd
Mondeep Duarah - Captronic Systems Pvt Ltd
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