AE9000-series SIGINT Data Recorders (2 ch. x 100 MHz)

2-channel SIGINT Disk Recorders for recording wideband IF and baseband (video) data at up to 100 MHz bandwidth.

  • Two parallel wideband channels (IF and/or baseband)
  • IFs: 160, 140, 70, 60 and 21.4 MHz (menu-selectable)
  • Four menu-selectable recording bandwidths (100, 50, 25 and 12.5 MHz). Lower bandwidth version also available.)
  • 8- and 16-bit recording modes (menu-selectable)
  • Optimised input/output filtering
  • Built-in down- and up-conversion (IF paths)
  • Real-time FFT (Spectrogram) Display
  • Disk Crate (1 TB standard)
  • Data extraction direct to workstation/network or (optional) built-in LTO-5 tape

The NEW compact, self-contained Avalon AE9000-series SIGINT Disk Recorder is designed to record, reproduce and export two parallel channels of wideband signals at bandwidths of up to 100 MHz per channel. The two channel inputs can be configured to record IF and/or baseband (video) signals in any combination (2 x IF, 2 baseband or one channel of each). Either channel can be disabled to provided longer record times and/or higher resolution for single channel applications. Two user-selectable recording resolutions are offered: 8-bits for routine data collection tasks and 16-bits for high-resolution applications. User-selectable IFs include 160, 140, 70 and 21.4 MHz.

Four user-selectable recording bandwidths are supported: 100, 50, 25 and 12.5 MHz (per channel). The unit’s hot-swappable 1 TB Disk Crate is able to store up to 40 minutes of mission data at the full 2 ch. x 100 MHz (8-bit) or 1 ch. x 100 MHz (16-bit) recording rates. Record times are proportionately longer at lower channel counts, resolutions or bandwidths. The bandwidth and resolution of the two available channels can be ‘mixed and matched’ for combined ELINT/COMINT applications – for example,one channel of 100 MHz bandwidth at 8-bit resolution plus one channel of 50 MHz bandwidth at 16-bit resolution.

The primary means of local control is by means of a monitor, mouse and keyboard attached to the recorder’s rear panel. The unit can also be controlled remotely. The unit also supports snapshot recording. An alternative model, AE9000-50/25/12, is also available supporting a maximum total recording bandwidth of 50 MHz.

As with all Avalon SIGINT recorders, AE9000-100/50/25/12 incorporates high-precision anti-alias input filtering and advanced, custom-designed analog-to-digital conversion techniques in order to provide the signal quality required by critical applications such as LPI (low probability of intercept) and SEI (specific emitter identification). IF signals are down-converted to the selected recording bandwidth using fast digital signal processing (DSP) techniques and recorded as IQ (complex) pairs of samples for easy up-conversion during replay. Baseband signals are recorded as ‘real’ samples

In addition to normal analog replay, recorded data can be exported in digital form. For example, it is possible to BACKUP selected passages of data to an optional built-in Ultrium LTO-5 tape drive using software utilities running on the recorder itself. Data stored on LTO-5 tapes can be RESTORED to the same or another AE9000-100/50/25/12 for analog replay or transcribed to conventional storage media at a remote digital analysis facility. Alternatively, data can be exported directly to an analysis computer via a 1 GB LAN.