CONFIGURING TELEMETRY SYSTEMS FOR HIGH-POWER-MICROWAVE TESTING

Abstract

During high-power microwave (HPM) testing, where the item under test is subjected to power levels up to several thousand W/cm , the RF energy present will make typical 2 telemetry RF links useless. Therefore, other means must be used to retrieve the data during the tests. One method to accomplish data retrieval is to replace the RF data link with a fiber-optic link. This is done by replacing the transmitter with a fiber-optic transmitter on the sending end and the RF receiver with a fiber-optic receiver on the receiving end. Although this sounds simple, it is not always so. Solutions for PCM and FM-FM systems are relatively straightforward, whereas PAM systems present a unique set of problems. This paper addresses possible solutions for PCM and FM-FM and three possible solutions for PAM, one being by using a PAM-to-PCM converter.