MARKET RESEARCH FOR FREQUENCY GENERATOR REPLACEMENT RADAR SYSTEMS DESC: THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) ONLY. The National Weather Service (NWS) is conducting market research for the replacement of the RF Generator in its NEXRAD Weather Surveillance Radar WSR-88D. The RF Generator is the master signal and timing source within the Radar Data Acquisition subsystem and is functionally contained within the receiver. The existing RF Generator has a high failure rate and is encountering obsolescence of critical components. The existing RF Generator is P10S331 manufactured by RDL, Inc. The purpose of this RFI is to gather information from radar receiver manufacturers relating to the availability of RF Generators in the commercial market. The following are the salient characteristics of the existing RF Generator. The RF Generator has four RF outputs: RF, STALO, COHO, and RF Test. RF OUTPUT: Freq 2.7 to 3.0 Ghz with 5 Mhz increment selections within the frequency band; Warm up time: 5 minutes from cold start; Accuracy: .0005%; Stability: .0005% over temperature range 0 to +50 Deg C; Power output: 11.75 to 14.25dBM. LOCAL OSCILLATOR (STALO): Frequency: 2.6424 to 2.9424 Ghz. STALO shall be 57.5491 Mhz less than the RF Freq. Power output: 14.85 to 17dBM. COHO OUTPUT: Freq: 57.5491 Mhz. Power output: 26 to 28dBM. PHASE CONTROL: The RF output and COHO signal outputs shall be capable of being phase controlled by means of a 7 bit digitally controlled phase shift device. Range: 0 to 360 degrees nominal in 2.8125 degree nominal increments; Accuracy: +/-2.5 degrees. The phase shall increase monotonically over the phase control range. COHERENCE: All frequency outputs shall be coherent. SPECTRAL PURITY: Harmonics: RF: 2nd harmonic <-50DBc, all others,-70dBc. STALO,COHO: 2nd<-60dBc, all others<-70dBc. Spurious Frequencies: -70dBc within 80 Mhz of carrier, all outputs. Phase Noise: The single sideband FM noise ratio in a 1 Hz bandwidth of the RF and STALO outputs shall be less than -40 dBc at a frequency offset of 10 Hz from the carrier. It should be -80 dBc at a frequency offset of 100 Hz, 110 dBc at a 1 kHz offset, -135 dBc at a 10 kHz offset and -138 dBc at an offset of 100 kHz. The single sideband FM noise ratio in a 1 Hz bandwidth of the COHO output shall be less than -65 dBc at a frequency offset of 10 Hz from the carrier, -105 dBc at a frequency offset of 100 Hz, -135 dBc at a 1 kHz offset, -160 dBc at a 10 kHz offset and -165 dBc at 100 kHz. GENERAL: A desirable feature of the replacement RF generator is compatibility with state of the art digital receiver technology. The RF generator replacement should allow for accepting and supplying COHO signals in a digital format for synchronization with digital receiver assemblies. Responses to this market survey must include the device manufacturer, a product description with performance parameters, and a statement regarding current availability (NDI, protoype, in production, fully developed but not in production) and estimated cost of the product. This RFI does not constitute an Invitation for Bids, Request for Proposals or Request for Quotes. Should the results of this market research indicate feasibility of RF Generator replacement with an existing commercial product, the NWS will consider retrofit options for its nationwide network of 175 RDAs as a potential follow-on product improvement project. All information should be submitted to the following: Mr. Charles Hughes, U.S. Dept. of Commerce/NOAA/CASC, Procurement Division, 601 E. 12th Street; Kansas City, MO 64106. Responses should be received no later then 30 days from the date of this announcement. No telephone calls will be accepted or returned. E-MAIL: To contact Contracting Officer, click here, charles.a.hughes@noaa.gov. Posted 02/16/99 (W-SN298770).

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