Quonset Microwave QM2010-10-20 User manual

Quonset Microwave

www.quonsetmicrowave.com

QM2010-10-20

USB RF Synthesizer Module

10 GHz –20 GHz output

For price, delivery, and to place orders, please contact Quonset Microwave, a subsidiary of Applied Radar:

315 Commerce Park Road, North Kingstown, RI 02852 Phone: 401-295-0062

-1- Revised June 21, 2023

Typical Applications

Low cost signal generators

Test equipment

RF system integration

Communication systems

X, Ku, and K band systems

Frequency conversion

Features

Wideband RF output, 10 GHz to 20 GHz

Integer and Fractional operating modes

Maximum output power greater than +10 dBm

across the entire band

Up to 30 dB output attenuation tunable in 1 dB

steps

USB interface

USBTMC VISA Compliant

User selectable internal reference or externally

applied reference

General Description

QM2010-10-20 Side View

Part Number and Serial Number

QM2010-10-20 Side View

USB, Lock Status, and External Reference LEDs

External Reference MMCX input, Reference Out MMCX output

Larger images in the Device Housing section

The QM2010 USB RF synthesizer series from

Quonset Microwave offers a low cost solution for

today’s demanding RF signal generation needs.

The QM2010-10-20 RF Synthesizer Module is a low-

cost, wideband 10 GHz to 20 GHz frequency

synthesizer ideally suited for bench top test and

measurement as well as low-cost small form-factor

communications systems. Its wide output frequency

range, superb spurious rejection, and excellent phase

noise performance provide a high-quality, low-cost

alternative to conventional bench top RF signal

generators. The RF synthesizer module is capable of

phase locking to its internal 50 MHz reference or a

user provided external reference.

The RF synthesizer module is powered and controlled

directly by a host PC through USB. The QM2010-10-

20 is VISA compliant, enabling seamless cross-

platform use. Users can control QM2010 series

synthesizers through a lightweight control GUI,

supported on Windows®, Macintosh®, or Linux®

platforms, with SCPI compliant VISA commands,

described in the QM2010 User Manual, or with third

party development environments such as LabVIEW®.

The RF Synthesizer you can carry in your pocket!

Quonset Microwave

www.quonsetmicrowave.com

QM2010-10-20

USB RF Synthesizer Module

10 GHz –20 GHz output

For price, delivery, and to place orders, please contact Quonset Microwave, a subsidiary of Applied Radar:

315 Commerce Park Road, North Kingstown, RI 02852 Phone: 401-295-0062

-2- Revised June 21, 2023

Electrical Specifications

Parameter

Min.

Typ.

Max.

Units

RF Operating Frequency

GHz

Reference Input Frequency (Sine or square wave)

100

MHz

Reference Input Power (Sine or square wave)

dBm

SSB Phase Noise with 10 GHz

internal 50 MHz reference 15 GHz

(100 kHz Offset) 20 GHz

-81

-80

-82

dBc/Hz

RF Output Power Ranges:

Maximum Power

10 GHz

15 GHz

20 GHz

+17

+15

+19

+17

+11

+21

+19

+13

dBm

Minimum Power

10 GHz

15 GHz

20 GHz

-16

-19

-25

-14

-17

-22

-12

-14

-19

dBm

RF Harmonics: 10 GHz (2nd/3rd/4th)

15 GHz (2nd)

20 GHz (2nd)

-15 / -40 / -60

-30

-45

dBc

Locking Time

μs

Frequency Resolution:* Integer Mode

Fractional Mode

200*

MHz

Power Resolution

Internal reference frequency

MHz

Internal oscillator frequency stability

±0.5

ppm

Voltage (USB Bus)

Current Draw

500

* Under default conditions –a 50 MHz reference input with a reference divider of 1. See “Integer and Fractional Modes of

Operation” for more information

Programming Interface

The QM2010 series of RF synthesizers can be controlled using any computer with a USB port running

Windows®, Macintosh®, or Linux®operating systems. Other configurations may be possible since the

synthesizer uses the USB Test and Measurement Device (USBTMC) class standard to emulate a GPIB bus.

This allows for easy integration into existing test setups. A Windows®compatible USBTMC driver is supplied

with the module. Most distributions of Linux®already have USBTMC drivers included in the kernel, and

Macintosh®users will need to obtain drivers from a third party. Installation of drivers is not necessary if you

already have a compliant VISA runtime installation, such as one provided by National Instruments or Agilent.

A lightweight GUI using the VISA runtime is provided with the module.

The synthesizer is controlled by delivering SCPI 1999.0 compliant text-based commands through the USB

interface. For command structure information and a full command list, see the USB Programming manual

(QM2010-99-2).

Quonset Microwave

www.quonsetmicrowave.com

QM2010-10-20

USB RF Synthesizer Module

10 GHz –20 GHz output

For price, delivery, and to place orders, please contact Quonset Microwave, a subsidiary of Applied Radar:

315 Commerce Park Road, North Kingstown, RI 02852 Phone: 401-295-0062

-3- Revised June 21, 2023

Integer and Fractional Modes of Operation

The QM2010 USB RF synthesizer Module is capable of operating in integer or fractional mode. In integer

mode, the frequency resolution of the QM2010-10-20 is dependent on the reference frequency and reference

divider as defined by this relationship   

  .On first power-up, the QM2010-10-20 is set to

integer mode and uses the internal 50 MHz reference with a reference divider value of 1. This provides a

default frequency step size of 200 MHz. Operation in fractional mode allows for a frequency step size of 1

MHz. When operating in fractional mode, it is recommended to set the reference divider value to 1.

Table 1 –Integer vs. Fractional Mode Comparison

Parameter

Integer Mode

Fractional Mode

Phase Noise

Comparable to fractional mode phase noise

at offset frequencies ≤ 100 kHz, if the

reference divider value is ≤ 2

Degrades as reference divider increases

Comparable to integer mode at offset

frequencies ≤ 100 kHz, if the reference

divider value = 1 (should always be 1 for

best performance).

Spurious Content

Better spurious performance

Additional spurs present at frequency offsets

≤ 5 MHz (see Figure 2)

Recommendation

Use whenever possible for best

performance

Use when fine frequency resolution is

required

Figures 1 and 2 illustrate the performance difference between integer and fractional mode when tuning to 15.9

GHz with a 50 MHz reference. In order to tune to 15.9 GHz with a 50 MHz reference, the user can either

operate in integer mode with a reference divider of 2, or in fractional mode with a reference divider of 1. Figure

1 depicts the phase noise differences between 15.9 GHz in fractional mode vs. integer mode with a reference

divider of 2, whereas Figure 2 shows the spurious content difference in a 10 MHz span between the two

modes of operation.

Figure 1 - Fractional vs. Integer Mode Phase Noise

Figure 2 –Fractional vs. Integer Mode Spectrum

10 MHz span, RBW = 10 kHz, VBW = 300 Hz

Quonset Microwave

www.quonsetmicrowave.com

QM2010-10-20

USB RF Synthesizer Module

10 GHz –20 GHz output

For price, delivery, and to place orders, please contact Quonset Microwave, a subsidiary of Applied Radar:

315 Commerce Park Road, North Kingstown, RI 02852 Phone: 401-295-0062

-4- Revised June 21, 2023

Frequency Reference Considerations

Aside from reference divider selection, the phase noise performance and stability of the reference oscillator

has a direct effect on QM2010 phase noise performance. The QM2010-10-20 includes an on board, high

precision TXCO 50 MHz reference whose phase noise parameters are outlined in Table 2. To ensure optimal

QM2010 performance when an external reference is required, it is important to choose an accurate and stable

oscillator with specifications equal to or better than the 50 MHz TCXO Int Ref outlined in Table 2.

Figure 3 depicts phase noise performance differences between the QM2010-10-20 high precision TXCO

internal reference and an ultra high precision OCXO external reference. Phase noise performance with

different reference divider settings is also shown. Table 2 outlines the performance differences between

reference oscillators.

Table 2 –Reference Characteristics –Internal Reference vs. External

Parameter

50 MHz TCXO Int Ref

20 MHz OCXO Ext Ref

SSB Phase Noise at 10 Hz Offset

-70 dBc/Hz

-110 dBc/Hz

SSB Phase Noise at 100 Hz Offset

-110 dBc/Hz

-135 dBc/Hz

SSB Phase Noise at 1 kHz Offset

-135 dBc/Hz

-150 dBc/Hz

Frequency Stability at 25oC

± 0.5 ppm

± 0.2 ppm

Frequency Stability vs. Temp

± 0.25 ppm

± .02 ppm

Figure 3 - Phase Noise Reference and Reference Divider Comparison

Quonset Microwave

www.quonsetmicrowave.com

QM2010-10-20

USB RF Synthesizer Module

10 GHz –20 GHz output

For price, delivery, and to place orders, please contact Quonset Microwave, a subsidiary of Applied Radar:

315 Commerce Park Road, North Kingstown, RI 02852 Phone: 401-295-0062

-5- Revised June 21, 2023

QM2010-10-20 Performance Plots

Unless explicitly defined, all data was taken with the internal 50 MHz reference operating in integer mode with

a reference divider value of 1.

Figure 4 shows representative phase noise plots for 10 GHz, 15 GHz, and 20 GHz carrier outputs.

Figure 5 is the maximum and minimum power output vs. tuning frequency.

Figures 6-11 show the representative spectral plots at several frequencies.

Power Calibration

The QM2010 series of USB Stick Synthesizers feature output power control tunable to within ± 1 dB of a

desired power level.

If the selected power level exceeds the maximum or minimum output power levels shown in Figure 5, the

QM2010 will set the power level to the closest possible value.

Quonset Microwave

www.quonsetmicrowave.com

QM2010-10-20

USB RF Synthesizer Module

10 GHz –20 GHz output

For price, delivery, and to place orders, please contact Quonset Microwave, a subsidiary of Applied Radar:

315 Commerce Park Road, North Kingstown, RI 02852 Phone: 401-295-0062

-6- Revised June 21, 2023

QM2010-21-24 Performance Plots

Figure 4 - Representative Phase Noise Plots

Figure 5 - Frequency vs. Output Power from 10 GHz

to 20 GHz in 40 MHz steps

Figure 6 –10 GHz Output, DC-40 GHz, VBW/RBW =

100 kHz

Figure 7 –15 GHz Output, DC-40 GHz, VBW/RBW =

100 kHz

Quonset Microwave

www.quonsetmicrowave.com

QM2010-10-20

USB RF Synthesizer Module

10 GHz –20 GHz output

For price, delivery, and to place orders, please contact Quonset Microwave, a subsidiary of Applied Radar:

315 Commerce Park Road, North Kingstown, RI 02852 Phone: 401-295-0062

-7- Revised June 21, 2023

Figure 8 –20 GHz Output, DC-40 GHz, VBW/RBW =

100 kHz

Figure 9 –16 GHz Output, 100 MHz span,

RBW = 10 kHz, VBW = 3 kHz

Figure 4 –16 GHz Output, 10 MHz span,

RBW = 3 kHz, VBW = 1 kHz

Figure 5 –16 GHz Output, 100 kHz span,

RBW = 100 Hz, VBW = 30 Hz

Quonset Microwave

www.quonsetmicrowave.com

QM2010-10-20

USB RF Synthesizer Module

10 GHz –20 GHz output

For price, delivery, and to place orders, please contact Quonset Microwave, a subsidiary of Applied Radar:

315 Commerce Park Road, North Kingstown, RI 02852 Phone: 401-295-0062

-8- Revised June 21, 2023

Device Housing

The QM2010 housing is a doubled sided pin fin heat sink constructed of anodized aluminum as shown in

Figures 12 and 13. This creates an extremely rugged package that provides adequate surface area for natural

convection cooling and EMI protection for the sensitive electronics housed within. The device should be kept

clean and unobstructed in order to promote air circulation. Because the device is cooled through natural

convection, a case temperature rise of +20 oC over ambient conditions can be expected. If this product is used

outside of a lab environment (+30 oC ambient conditions) users are urged to exhibit care while handling the

device, such as wearing heat resistant gloves or applying forced air cooling with an external fan.

Table 3 - QM2010 USB RF Synthesizer Module Physical Parameters

Dimensions

4.1” x 0.9” x 0.645”

Weight

0.2 lbs

Figure 6 –QM2010-10-20 Side View, Part Number and Device Name

Figure 7 –QM2010-10-20 Side View, Status LEDs and External Reference Input

Figure 13 shows the status LED locations on the QM2010 series of USB stick synthesizers. The blue LED to

the left of the “USB” text will illuminate when the device is enumerated by a host PC. The “LOCK” LED will be

green when the device is phase locked or red if the device is unlocked or has RF power disabled. The “EXT

REF” LED should illuminate yellow when the device is set to lock to an external reference. When locking to the

internal 50 MHz reference, the EXT REF LED should be off.

Interface Connections

I/O Connector

Connector Type

Description

EXT REF

MMCX-F

External Reference input (5 MHz to 100 MHz)

REF DIV OUT

MMCX-F

Reference divider out –not used in normal operation

RF out

SMA-F

RF output: 10-20 GHz

USB

USB Type A –Male

USB signal and power

Quonset Microwave

www.quonsetmicrowave.com

QM2010-10-20

USB RF Synthesizer Module

10 GHz –20 GHz output

For price, delivery, and to place orders, please contact Quonset Microwave, a subsidiary of Applied Radar:

315 Commerce Park Road, North Kingstown, RI 02852 Phone: 401-295-0062

-9- Revised June 21, 2023

Accessories

A USB A Extension Cable, 3 feet is included. It is recommended that any non-supplied USB A Extension

Cable have power strands less than or equal to 24 AWG and be as short as possible. The additional voltage

drop inherent in long or high gauge USB cabling will negatively affect QM2010 performance.

Associated Manuals

Description

Link

QM2010 USB Synthesizer Stick

Quick Start Manual

http://www.quonsetmicrowave.com/v/vspfiles/Manuals/QM2010_Quick_

Start.pdf

QM2010 USB Stick Synthesizer

User Manual

http://www.quonsetmicrowave.com/v/vspfiles/Manuals/QM2010_User_Ma

nual.pdf

Associated Products

Product Number

Description

QM2010-4400

35 MHz to 4400 MHz USB Synthesizer

QM2010-6000

25 MHz to 6 GHz USB Synthesizer

QM2010-5-10

5 GHz to 10 GHz USB Synthesizer

QM2010-21-24

21 GHz to 24 GHz USB Synthesizer

QM2010-24-27

24 GHz to 27 GHz USB Synthesizer

QM1002 Series

1U 19” Rack-mountable Single or Dual Channel RF Upconverters

QM1003 Series

1U 19” Rack-mountable Single or Dual Channel RF Downconverters

QM1004 Series

1U 19” Rack-mountable RF Up-Downconverter Module

QM1007 Series

1U 19” Rack-mountable RF Up-Downconverter Module

Absolute Maximums

Ref input power

+20 dBm

ELECTROSTATIC SENSITIVE DEVICE

OBSERVE HANDLING PRECAUTIONS

Vcc

+5.5 Vdc

Operating Temperature

0 to +55 oC

Storage Temperature

-50 to +100 oC

Ordering Information

QM2010-10-20

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