RFOptic’s Multi-Simulator Radio Interconnect System provides multi-channel private wideband RF connection between multiple radios and data links. This RFoF System is fully bidirectional and allows for the shielded and private equivalent of over-the-air connectivity of numerous radio channels. All radios are able to receive and transmit to all other radios through a fully isolated Optical interconnect without any emissions or susceptibility to external interference.

Main applications:

  • Flight simulator radios cross-communication
  • Group training radio infrastructure

Frequency range & RF coverage

The frequency coverage of the system includes HF bands starting at 1MHz while the coverage is typically up to 3GHz, which can be extended to higher frequencies upon request.

Key characteristics

Both enclosures include Tx with built-in LNA and Rx RFoF terminal units. Each of these includes a variable attenuator which can be used to customize the Noise Figure, Input P1dB, and IP3 over wide range of values. For special applications requiring temperature stability operation, a unique optional temperature compensation algorithm supports ±0.5 dB over 1000C variation of the ambient temperature. The RFoF link has excellent gain flatness with 0.5dB gain adjustment and tracking between links.

  • Integrated and flexible multi-channel bidirectional RFoF cross-connect system.
  • Full support for the 1MHz to 3.0GHz bandwidth.
  • Excellent linearity and gain control.
  • Programmable RF and Optical performance.
  • Built-in end-to-end diagnostics reduce installation and maintenance time.
  • Integrated RF and optical power sensors.
  • Reduced gain variation over temperature.
  • Remote management and control via HTML/REST/SNMP interface.

System configuration

The system is configured in a star configuration where each Simulator node which houses its radios is located at one of the vertices of the star configuration which is connected to a central or control node at the center. The center node includes the counterpart of the bidirectional RFoF link for each simulator site as well as an RF Fabric interconnect which cross-connects all signal ports to all others. The RFoF links are fully configurable and programmable are remotely managed and controlled by RFOptic’s M&C interface allowing optical and RF diagnostics as well as fault detection. This flexibility of configuration and the subsystem’s remote management and control functionality through HTML/REST/SNMP interface allow the system to handle very different application and requirements. optional power attenuators might be added to handle high-power(Typically 20W) radios.

  • 19” 1U Indoor enclosures.
  • Configurable number of channels per site.
  • Configurable number of radio sites.
  • Other frequency ranges are available.

Sample RFoF Multi-Simulator Radio Interconnect System block diagram

Conclusion

This system meets the rising demand for flexible multi-simulator radio interconnect systems for flight simulator radios cross-communication and group training radio infrastructure applications. Our system is fully bidirectional for the shielded and private equivalent of over-the-air connectivity of numerous radio channels. Our system is already in use by the military.