WD-3000 Direction Finding System

Fully stand-alone system  Proven and reliable pseudo-Doppler method  Mobile or stationary usage  Superior accuracy  Very wide frequency range  Antenna arrays for mobile and stationary applications

The WD-3000 system satisfies the need for a flexible, transportable, affordable and easily deployable direction finding system. It is a ruggedized mobile workstation with a high contrast TFT LCD display and standard computer facilities which can be also used simultaneously for other applications. The unit contains one or more WiNRADiO card receivers which are available up to a very wide frequency range of 150 kHz to 4 GHz.

The main user interface of the system is designed as a "plug-in" for the familiar virtual control panel of a typical WiNRADiO receiver, making it possible to select frequency and operate the system as simply as a conventional communications receiver when searching for signals.

The direction finding software performs statistical calculations and presents the results in several ways, making it posible to determine the signal direction even under the most difficult conditions. The control panel contains four displays: a circular azimuth indicator, a waterfall display showing time progress of the signal bearing, a histogram, and finally a digital display of the calculated bearing.

The azimuth display can also work in a polar mode, indicating the relative strength of the signal by the trace length. The number of displayed traces can be user-defined, with a decay effect applied to the oldest traces. The most recent indication has the greatest intensity, and the oldest one is the least visible, in a very effective "radar like" display. This makes it easier for the operator to determine the direction of moving targets under difficult multi-path propagation conditions.

The waterfall display shows bearing variations against time, and can employ either a linear or exponential averaging method, with user-adjustable parameters.

The angular histogram under the waterfall display makes it easier to assess the direction in cases of random varying multi-path propagation conditions or a strong interference between the antenna rotation tone and spectral components of the received signal modulation.

The peak of the displayed histogram represents the direction to transmitter with the greatest probability, and the width of the base indicates the bearing accuracy.

The control panel makes it possible to set alarms which are activated if a measured signal falls inside (or outside) a stipulated bearing range.

A choice of rotation speeds exists to minimize interference with the spectral components of the measured signal.

The WR-3000 unit is housed in a light-weight robust mobile workstation made of extruded aluminium, hardcoated with a special EMI protecting material. The unit is operated via a 105-key spill-proof keyboard with a trackball.

Technical Specifications

Options

Antenna arrays for mobile and stationary applications for various frequency ranges.