VRT protocol engine paves way for the future of signal processing

The VITA 49 Radio Transport (VRT) standard defines a transport-layer protocol for data and context packets designed to promote interoperability between radio frequency (RF) receivers and signal processing equipment in a wide range of communication and radar systems. The Pentek Cobalt Model 71664 XMC FPGA module is a 4-channel 200 MHz 16-bit A/D with programmable digital down converter based on the Xilinx Virtex-6 FPGA. Model 71664 is the first Pentek product to include an IP engine for the VRT protocol. “VRT is the future of software-defined radio,” said Paul Mesibov, Pentek’s VP of engineering. “The protocols defined in VRT provide data and context packets that standardize the way information is transported from radio to signal processing equipment.” A front-end A/D converter stage accepts four analog HF or IF inputs on front-panel SSMC connectors, with each transformer coupled to Texas Instruments ADS5485 200 MHz, 16-bit A/D converters. The 200 MHz sampling rate handles the needed bandwidth for a wide range of signal processing applications.