R&S®DDF550 Wideband Direction Finder

Fast and precise direction finding

Overview
Models
Options

Key facts

High DF accuracy, sensitivity and immunity to reflections
High DF scan speed due to outstanding 80 MHz realtime bandwidth (VHF/UHF/SHF)

Brief description

The fast R&S^®DDF550 wideband direction finder offers outstanding realtime bandwidth and DF scan speed as well as high DF accuracy, sensitivity and immunity to reflections.

Features & Benefits

Direction finding of short-duration signals with high probability of intercept
Reliable DF results even in challenging environments

Specifications

Models	Frequency range
base unit	20 MHz to 6 GHz
base unit with R&S^®DDF550-HF option²⁾	300 kHz to 6 GHz

Key facts

High DF accuracy, sensitivity and immunity to reflections
High DF scan speed due to outstanding 80 MHz realtime bandwidth (VHF/UHF/SHF)
Easy integration into mobile platforms due to compact size and optional DC power supply
DF antennas with integrated, extendible lightning protection causing no impairment of DF accuracy
Direction finding of signals in the frequency range up to 6 GHz

Brief description

The fast R&S^®DDF550 wideband direction finder offers outstanding realtime bandwidth and DF scan speed as well as high DF accuracy, sensitivity and immunity to reflections. The unit has compact dimensions and is optionally available as a DC-powered model, which makes it ideal for mobile applications.

Features & Benefits

Direction finding of short-duration signals with high probability of intercept
- High DF scan speed due to outstanding 80 MHz realtime bandwidth
- Direction finding of short-duration and frequency agile signals with high probability of intercept
- Enhanced measurement speed (option)
Reliable DF results even in challenging environments
- Higher immunity to reflections due to DF antennas with a very large number of antenna elements (VHF/UHF/SHF)
- Stable bearings in VHF/UHF/SHF range even with a 50 % share of reflections
Innovative DF antennas
- Active/passive switchover with just a mouse click
- Exceptionally high DF sensitivity
- Integrated, extendible lightning protection
- Easy replacement of DF antennas
Precise direction finding of weak signals
- High DF sensitivity due to large number of antenna elements
- Adjustable coherent signal integration in wideband DF and DF scan mode for enhanced DF sensitivity
Accurate and reliable location of short-duration signals
- GPS based synchronization of multiple R&S^®DDF550 (time-synchronized DF scan mode)
- Optional preclassifier detects LPI signals and summarizes individual results into a condensed result
Special and exceptionally powerful receive path for signal measurement
- Special and exceptionally powerful receive path
- Improved analog architecture of the receive path
- Especially powerful analog/digital converters
- Considerable advantages in the case of weak signals and dense signal scenarios
Powerful hardware developed by Rohde & Schwarz
- In-house development and manufacture of all DF system components, including the DF antenna
- Signal processing at maximum speed based on powerful FPGAs
- Use of powerful Rohde & Schwarz ASICs
- High immunity to strong signals thanks to sophisticated preselection
Effective measurements in line with ITU recommendations

The R&S^®DDF550 fulfills all ITU recommendations for direction finders and receivers:
- Option for comprehensive, ITU-compliant measurement methods including, for example:
  - Frequency and frequency offset, field strength, modulation, spectrum occupancy and bandwidth
Direction finding up to 6 GHz
- Fast, effective radiolocation of interferers
Hardware-accelerated multichannel signal processing
- Multichannel signal detection and analysis in a networked system
- Parallel multichannel output of more than 100 channels
- Multichannel digital downconversion (DDC) signal extraction from the R&S^®DDF550 realtime bandwidth with R&S^®DDF550DDCE and R&S^®CA120FFP
- Automatic detection of fixed frequency and burst signals with R&S^®DDF550-HRP and R&S^®CA120DSC
- Automatic detection of frequency agile short-time signals with R&S^®DDF550-ST

Specifications

Frequency range
	base unit	20 MHz to 6 GHz
	with R&S^®DDF550-HF, receive option	8 kHz to 6 GHz
	with R&S^®DDF550-HF2, DF option	300 kHz to 6 GHz
DF mode
DF method	VHF/UHF/SHF	correlative interferometer
	HF	Watson-Watt
Realtime bandwidth	VHF/UHF/SHF	80 MHz
	HF	20 MHz
Instrument DF accuracy		≤ 0.2° RMS (typ.)
System DF accuracy¹⁾	depends on DF antenna (i.e. R&S^®ADD011SR (.1x), R&S^®ADD050SR, R&S^®ADD153SR and R&S^®ADD078SR), in reflection-free environment, with lightning protection, in-line-with-report-ITU-R SM-2125
	300 kHz to 1300 MHz	0.5° RMS (typ.)
	1.3 GHz to 6 GHz	1° RMS (typ.)
DF sensitivity	depends on DF antenna, for 2º RMS DF fluctuation, 2 s integration time and 250 Hz (HF)/ 600 Hz (VHF/UHF/SHF) DF bandwidth (i.e. R&S^®ADD011SR (.1x), R&S^®ADD050SR, R&S^®ADD153SR and R&S^®ADD078SR), in line with report ITU-R SM 2125
	300 kHz to 30 MHz	0.7 μV/m (typ.)
	20 MHz to 6 GHz	3 μV/m to 20 μV/m (typ.)
Minimum-signal-duration		1 ms
	with R&S^®DDF550-EMS²⁾ option	100 μs
Minimum-burst-duration	for multiple burst emissions	20 μs
DF scan speed
HF (1.25 kHz channel resolution, 100 % channel occupancy Watson-Watt method, wideband fixed frequency mode, selectivity normal)	base unit	> 5 GHz/s, in line with report ITU-R SM.2125
VHF/UHF (25 kHz channel resolution, 100 % channel occupancy correlative interferometer method, wideband fixed frequency mode)	base unit	> 40 GHz/s, in line with report ITU-R SM.2125

¹⁾ Measurement in reflection-free environment. The RMS error is calculated from the bearings of evenly distributed samples versus azimuth and frequency.

²⁾ The R&S^®DDF550-EMS option is export restricted.

Get a Demo

Inquiry*

First Name*

Last Name*

Email*

Company*

City*

ZIP*

Location*

Marketing permission

I want to receive information from Rohde & Schwarz via

Email

Post

What does this mean in detail?

I agree that Rohde & Schwarz GmbH & Co. KG and the Rohde & Schwarz entity or subsidiary company mentioned in the imprint of this website, may contact me via the chosen channel (email or postal mail) for marketing and advertising purposes (e.g. information on special offers and discount promotions) related to, but not limited to, products and solutions in the fields of test and measurement, secure communications, monitoring and network testing, broadcast and media, and cybersecurity.

Your rights

This declaration of consent may be withdrawn at any time by sending an email with the subject "Unsubscribe" to news@rohde-schwarz.com. Additionally, a link to unsubscribe from future email advertisements is contained in each email sent. Further details on the use of personal data and the withdrawal procedure are set out in the Statement of Privacy.

Please enter the characters shown in the image

Email confirmation

Get a Quote

Inquiry*

First Name*

Last Name*

Email*

Company*

City*

ZIP*

Phone*

Location*

Marketing permission

I want to receive information from Rohde & Schwarz via

Email

Post

What does this mean in detail?

Your rights

Please enter the characters shown in the image

Email confirmation

Request information

Inquiry*

First Name*

Last Name*

Email*

Company*

City*

ZIP*

Location*

Marketing permission

I want to receive information from Rohde & Schwarz via

Email

Post

What does this mean in detail?

Your rights

Please enter the characters shown in the image

Email confirmation

Get a Quote Get a Demo Get information

Downloads

Brochures and Data Sheets