The Valon 2100 provides a high-performance, compact downconverter system when combined with a Valon 5009b synthesizer. Applications include hydrogen-line studies at 1420MHz and radio astronomy in the protected 30MHz segment of the 21 cm band. The 2100 is specifically designed to interface to direct sampling receivers, SDRs, and data acquisition systems operating in the 10MHz~30MHz range. Receivers having noise figures as high as 12dB can be used directly without impacting the overall system noise figure.
The 2100 incorporates two, custom, 4-pole ceramic dielectric filters in the LNA RF stages. This combination of high performance filters reduces susceptibility to intermodulation spurs caused by nearby cellular transmitters, aviation radars, and transponders. The converter also provides a very high degree of image rejection while maintaining a typical noise figure of 0.3dB (20 K) at 20 degrees C operating temperature.
The 2100 is designed to be combined with the Valon 5009 Dual Frequency Synthesizer module as the local oscillator. This combination ensures low phase noise reception along with high stability with the internal TCXO. The 5009 synthesizer allows the use of an external reference for even better stability and accuracy.
Multiple 2100 downconverters can be used with a single 5009 to build an extended baseline interferometer.
Other frequencies, L through C band, are available.
