HIGH BANDWIDTH REAL TIME FREQUENCY MODULATED (FM) VIDEO LINK FOR SECURITY AND TACTICAL APPLICATIONS

Year
1988
Author(s)
Francesco Lupinetti - Sandia National Laboratories
Abstract
With the increasing demand for in situ unmanned reconnaissance, security control, and intrusion detection, the capability of transmitting and receiving video information from remote locations has become of paramount importance. This capability can be achieved by appropriately deploying radio frequency (RF) video links which can readily be interfaced with sensors, humans, or other RF links. The video link described in this paper was designed and implemented for security and tactical applications which require a medium power, low complexity, rugged link capable of direct transmission and reception of FM modulated, high quality, full- color video signals in the low portion (470- 806 MHz) of the UHF frequency band (300-3000 MHz). The transmitter portion of the link is tunable. It is of the direct modulation (FM and RF simultaneously) type. The receiver is of the direct detection type with no need for any downconversion. Both transmitter and receiver are currently being tested for mobile and fixed applications at the Sandia Robotic Vehicle Range. Ranges in excess of 10 Km and simultaneous transmission and reception of three adjacent channels have been achieved using omnidirectional antennas.