ARINC-566A-9-1998.pdf

MARK 3 VHF COMMUNICATIONS TRANSCEIVER ARINC CHARACTERISTIC 566A-9 PUBLISHED: January 30, 1998 AN 0 DOCUMENT Prepared by AIRLINES ELECTRONIC ENGINEERING COMMITTEE Published by AERONAUTICAL RADIO, INC. 2551 RIVA ROAD, ANNAPOLIS, MARYLAND 21401 This document is based on material submitted by various participants during the drafting process. Neither AEEC nor ARINC has made any determination whether these materials could be subject to valid claims of patent, copyright or other proprietary rights by third parties, and no representation or warranty, express or implied, is made in this regard. Any use of or reliance on this document shall constitute an acceptance thereof “as is“ and be subject to this disclaimer. Copyright ©1998 by AERONAUTICAL RADIO, INC. 2551 Riva Road Annapolis, Maryland 21401-7465 USA ARINC CHARACTERISTIC 566A-9© MARK 3 VHF COMMUNICATIONS TRANSCEIVER Published: January 30, 1998 Prepared by the Airlines Electronic Engineering Committee Characteristic 566Adopted by the Airlines Electronic Engineering Committee:May 22, 1968 Characteristic 566Approved by the Airlines Communications Administrative Council:August 23, 1968 Characteristic 566AApproved by the Airlines Electronic Engineering Committee:May 18, 1972 Characteristic 566AApproved by the Airlines Communications Administrative Council:May 24, 1972 Summary of Document Supplements SupplementAdoption DateRevision Date Characteristic 566A-1April 6, 1973April 19, 1973 Characteristic 566A-2November 7, 1973November 16, 1973 Characteristic 566A-3September 30, 1973October 11, 1973 Characteristic 566A-4November 1, 1973November 5, 1973 Characteristic 566A-5September 24, 1982November 4, 1982 Characteristic 566A-6November 4, 1982December 22, 1982 Characteristic 566A-7October 13, 1983April 30, 1985 Characteristic 566A-8June 12, 1996September 6, 1996 Characteristic 566A-9October 14, 1997January 30, 1998 A description of the changes introduced by each supplement is included on Goldenrod paper at the end of this document. ii FOREWORD Activities of AERONAUTICAL RADIO, INC. (ARINC) and the Purpose of ARINC Characteristics Aeronautical Radio, Inc. is a corporation in which the United States scheduled airlines are the principal stockholders. Other stockholders include a variety of other air transport companies, aircraft manufacturers and non-U.S. airlines. Activities of ARINC include the operation of an extensive system of domestic and overseas aeronautical land radio stations, the fulfillment of systems requirements to accomplish ground and airborne compatibility, the allocation and assignment of frequencies to meet those needs, the coordination incident to standard airborne communications and electronics systems and the exchange of technical information. ARINC sponsors the Airlines Electronic Engineering Committee (AEEC), composed of airline technical personnel. The AEEC formulates standards for electronic equipment and systems for the airlines. The establishment of Equipment Characteristics is a principal function of this Committee. An ARINC Equipment Characteristic is finalized after investigation and coordination with the airlines who have a requirement or anticipate a requirement, with other aircraft operators, with the Military services having similar requirements, and with the equipment manufacturers. It is released as an ARINC Equipment Characteristic only when the interested airline companies are in general agreement. Such a release does not commit any airline or ARINC to purchase equipment so described nor does it establish or indicate recognition of the existence of an operational requirement for such equipment, not does it constitute endorsement of any manufacturer's product designed or built to meet the Characteristic. An ARINC Characteristic has a twofold purpose, which is: (1)To indicate to the prospective manufacturers of airline electronic equipment the considered opinion of the airline technical people, coordinated on an industry basis, concerning requisites of new equipment, and (2)To channel new equipment designs in a direction which can result in the maximum possible standardization of those physical and electrical characteristics which influence interchangeability of equipment without seriously hampering engineering initiative. ARINC CHARACTERISTIC 566A TABLE OF CONTENTS ITEMSUBJECTPAGE iii 1.0INTRODUCTION AND DESCRIPTION1 1.1Purpose of this Characteristic1 1.2Unit Description1 1.2.1VHF Transceiver Unit1 1.2.2Control Panel1 1.2.3Remote Frequency Readout Indicator1 1.2.4Antenna1 1.3Function of the Equipment1 1.4Interchangeability1 1.4.1General Requirements for Interchangeability1 1.4.2Interchangeability Requirements for ARINC 566A Equipment2 1.4.3Generation Interchangeability Requirements for the ARINC 566A Transceiver2 1.5System Parameters2 1.6Applicable Publications, Specifications and Reports2 1.7Regulatory Approval2 2.0STANDARDS REQUIRED TO EFFECT INTERCHANGEABILITY3 2.1Form Factors and Connectors3 2.1.1Transceiver Unit3 2.1.2Control Panel3 2.1.3Antennas3 2.1.4Remote Frequency Readout Indicator3 2.2Weight3 2.3Interwiring4 2.4Primary Power Input4 2.5Power Control Circuitry4 2.6Control Panel Wiring4 3.0TRANSCEIVER UNIT DESIGN5 3.1Frequency Range and Channelling5 3.2Frequency Selection5 3.3Transmitter Frequency Offset5 3.4Receiver Sensitivity5 3.5Receiver Selectivity5 3.6Undesired Responses6 3.7Cross Modulation6 3.8Audio Output7 3.8.1Gain7 3.8.2Audio Output Level Variation with Load Impedance7 3.8.3Audio Frequency Response7 3.8.4Harmonic Distortion7 3.9Automatic Gain Control7 3.10Noise Limiters7 3.11Squelch Provisions7 3.12Desensitization and Interference Rejection8 3.12.1AGC Versus Pulse Interference8 3.12.2Squelch Versus Pulse Interference8 3.12.3Pulse Noise Output8 3.12.4Receiver Operation in the Presence of In-Band Transmissions8 3.12.5Out-of-Band FM Broadcast Intermodulation Interference8 3.12.6Out-of-Band FM Broadcast Desensitization Interference8 3.13SELCAL Audio Output Provisions8 3.14Receiver Recovery8 3.15Aircraft Electrical Power Characteristics9 3.16Internal Circuit Protection9 3.17Transmitter Frequency Stability9 3.18Transmitter Power Output and Duty Cycle9 3.19Transmitter Sidetone9 3.20Transmitter Spurious Radiation10 3.21Transmitter Microphone Provisions and Frequency Response10 3.21.1Microphone Input Provisions10 -,-,- ARINC CHARACTERISTIC 566A TABLE OF CONTENTS ITEMSUBJECTPAGE iv 3.21.2Frequency Response, Signal Conditioning and Speech Processing10 3.21.2.1Frequency Response10 3.21.2.2Speech Processing10 3.21.2.3Transmitter Distortion10 3.21.3Transmitter Energizing (“Press-to-Talk“)10 3.22Muting Relay11 3.23Test Meter and Switch Provisions11 3.24Microphone and Headphone Jacks on R/T Front Panel11 3.25Provisions for Automatic Test Equipment11 4.0TRANSCEIVER UNIT DESIGN FOR THE 8.33 kHz CHANNEL-SPACED MODE OF OPERATION12 4.1Frequency Range and Channeling12 4.2Frequency Selection12 4.2.1Control Panel Programming12 4.3.1Selectivity12 4.3.2Cross Modulation13 4.3.3Squelch Provision13 4.3.4SELCAL Audio Output Provisions13 4.3.4.1Data Link Audio Output13 4.3.4.2Receiver Phase Inversion14 4.3.4.3Differential Phase Delay14 4.3.4.4AGC Attack Time14 4.3.4.5AGC Decay Time14 4.4Transmitter Design14 4.4.1Frequency Stability14 4.4.2Transmitter Microphone Provisions and Frequency Response14 4.4.2.1Microphone Input Provisions14 4.4.2.2Frequency Response, Signal Conditioning and Speech Processing14 4.4.2.2.1Frequency Response14 4.4.2.2.2Speech Processing14 4.4.2.3Distortion14 4.4.2.4Transmitter Occupied Spectrum14 4.4.3Data Input15 5.0CONTROL PANEL DESIGN16 5.1General Configuration16 5.2Frequency Selection one that can distinguish between communications signals and the usual types of interference and receiver background noise which can obscure signals. Sophisticated squelch systems which automatically adjust the squelch threshold to match the masking level of the noise are highly desirable so that the user can take full advantage of the highest possible sensitivity capability in the receiver when the aircraft is away from ground- generated noise conditions, but which will also automatically adjust the sensitivity level of the receiver when flying over industrial areas where heavy noise levels exist. The desire is that the squelch be capable of tripping open whenever a readable signal is present, yet remain closed whenever a signal is below the noise level. It is emphasized, however, that any squelch circuit employed, if it is to be truly effective, should be highly stable in operation so that, at least between normal shop servicing operations, there is no change in the squelch setting threshold which could have an effect on the ability of the squelch to distinguish between “good” and “bad” signals. In any event, service adjustments should be provided for setting the squelch. Unless the squelch is a highly reliable and stable system fully capable of coping with variations in noise level and other environmental conditions which might change in service, the squelch level service adjustment should be accessible from the front panel. Irrespective of how stable and reliable the squelch system may be, a spring loaded push button type of switch for rendering squelch inoperative should be located on the transceiver front panel. It should also be possible to 3.11 c-1 -,-,- ARINC CHARACTERISTIC 566A - Page 8 3.0 TRANSCEIVER UNIT DESIGN (contd) Squelch Provisions (contd) disable the squelch by closing a remote switch connected between pin BP30 on the transceiver service connector and ground. 3.12 Desensitization and Interference Rejection Circuitry should be included for the prevention, insofar as practicable, of receiver desensitization due to pulse-type interference. As the magnitude and character of the pulse interference levels expected in a typical installation in the future is not known, system performance specifications would be meaningless. The following specification Sections 3.12.1, 3.12.2, and 3.12.3 are not made a requirement of this Characteristic, but are included as being typical of the type and degree of protection that is likely to be needed. The content of Sections 3.12.1, 3.12.2, and 3.12.3 apply when rf pulses having the following characteristics are introduced into the receiver through a 52- ohm dummy antenna: Width of Pulse10 ± 2 microseconds Repetition Rate 1000 ± pps WaveformRise and decay time each less than 1 microsecond 3.12.1 AGC Versus Pulse Interference With the receiver sensitivity set to maximum and with a test signal of 3 to 1000 microvolts, modulated 30% at 1000 Hz, the resulting 1000 Hz output should not decrease more than 2 dB for pulses having the same carrier level, or more than 10 dB for pulses with amplitudes 100 times the carrier level, introduced simultaneously with the standard test voltages. 3.12.2 Squelch Versus Pulse Interference The squelch should not open when pulses and unmodulated carrier on the same frequency are introduced, having the following levels in microvolts: Squelch Threshold Carrier LevelPulse Peak Amplitude 503000 531000 3.12.3 Pulse Noise Output With the receiver gain adjusted so that a test signal of 100 microvolts, modulated 30% at 1000 Hz, produces 100 milliwatts output in a 500 ohm resistive load, substitution of pulse-type interference superimposed upon the 100 microvolt carrier in lieu of the 1000 Hz modulation should not produce more than 5 milliwatts audio output with pulse peak amplitudes up to one volt. 3.12.4Receiver Operation in the Presence of In-band Transmissions The receiver design should be the best that the state-of-the- art can provide with respect to freedom from interference from transmitters operating in the 118.000 to 135.975 MHz band on the same aircraft. There should be no squelch tripping or degradation of the receiver performance when a 25 Watt transmitter tuned to a frequency 6 MHz or more removed from that to which the receiver is tuned is operated into an antenna space-isolated from the receivers antenna by 35 dB. If 45 dB of space isolation is provided between the two antenna, there should be no interference or squelch tripping when the transmission frequency is as close as 2 MHz to the receive frequency. Note also the design considerations stated in Section 3.4 with respect to the possible trade-off between receiver sensitivity and interference from adjacent transmitters. NOTE: The above interference specification naturally assumes that the transmitter itself is not generating a spurious radiation that appears on the receiver input frequency. 3.12.5Out-of-Band FM Broadcast Intermodulation Interference No degradation of performance should occur when third order intermodulation products in the VHF communications band of 118.000 and 136.975 MHz result from two or more FM broadcast signals of -5 dBm or less mixing within the receiver. See Attachment 8 of this document. 3.12.6Out-of-Band FM Broadcast Desensitization Interference No degradation in performance should occur if the aggregate level of one or more FM broadcast signals across the VHF communications transceiver input terminals is less than -5 dBm. See Attachment 8 of this document. 3.13 SELCAL Audio Output Provisions There is no output circuit provided exclusively for SELCAL. The data link audio output specified in Section 7.3, should be employed for SELCAL applications. 3.14 Receiver Recovery Equipment manufacturers should give careful consideration to the operation of the Transceiver as a system and also as a part of an aircraft installation in which a second, and perhaps even a third, VHF Communication System is installed. Recovery of the receiver after transmission, either from its associated transmitter or from a different transmitter within the aircraft, is extremely important to the operator. As a general guide, the receiver should recover 90% of its full sensitivity (1 dB loss from full sensitivity) within 0.5 seconds after any transmission resulting in a coupling of up to 0.3 volts across the antenna input terminals when the squelch and/or internal sensitivity adjustment are set for normal operation with a 1.5 microvolt signal. The receiver must regain its full sensitivity within 0.5 seconds after any transmission on the associated transmitter. COMMENTARY When employed for air-ground datalink it is necessary, due to the presence of other aircraft in close proximity, for the receiver to receive a ground-to-air poll immediately following an air-to-ground transmission from a nearby transmitter. In this situation (as well as in a zero signal condition) it is desirable that the receiver be capable of recovering a high percentage of its sensitivity in the minimum of time. The reader is directed to Section 7.5.2 of this c-7 c-1 ARINC CHARACTERISTIC 566A - Page 9 3.0 TRANSCEIVER UNIT DESIGN (contd) Characteristic for a quantitative statement of the receiver recovery needs associated with data link. 3.15 Aircraft Electri