Need advices for designing a ku-band upconverter

[amihomo]

Hi

I want to design a ku-band upconverter using rfic components.
Design requirements are:
1-RF frequency band 14-14.5 GHz
2-Baseband bit rate : 10-500 kbps

i searched the internet and decided to use ADF4350 synthesizer in a two level mixing design.
My question is what would be the suitable LO frequencies for the first and second mixer stages?

Can I use the auxiliary "RF out b+and b-" of the ADF4350 for the first LO and use a frequency multiplier to use the RF output A as the second LO of the two stage mixer?

Does the auxiliary "RF out b+and b-" give the same output freq as in RF a+and a- or can it be used to generate seperate freq range.

If the output A is swept, does the output B swept accordingly (by the chosen division factor), or it is independent?


BR

 

[tony_lth]

from ADF4350 datasheet,
AUX Output Select: DB9 sets the auxiliary RF output. The selection can be either the output of the RF dividers or fundamental VCO frequency.
AUX Output Enable: DB8 enables or disables auxiliary RF output, depending on the chosen value.
AUX Output Power: Bits [DB7B6] set the value of the auxiliary RF output power level (see Figure 28).

So RFb=RFa/N

 

[amihomo]

thank you tony_lth,

so when the fundamental VCO frequency is swept, I cannot use the aux output as a fixed LO. Am I right?

 

[tony_lth]

yes, RF_B will follow RF_A sweeping.