Feature: RF and microwave
FPGA pre-processing and data reduction Raw data rates from wideband digitisers can exceed practical transfer and storage limits. At 10 billion samples per second and two bytes per sample, a single channel generates around 20GB/s. To manage this volume, onboard FPGA processing is used to reduce data rates before transfer over PCIe links. Two approaches are particularly relevant
for satellite monitoring. Bit compression reduces the number of bits per sample, enabling continuous streaming within PCIe bandwidth constraints whilst preserving full- band information. Digital downconversion, implemented through FPGA-based numerically-controlled oscillators, filters and decimation stages, translates selected RF channels to baseband or intermediate frequencies. Tis not only reduces data rates but also improves signal-to-noise ratio through filtering and coherent processing.
GPU processing For real-time and near-real-time analysis, PCIe-based architectures are preferred. Peer-to-peer data transfer allows digitisers to stream data directly to GPUs using DMA, bypassing host CPU and system memory. Tis minimises latency and enables aggregate throughputs approaching the limits of PCIe Gen5, supporting simultaneous streams from multiple digitisers. GPUs complement FPGA processing by
handling computationally intensive but less latency critical tasks, such as channelisation, demodulation and long-term statistical analysis. For example, extracting individual Galileo sub-bands from a wideband L-band capture can reduce data rates from hundreds of megahertz of spectrum to a few gigabytes per second, well within modern GPU capabilities.
Figure 3: Conventional streaming
Recording and storage strategies When long-duration recording is required, storage bandwidth can become a limiting factor. RAID configurations based on NVMe SSDs, connected via PCIe carrier boards, allow parallel writes across multiple drives. Enterprise-grade SSDs maintain sustained write speeds over long periods, enabling aggregate recording rates of tens of gigabytes per second and total capacities reaching the
petabyte scale per slot. Consumer-grade drives remain suitable for shorter captures but exhibit throughput degradation once internal SLC caches are exhausted.
Modern satellite monitoring By combining wideband digitisation, FPGA-based pre-processing, GPU acceleration and scaleable PCIe storage,
modern satellite monitoring systems provide a cost-efficient and flexible foundation for RF intelligence. Tis architecture supports evolving requirements such as multi-band monitoring, real-time interference detection and large-scale data capture, making it suitable for both operational monitoring networks and research-orientated measurement campaigns.
www.electronicsworld.co.uk April 2026 31
Figure 1: Satellite bands
Figure 2: ADQ35-WB with FPGA
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