Multichannel digital transceiver and method of operating same

A multi-channel digital transceiver (400) receives uplink radio frequency signals and converts these signals to digital intermediate frequency signals. Digital signal processing, including a digital converter module (426), is employed to select digital intermediate frequency signals received at a plurality of antennas (412) and to convert these signals to baseband signals. The baseband signals are processed to recover a communication channel therefrom. Downlink baseband signals are also processed and digital signal processing within the digital converter module (426) up converts and modulates the downlink baseband signals to digital intermediate frequency signals. The digital intermediate frequency signals are converted to analog radio frequency signals, amplified and radiated from transmit antennas (420).