Questions about amplifiers, typically RF power amplifiers. For low-noise amplifiers (LNAs) consider using the "lna" tag.
Questions tagged [amplifier]
86 questions
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What is a linear RF amplifier?
Most of the RF amplifiers advertised, and most of the questions about amplifiers, are "linear" amplifiers.
What is a linear amplifier, and what other common amplifier type(s) exist that requires people to say "linear" every time they talk about RF…
Adam Davis
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UHF FM power amplifier design without expensive software
I'm designing a small UHF data transceiver for the 70cm band, based on a Silicon Labs EZRadioPro Si4463 IC. Modulation is FM, 12.5kHz channel step. The concept is similar to SiLabs' AN656 application note but with a different power amp BJT as the…
philpem
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Why does "high SWR" damage transmitters, instead of "impedance mismatch"?
In the audio realm, where cable lengths are insignificant compared to the signal wavelength, I would understand an impedance mismatch damaging an amplifier as follows:
Take an audio amplifier that can deliver 100 watts of power into an 8 ohm speaker…
natevw - AF7TB
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11
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4 answers
What is dBm and why is it used rather than watts?
Reading through an RF power amplifier datasheet, I found the sheet only referenced dBm output power, rather than watts.
What is dBm?
How do I convert it to watts?
Why, or when, would you use dBm to specify power output rather than watts?
Are there…
Adam Davis
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How can I do direct digital synthesis of a 630m WSPR signal?
I want to do direct digital synthesis of a 630m band WSPR signal.
Specifically I'd like to use an Atmega 328 chip running at 20 MHz to produce such a signal.
I will use standard phase accumulator algorithm which I believe I can get to run in less…
Eric Urban
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1 answer
How effectively do modern transmitters protect against high SWR?
The following are fairly common knowledge:
Transmitting at full power with too much of an impedance mismatch can damage your finals.
If we do so inadvertently, modern radios drop the power significantly for self-protection.
Yet, it's still very…
Dominick Pastore
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2 answers
What is the purpose of the transformer at the input (and output) of this RF push-pull amplifier
Firstly, feel free to move this to Electronics SE if it's not on-topic, but it's strongly related to ham radio and RF circuitry.
Reading Hayward's classic "Solid State Design for the Radio Amateur" and looking for inspiration, I came across the…
Buck8pe
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How to calculate if low-pass filtering is sufficient?
An answer on this question Suggested method for boosting 0.05 watt transmitter up to 10+ watts? suggests putting a filterless 19dB amplifier between the HackRF (or similar general-purpose SDR) and a larger amplifier — so only the final stage…
natevw - AF7TB
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7
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Efficient BPSK31 amplification
I'm looking at making a portable system that can transmit BPSK31. I have a limited power budget, so I'm looking at trying to make my final power amplifier as efficient as possible. From my understanding, you can't use a plain non-linear amplifier…
W5VO
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7
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Double power-handling ability of RF amplifier output transformer
I want to base the output network for a 500W push-pull HF amplifier on "A 250W Broadband Linear Amplifier" described in Chapter 17 of the 2014 ARRL Handbook. I need advice on whether and/or how the 1:4 impedance step-up transmission line transformer…
Brian K1LI
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7
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Water cooling a GS-35B in lieu of air cooling?
Does anyone know how to --or have any experience with-- water or oil-cooling the anode? Since forced-air cooling is required, the sound from the blower and the exhaust air would be too noisy for my ears.
They look similar to an 8877, but have…
Mike Waters
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7
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3 answers
Impedance Matching between RF Amplifier Stages
I'm in the process of building a RF buffer-amplifier chain for a VFO and I'm experiencing a design issue trying to impedance match between the sections.
The issue I'm having is that many (most) of the circuit designs documented are characterized…
Buck8pe
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6
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Purpose and sizing of capacitors placed across RF push-pull power amplifier transformer windings
I keep finding RF push-pull power amplifier designs specified with a small(-ish) capacitor across the primary (or secondary) windings of the coupling transformers. Here's an example:
This is one example with capacitors across all windings, but I…
Buck8pe
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6
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Suggested method for boosting 0.05 watt transmitter up to 10+ watts?
Long time ham operator here, new to this particular challenge -
I have a software defined radio transceiver that I'd like to try and use to make contacts on HF, in particular 20-meters. Tuning within the 20-meter band is no problem but the…
Brad Hein
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Recommended way to analyze spectrum output of a high-power amplifier?
I have a small collection of "software defined RF lab" equipment, notably a HackRF and a VNWA3. I am almost done building a 35W HF amplifier and once I've done some other testing, would like to look at the spectrum of the final output as a…
natevw - AF7TB
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