SL-SPA-1850-10 10 W Solid-State Power Amplifier, 1800–1900 MHz

The SL-SPA-1850-10 is a 10 W solid-state power amplifier (SSPA) covering 1800 MHz to 1900 MHz from a single +28 VDC supply. It delivers 44 dB of gain into a 50 Ω load with less than 1 dB of output power ripple at saturation, and is rated for 100 % duty-cycle continuous-wave operation at full output – not only for pulsed or modulated carriers.

The RF chain is a variable attenuator that sets the drive level, a pre-amplifier and driver, and a final stage that delivers up to 10 W (40 dBm). A dual-directional coupler at the output samples both the forward and the reflected wave, and an on-board supervisor continuously measures forward and reverse power, supply voltage, supply current and temperature. It protects the output stage against high VSWR, open and short-circuit loads, over-current and reverse-polarity connection, and reports everything over a half-duplex RS-485 bus so a host system can command the amplifier, poll its status and read faults without extra instrumentation. The centre frequency can be configured anywhere from 1000 MHz to 2000 MHz, so the same board serves W-CDMA infrastructure, repeaters, test equipment and as a driver stage for higher-power amplifiers.

Key specifications

+28 VDC supply, 50 Ω source and load, 25 °C ambient, CW drive, board mounted on an adequate heatsink.

Features

• 1800 MHz to 1900 MHz, 10 W CW output
• 44 dB gain, 37 dBm P1dB
• Output power adjustable by internal RF attenuator
• Forward and reverse power monitoring with VSWR trip
• Open-circuit and short-circuit load protection
• Reverse-polarity and over-current protected DC input
• Supply voltage, current and temperature monitoring
• RS-485 command, status and fault reporting
• 50 Ω RF input and output, +28 VDC single supply
• Centre frequency configurable from 1000 MHz to 2000 MHz

Applications

• W-CDMA base stations
• RF repeaters and boosters
• Mobile communication infrastructure
• RF test and measurement
• Driver stage for higher-power amplifiers
• Laboratory and system integration

Ordering

Thermal mounting. At 10 W of continuous output the board dissipates a substantial amount of heat and has no cooling of its own. Do not run it at rated output without a heatsink; use a flat mounting surface, a thin even layer of thermal interface material, and torque the mounting screws evenly. Terminate the output before applying drive, and never hot-plug an RF connector on a running amplifier.

Preliminary datasheet. Figures marked TBD have not yet been characterised and are subject to change. Contact support@stripline.org for the latest datasheet, quotations and technical support.