15/11/22, 23:25 2 Meter 80W All Mode Amplifier

Home
High power amplifier for 1296
1 KW SSPA for 1.8-54 MHz
A 1.5 KW LPF for 160-6m
1.8 to 54 MHz Dual Directional Detector
1.8 to 54 MHz combiner set
Automatic Transverter Interface
Published in QST magazine (May 2013) - there are several corrections and updates to the magazine article at the end of this
1 KW 6 Meter LDMOS Amplifier document.
2 Meter 80W All Mode Amplifier
1 KW 2M LDMOS Amplifier There are lots of different 2 meter
1 KW 222 MHz LDMOS Amplifier low-power rigs in use out there,
500w 70cm Amplifier ranging from hand-helds for FM,
1KW 70cm LDMOS Amplifier older multi-mode transceivers, and
A Big Power Supply for SSPAs even the newer all-purpose types
Low Pass Filter/Dual Directional Detectorlike the FT-817 or the Elecraft 2M
Sampling RF Power transverters. QRP operation can
LED Bar Graph Meter be fun, but if you're like me, you
Amplifier Control Board probably have the occasional
LNAs (preamps) and MMICs need for a bit more power.
LNA Sequencing and Protection
Building UHF Antennas Good news...if you have a couple
VHF OCXO of afternoons to spend on a
MIcrowave Marker project, you can build this 80 watt
Crystal Oven Controller multi-mode amplifier with ease.
Microwave L.O. Easy because it uses one of the
Latching Relay Driver newer S-AV36 Toshiba modules,
12 to 28v 50 ohms in and 50 ohms out, with
Relay Sequencer gain galore. So much gain that
High Current DC Switch less than 50 milliwatts will drive it
L & S Band LNA to full output in any mode.
Microwave L.O. Filters
PC Board Filters My original intent in making this
Using Inexpensive Relays was to have an amplifier capable
600w 23cm LDMOS Amplifier of boosting an older 10w multi-
XRF-286 Amplifiers for 23cm mode radio up to 80 or 100w. I
150W 23CM Turn-Key Amplifier wanted to keep it low-cost and
300w 23cm Amplifier simple (no preamp or power
200w 23cm Amplifier meters), yet capable of mobile
100w 23cm "brick" operation in any mode from 12v
100w 23cm Transverter power.
60w 23 cm Amplifier
23 CM Beacon After absorbing the specs in the data sheet, it was clear this module could be driven by almost any low-power rig; thinking about it a bit
23cm Signal Generator more, and keeping in mind the low cost and simplicity requirements, a few more useful features came to mind, such as:
23cm Double Quad
23cm filters A configurable input attenuator capable of matching any driver ranging from 50 milliwatts to 10 watts
13cm filter
13cm Signal Generator an output low-pass filter to comply with FCC regulations for harmonic and spurious suppression
13cm Transverter
120w 13 cm Amplifier
300w 33cm Amplifier Low-loss antenna relay
33cm filter
33 cm Crystal Source RF-sensing t/r switch for remote operation, as well as a hard-key option
33cm Signal Generator
9cm Transverter T/R sequencing to protect the S-AV36 module and prevent hot-switching the antenna relay
Transverter Selector
12 AND 28 volts
Indicator LED's and control switches
Klitzing Amplifiers
IC-910H tweaks
Audio Files Reverse polarity protection
Parts I Can Supply
Current Projects The devil is in the details for the designer, though, and it did take a little planning, but the end result was a small PC board and just a few
Links interconnecting wires. Add a heat sink, connectors, switches, a couple of sheet metal parts for the enclosure, and that's about it.

Comments? email to The Photo to the left is the first prototype, using a board made with common hobby tools.

www.w6pql.com/2_meter_80w_all_mode_amplifier.htm 1/6
15/11/22, 23:25 2 Meter 80W All Mode Amplifier
Designing the amplifier

The S-AV36 module is pretty easy to use; aside from RF in

and RF out, there are two power connections; one is for bias
(this turns the module on and off), and the other for main DC
power, 13.5v nominal at up to 15 amps. Since the input
power required to drive it is only about 50 milliwatts, the first
thing to do is design an input attenuator to match the output of
the driver to the S-AV36.

The chart shown on the right lists the resistor values for 50
ohm attenuators at drive levels ranging from 1 to 10w. There
are some strange values there, but these are not terribly
critical, you just have to get within a few ohms to get the job
done. For example, a 23db attenuator is needed for a 10w
radio; the resistors chosen were those readily available from
major distributors, so 58 ohms became 56, and 351 became
360 (close enough). L5 is not really necessary, it's purpose is
to compensate for the stray capacitance of R7 at 2 meters (a
35w tab-mounted resistor). The input SWR was acceptable
without it, but it does make the input match almost perfect.

The low pass filter

Now that the input is taken care of, let's deal with the output; the data sheet says the second harmonic will only be down about 25db, and
the third about 30. Not good enough for the FCC, so we need an output filter that will put us in good graces with at least 60db total
suppression. For that 25db second harmonic, we need another 35db.

The filter shown is a standard pi-type Chebyshev, 7 poles, and provides the required suppression with very little insertion loss at the
operating frequency.

The last analyzer display shows the sampled harmonic content of the amplifier tested at 90 watts output. Good filter.

www.w6pql.com/2_meter_80w_all_mode_amplifier.htm 2/6
15/11/22, 23:25 2 Meter 80W All Mode Amplifier

The Antenna Relay and switching controls

In the sprit of keeping costs low, a PCB-mount type of DPDT general-purpose relay was chosen. Less than $5 in cost, the contacts are
rated at 8 amps. At 2 meters, a bit of reactance is introduced by this part, but compensated for by a small capacitor (C15) in series with it's
input.

The best way to tell the amplifier to switch on is to use a control line back to the driving radio (PTT). If this is unavailable or inconvenient,
the amplifier has an RF-sensing circuit that samples a bit of drive from the input connector to provide the transmit trigger.

Another little twist; switching from receive to transmit should be sequenced for two reasons; first, the S-AV36 is tough, but no self-
respecting amplifier module likes seeing an open circuit while those lazy relay contacts are moving, even if it only takes 20 milliseconds to
happen; it's not good for the module, and just plain rude. For this reason, the module has to be kept off while the relay contacts are settling.
The other reason is to protect the relay contacts from that 80 to 100w the amplifier will generate before they finally settle; it tends to shorten
the life of the relay.

Showing the full schematic now, C4, D1, and D2 sample the input, and C5, C6, R1 and R2 provide filtering and some timing, depending on
the position of S1. In SSB mode, the circuit acts like a vox, providing a second or so of delay before reverting back to RCV mode. In FM
mode, the switch back to receive is much quicker, as the delay is not necessary for FM operation. The circuit is sensitive, and will trigger
with less than 1/2w drive.

Q1 is the switch that operates the relay. When the relay is turned on by Q1, it also turns on Q2 (the bias switch) after a short delay. This
delay is provided by C9 and R4, and is about 50 milliseconds in duration, allowing those relay contacts to settle before the module becomes
active.

www.w6pql.com/2_meter_80w_all_mode_amplifier.htm 3/6
15/11/22, 23:25 2 Meter 80W All Mode Amplifier

When switching back to RCV, the bias to the module is cut off before the relay contacts open. This fast cutoff is timed by C9 and R5, and is
only about 5 milliseconds in duration.

Another noteworthy component is D6, the reverse-polarity protection diode. This diode's purpose in life is to blow an in-line fuse in case you
accidentally connect the power cable up backwards (come on, we've all done it).

The extra contacts on power connector J3, pins 3 and 4, provide a means to disable the RF sensing and connect PTT directly to the driver
should the RF sensing be deemed unnecessary.

L1 and L4 are 4 turns #18, 4mm ID and 8mm long. L2 and L3 are 7 turns #18, 4mm ID and 10mm long.

Building the amplifier

A bill of materials (BOM) is provided for gathering the parts you don't have on hand, and is grouped by the recommended supplier. For
parts supplied by Mouser, you can order all of these by ordering the project list from their web site at:
http://www.mouser.com/tools/projectcartsharing.aspx. The access I.D. code for the project is c3ad150d1a . At the time of publication of the
QST article, Mouser was temporarily out of stock on the 56 ohm 35w resistor (R7). A 20w resistor can be substituted there, part #
PWR263S-20-56R0J. If you use the 20w part, also substitute a 270nh inductor for L5, part # imc1210err27k.

RFPARTS (www.rfparts.com) is the supplier for the Toshiba module and coax connectors; artwork for the PC board is provided here, and for
those not wishing to make their own board, commercially made boards will be available on the parts page here. Drawings for making the
chassis parts are here: front panel rear panel bottom cover. For heat sink material, a heat sink with a base thickness of .300 or better
should be used. The size of the one I used was 8" long x 5.375" wide.

Here are the recommended steps, in order, for constructing the amplifier:

Mark the heat sink for drilling by using the PC board as a template. You can also position the Toshiba module and mark it's two
mounting holes; leave a small gap of 2 to 3mm between the module body and the board for strain relief.

Drill and tap the module mounting holes for 6-32 screws, and the PCB holes for 4-40 screws.

Fill the plated-through holes surrounding (and underneath) R7 with solder; this will help to draw heat away from R7. Install all the PC
board components except for the module. The relay should be installed last, and because the pins will protrude through the bottom
of the board, they should be cut off flush with the board after soldering.

www.w6pql.com/2_meter_80w_all_mode_amplifier.htm 4/6
15/11/22, 23:25 2 Meter 80W All Mode Amplifier
Make the two aluminum spacers as as shown in this photo.

Mount the board to the heat sink with four 4-40 screws. The two aluminum spacers must be positioned under the board on either
end. These spacers elevate the board to a convenient height for the module, and keep the back side connections at the relay pins
from shorting against the heat sink.

Some minor tuning of the low pass filter coils can be made at this time. Connect a dummy load to the output of the board, and a
transmitter and SWR meter to the trace at the input of the filter where the module will connect. Apply 12v across the relay coil to
close the relay, and spread or compress the coils for lowest SWR reading. If this is inconvenient to do, the filter can be adjusted after
the amplifier is fully constructed, adjusting for max power at about 50w output. It's best to do it now, though, and you'll probably find
that very little adjustment is necessary.

Using heat sink compound, mount the Toshiba Module with 6-32 screws. Note that the mounting bar of the module is slightly
concave; this is not a defect, the manufacturer makes them this way, as do other module makers as well. Do not attempt to sand this
footing flat or otherwise fill with any material except for heat sink compound, there is still plenty of contact area for heat transfer. I'm
just guessing, but I believe the manufacturer makes the footing this way for strain relief in order to protect the mechanical bonds
inside. Solder the module wires to the appropriate traces on the PC board (cut off the excess wire length if necessary).

Mount the connectors,

switches and LED's, and
complete the chassis
wiring. The LED's have
their 1K resistors soldered
directly to their leads, with
the wire connected to the
other side of the resistor;
heat shrink is used to cover
the resistor and
connections. Use solder
lugs under the mounting
screws for the connectors
on the rear panel; these are for connecting coax shields, DC chassis ground, and bypass capacitors as shown in the photo.

Make the power cord with #14 wire; make certain to use an in-line fuse on the positive lead, and fuse it for no more than 20 amps. If
you will be hard-keying your amplifier from your radio, jumper pin 5 of the connector to ground, and carry pin 4 back to your keying
connection from the radio. The radio's PTT relay contacts or other switch must be capable of sinking 12v @ 50 ma to ground.

Testing the amplifier

Once everything is wired and in place, you can test the amplifier using the following procedure:

Connect the output to a suitable wattmeter and dummy load, and the input to your driving radio

Connect the power cord to a power supply capable of delivering 13.5v at up to 15 amps.

Place the Amplify/Bypass switch in bypass mode. Transmit, and verify that bypass mode works (most of the driver's power should
pass through the amplifier to the load). Figure xx shows the bypass mode insertion loss, only about a tenth of a db.

Turn off the driving radio and put the amplifier in amplify mode. The "Ready" LED should illuminate. Jumper PTT to ground, and the
Xmit LED should also illuminate. Adjust the IDQ trimmer (VR1) for 8 amps. Place the amplifier back in bypass mode and remove the
PTT jumper.

Turn the radio back on, place the amplifier in amplify mode, and transmit. Performance should be similar to the data shown in the
following chart:

I experimented some with various IDQ settings, and concluded that Toshiba must have designed the module to operate close to class A;
setting IDQ lower tended to introduce lower overall gain and crossover distortion in SSB, and setting it higher resulted in higher gain and

www.w6pql.com/2_meter_80w_all_mode_amplifier.htm 5/6
15/11/22, 23:25 2 Meter 80W All Mode Amplifier
saturated output power. At 10 amps IDQ, for example, the amplifier could be driven to over 100w output with about half the drive required at
8 amps IDQ. This does exceed the manufacturers ratings for the device, and really doesn't make any difference on the air, so I resisted the
temptation to leave it that way.

Knowing how bias levels work could be useful in the non-linear modes (FM, CW); you could set the bias level to control output power, and
perhaps have a front panel control knob in place of VR1 for this purpose. For all-mode versatility, leaving IDQ set at 8 amps is best.

One last note; at 10w drive level, I noticed R7 (the 35w attenuator input resistor) ran hot; this was due to the
inadequate heat transfer of the PC board I made for the original prototype, which has just a few rivets where
there should have been multiple plated-through holes surrounding this part. My solution was to use a piece of
.040 copper strip soldered to the ground tab of the resistor, using it to sink heat off to the heat sink by fastening
the other end to it with a #4 screw. Most of us making our own prototype boards at home don't have the ability
to make plated-through holes like the commercial board houses, so if you make your own board for this
project, you'll probably need to implement a similar solution. If you purchased the commercial board, you won't
need the copper strip; but remember to fill the plated-through holes surrounding (and underneath) R7 with
solder to help with heat sinking.
Corrections to the May 2013 QST article:

The value of C15 has been changed to 220pf (this is the correct value to use with the commercial PC boards offered here)

The positions of R1 and R2 were interchanged in the magazine article. R1 (511k) should be the resistor that is bypassed (or not) by
S1

C6, C8, C9 and C11 are polarized tantalum capacitors

Here is a photo of the populated commercial board offered on the parts page:

Clicking on the photo above will display a high resolution copy of the picture

www.w6pql.com/2_meter_80w_all_mode_amplifier.htm 6/6