Table of contents
Amplifying the RF signal from an RFzero is really easy. For 50 MHz Sergey, EX9T, has designed two PA boards with on-board low pass filter and directional coupler too. Please see PA 50 MHz 25 W with AFT05MS031N and PA 50 MHz 50 W with RD70HVF1. Actually, the PA design is so versatile, that it can be used for any band from 28 MHz to 144 MHz as done by GB3MCB.
Below are some solutions for the 40 MHz, 60 MHz, 70 MHz, 144 MHz and 222 MHz bands. For 432 MHz and 1,3 GHz you may use a high pass filter and MMIC gain block to filter and buffer the signal. Then use a Mitsubishi power module RA07H4047M/RA30H4047M for 432 MHz and RA18H1213G for 1,3 GHz to boost the signal even further.
40 MHz or 60 MHz
For 40 MHz or 60 MHz the PA boards made by Sergey, EX9T, PA 50 MHz 25 W with AFT05MS031N and PA 50 MHz 50 W with RD70HVF1 can also be used with different component values. Please contact him directly using the email address from QRZ.com.
Why not use the RA30H0608M power module from Mitsubishi? Well, the second harmonic on 100 MHz is only -5 dBc. This means that 6 W of RF, and even more on DC, is wasted continuously. Even if you add a good low pass filter the second harmonic power is reflected back into the power module meaning it is subject to a permanent minimum SWR of 3. This is neither good nor efficient from an electrical bill point of view.
70 MHz
For 70 MHz the PA boards made by Sergey, EX9T, PA 50 MHz 25 W with AFT05MS031N and PA 50 MHz 50 W with RD70HVF1 can also be used with different component values. Please contact him directly using the email address from QRZ.com.
Another solution is to use an RA070608M, 7 W, or RA30H0608M, 30 W, power module from Mitsubishi. You can make the PCB yourself, find them ready made or buy a populated one from many different sources. Also the power module is available from many different sources. The RFzero is designed to drive a Mitsubishi power module directly.
Example of an RA30H0608M power module.
If you cannot find a board that suits your need try to look for one for 144 MHz since the RA07M06087M/RA07M1317M or RA30H0608MM/RA30H1317M modules, and sub-variants, have the same physical size and location of the terminals.
144 MHz
For 144 MHz the PA boards made by Sergey, EX9T, PA 50 MHz 25 W with AFT05MS031N and PA 50 MHz 50 W with RD70HVF1 can also be used with different component values. Please contact him directly using the email address from QRZ.com.
Another solution is to use an power module from Mitsubishi.There are really many different types of modules and power levels available, e.g
- RA07M1317M, 12 V and 7 W
- RA07M1317MSA, 7,2 V and 7 W
- RA08H1317M, 12 V and 8 W
- RA08N1317M, 9,6 V and 8 W
- RA30H1317M, 12 V and 30 W
- RA60H1317M, 12 V and 60 W
- RA80H1317M, 12 V and 80 W
The RFzero is designed to drive a Mitsubishi power module directly.
You can make the PCB yourself, find them ready made or buy a populated one from many different sources. Also the power module is available from many different sources.
Example of an RA60H1317M power module.
222 MHz
A solution is to use an RA07M2127M, 7 W, or RA30H2127M, 30 W, power module from Mitsubishi. You can make the PCB yourself, find them ready made or buy a populated one from many different sources. Also the power module is available from many different sources. The RFzero is designed to drive a Mitsubishi power module directly.
Example of an RA30H2127M.
If you cannot find a board that suits your need try to look for one for 144 MHz since the RA07M2127M/RA07M1317M or RA30H2127M/RA30H1317M modules, and sub-variants, have the same physical size and location of the terminals.
Power modules
Module name | Max volt [V] | Nominal voltage [V] | Fmin [MHz] | Fmax [MHz] | Pin [mW] | Pout [W] | Efficiency [%] | Package |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
RA07H0608M | 13,2 | 12,5 | 68 | 88 | 30 | 7 | 38 | H46S |
RA07M0608M | 9,2 | 7,2 | 66 | 88 | 30 | 7 | 45 | H46S |
RA30H0608M | 17,0 | 12,5 | 66 | 88 | 50 | 30 | 40 | H2S |
RA07M1317M | 9,2 | 7,2 | 135 | 175 | 20 | 6,5 | 45 | H46S |
RA08H1317M | 13,2 | 12,5 | 135 | 175 | 20 | 8 | 40 | H46S |
RA08N1317M | 12,5 | 9,6 | 135 | 175 | 20 | 8 | 50 | H46S |
RAI3H1317M | 17,0 | 12,5 | 135 | 175 | 50 | 13 | 40 | H2S |
RA30H1317M | 17,0 | 12,5 | 135 | 175 | 50 | 30 | 40 | H2S |
RA30H1721M | 17,0 | 12,5 | 175 | 215 | 50 | 30 | 40 | H2S |
RA35H1516M | 17,0 | 12,5 | 154 | 162 | 50 | 40 | 50 | H2S |
RA60H1317M | 17,0 | 12,5 | 135 | 175 | 50 | 60 | 40 | H2S |
RA07M2127M | 9,2 | 7,2 | 215 | 270 | 20 | 7 | 45 | H46S |
RA30H2127M | 17,0 | 12,5 | 210 | 270 | 50 | 30 | 40 | H2S |
RA07H3340M | 13,2 | 12,5 | 330 | 400 | 20 | 7 | 40 | H46S |
RA07H4047M | 13,2 | 12,5 | 400 | 470 | 20 | 7 | 40 | H46S |
RA07H4452M | 13,2 | 12,5 | 440 | 520 | 20 | 7 | 40 | H46S |
RA07M3340M | 9,2 | 7,2 | 330 | 400 | 50 | 7 | 40 | H46S |
RA07M3843M | 9,2 | 7,2 | 378 | 430 | 50 | 7 | 40 | H46S |
RA07M4047M | 9,2 | 7,2 | 400 | 470 | 50 | 7 | 40 | H46S |
RA07M4452M | 9,2 | 7,2 | 440 | 520 | 50 | 7 | 40 | H46S |
RA07N3340M | 12,5 | 9,6 | 330 | 400 | 20 | 7,5 | 43 | H46S |
RA07N4047M | 12,5 | 9,6 | 400 | 470 | 20 | 7,5 | 43 | H46S |
RA07N4452M | 12,5 | 9,6 | 440 | 520 | 20 | 7,5 | 43 | H46S |
RA13H3340M | 17,0 | 12,5 | 330 | 400 | 50 | 13 | 40 | H2S |
RA13H4047M | 17,0 | 12,5 | 400 | 470 | 50 | 13 | 40 | H2S |
RA13H4452M | 17,0 | 12,5 | 440 | 520 | 50 | 13 | 40 | H2S |
RA30H3340M | 17,0 | 12,5 | 330 | 400 | 50 | 30 | 40 | H2S |
RA30H4047M | 17,0 | 12,5 | 400 | 470 | 50 | 30 | 40 | H2S |
RA30H4452M | 17,0 | 12,5 | 440 | 520 | 50 | 30 | 40 | H2S |
RA45H4047M | 17,0 | 12,5 | 400 | 470 | 50 | 45 | 35 | H2S |
RA45H4045MR | 17,0 | 12,5 | 400 | 450 | 50 | 45 | 35 | H2RS |
RA45H4452M | 17,0 | 12,5 | 440 | 520 | 50 | 45 | 35 | H2S |
RA55H3340M | 17,0 | 12,5 | 330 | 400 | 50 | 55 | 35 | H2S |
RA55H3847M | 17,0 | 12,5 | 380 | 470 | 50 | 55 | 38 | H2S |
RA55H4047M | 17,0 | 12,5 | 400 | 470 | 50 | 55 | 35 | H2S |
RA55H4452M | 17,0 | 12,5 | 440 | 520 | 50 | 55 | 43 | H2S |
RA60H4047M1 | 17,0 | 12,5 | 400 | 470 | 50 | 60 | 40 | H2M |
RA60H4452M1 | 17,0 | 12,5 | 440 | 520 | 50 | 60 | 40 | H2M |
RA03M8087M | 9,2 | 7,2 | 806 | 870 | 50 | 3,6 | 32 | H46S |
RA03M8894M | 9,2 | 7,2 | 889 | 941 | 50 | 3,6 | 32 | H46S |
RA03M9595M | 9,2 | 8,0 | 952 | 954 | 50 | 3 | H46S | |
RA06H8285M | 17,0 | 12,5 | 820 | 851 | 1 | 6 | 35 | HIIS |
RA13H8891MA | 17,0 | 12,5 | 889 | 915 | 200 | 13 | 30 | H2S |
RA13H8891MB | 17,0 | 12,5 | 880 | 915 | 1 | 13 | 35 | HIIS |
RA20H8087M | 17,0 | 12,5 | 806 | 870 | 50 | 20 | 25 | H2S |
RA20H8994M | 17,0 | 12,5 | 896 | 941 | 50 | 20 | 25 | H2S |
RA18M1213G | 17,0 | 12,5 | 1240 | 1300 | 200 | 18 | 20 | H2S |