
NV30/NV40 Operations and Maintenance Manual Description
Page 1-6 Issue 3.3 2014-12-10
RF power stage
See Figures SD-7, SD-8 and SD-9. The RF power stage accepts the intermediate RF drive inputs from
the RF drive stage and generates the final RF output. It consists of 16 RF power modules, four
module backplane PWBs (A17, A32, A50 and A65), four 10 kW combiner/filters (A16, A31, A49
and A64), two 20 kW combiners (A30 and A63), a 40 kW combiner (A48), an output power probe
(A13), three reject load assemblies [A (A14, 8-input), B (A45, 4-input) and C (A46, 4-input)] and two
reject load interface PWBs [A (A15) and B (A47)].
RF power module
See Figure SD-7 (see the NV30/NV40 Troubleshooting Manual for a detailed RF power module
description) and “RF Power Module Block Diagram” on page 1-11.
Each of the 16 RF power modules provides up to 2750 W (for NV40) or 2062.5 W (for NV30) of RF
output power and is comprised of an IPA power amplifier PWB, eight power amplifier PWBs, power
module interface PWB, combiner PWB, splitter PWB and six cooling fans. The intermediate RF drive
outputs from the RF drive stage are applied to the RF power modules via module backplane PWBs 1-
4 (A17), 5-8 (A32), 9-12 (A50) and 13-16 (A65). Within each RF power module, the intermediate RF
drive signal is sampled and then drives the IPA amplifier. The IPA output is sampled then split to
drive the module's eight PAs. The IPA Volts and PA Volts inputs from the associated switching power
supply modules control the RF output of the IPA and eight PAs, respectively. The RF power module
receives alarm and status signals (PS Temp, PS Fail, PS AC Fail, and PS Module Present) from the ac-dc
power stage. The RF power module also provides a Pwr Supply Inhibit signal (one for each of the
power module’s dual supplies) to the ac-dc power stage, which, when active, inhibits the associated
switching power supply. A PA V Sample and IPA V sample from each RF power module is applied to
the control/monitor stage. The control/monitor stage supplies a PA Volts Inhibit signal, which
controls the PA outputs of the RF power module.
Module backplane PWB
See Figure SD-7. Each set of four RF power modules (1-4, 5-8, 9-12 and 13-16) has an associated
module backplane PWB which interfaces with all module inputs and outputs, except for the RF
output. It also provides the fan volts connections for the module's cooling fans. The setting of
dipswitches S1 through S4 assign a four-bit address for each specific module based on module
position. Jumper E1 is set to TERM on RF power module 16 (the last module) to terminate the RS-
485 serial communication cable.
Combiner/filters
See Figure SD-8. There are various stages of combiners used in the transmitter. All combining
follows a corporate (or binary) structure in that pairs of RF power blocks are combined throughout
the RF chain from the RF power modules to the RF output.