NuWaves NW-SSPA-MINI-10W-0.225-2.6 User manual

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USERMANUAL
NUPOWERTMMINIMULTI‐OCTAVE
POWERAMPLIFIER
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PARTNUMBER:
NW‐SSPA‐MINI‐10W‐0.225‐2.6
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TrustedRFSolutions.™
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NuWavesEngineering
132EdisonDrive
Middletown,Ohio45044
PH:513‐360‐0800
FAX:513‐539‐8782
www.nuwaves.com
[e-mail]

NuPowerTMMiniMulti‐OctavePAUserManual
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Rev1.4
1
1 NUPOWERTMPRODUCTLINEOVERVIEW
TheNuPowerfamilyofsolidstateRFpoweramplifier(PA)modulesisdesignedtomeetthedemanding
needsoftheAerospace&Defense,Industrial,andCommercialmarkets.Basedonthelatestgallium
nitride(GaN)technology,NuPower’spowerefficiencyandminiatureformfactormakeitidealforsize,
weight,andpower‐constrainedbroadbandRFtelemetryandtacticalcommunicationssystems.
1.1 NUPOWERTMPRODUCTLINEHIGHLIGHTS
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 HighPerformance:Uniquecombinationofbroadbandcoverage,miniatureformfactors,and
highefficiency.
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 Enclosures:TheNuPowerfamilyofpoweramplifiersishousedinasilvernickelplatedaluminum
enclosurewithmountingholesincorporatedintothechassis.
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 CompletelyCharacterized:TheNuPowerfamilyofsolidstatepoweramplifiershasbeen
completelycharacterizedovertemperature,voltage,andfrequency.Thesehigh‐performance
modulesoffersignificantvaluefortheOEMuserortheSystemsIntegrator.
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 UserFriendly:Reverse‐Voltage&Over‐Voltageprotectionandregulatorthermalshutdown
providedefensesagainstuserinterfaceissues.
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 HighReliability:NuWaves’selectionofconservativelyratedcomponentsprovideshigh
reliability.EachNuPowerisinspectedtoIPC‐A‐610ClassIIqualitystandards.
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 Applications:UnmannedAircraftSystems(UAS)•UnmannedGroundVehicles(UGV)•
UnmannedSurfaceVehicles(USV)•BroadbandRFTelemetry•RFCommunicationSystems•
SoftwareDefinedRadios• TestLabs
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 AvailableOptions:
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o Fan‐cooledheatsinkwithNorthAmericanAC/DCwallplugadapter
o Labeledinterfacecablewithbananajackplugs
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NuPowerTMMiniMulti‐OctavePAUserManual
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2 NUPOWERTMMINIMULTI‐OCTAVEPAOVERVIEW
TheNuPowerTMMiniMulti‐OctavePowerAmplifier(MOPA)isahighlyefficient,miniaturesolidstate
poweramplifierthatprovidesover7watts(typical)ofRFpoweracrossmultipleoctaves,fromhighVHF
throughS‐band.
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Basedonthelatestgalliumnitride(GaN)technology,NuPowerMiniMOPA’spowerefficiencyand1.95
cubicinchformfactormakeitidealforsize,weight,andpower‐constrainedbroadbandRFtelemetry
andtacticalcommunicationsystems.
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TheNuPowerMiniMOPA’sruggedchassisallowsthesystemintegratortoeasilyincorporatetheunit
intoaplatformoperatinginharshenvironmentswithlimitedspace,suchassmallUnmannedAircraft
Systems(UAS).
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Figure1:NuPowerMiniMOPAFunctionalDiagram
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2.1 NUPOWERMINIMULTI‐OCTAVEPASPECIFICATIONS
ThesubsequenttablesinthissectionoutlinetheNuPowerMiniMOPA’sperformancespecifications.
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Table1:NuPowerMiniMOPAElectricalSpecifications
ParameterSpecification
FrequencyRange225MHzto2.6GHz
RFOutputPower7Watts(typ)*
RFGain40dB(min)
2ndHarmonic≤‐13dBc
SupplyVoltage+11to+32VDC
CurrentConsumption1.4A@+28VDC(typ)
NominalInputDriveLevel0dBm

NuPowerTMMiniMulti‐OctavePAUserManual
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3
MaximumInputDriveLevel
(Nodamage)
+10dBm
PowerAmplifierEnableGNDOn
Impedance50Ω
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*TheNuPowerMiniMOPAwillprovide10watts(typ)RFoutputpoweracross225MHzto2.6GHzwith
aninputdrivelevelof+3dBm.
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Table2:NuPowerMiniMOPAEnvironmentalSpecifications
OperatingConditionsSpecification
OperatingTemperaturefor
ContinuousOperation
(>5minutes)
‐30to+55oC(ambient)
‐30to+60oC(baseplate)
OperatingTemperaturefor20%
DutyCycle
‐30to+60oC(ambient)
‐30to+65oC(baseplate)
StorageTemperature‐40to+85oC
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Table3:NuPowerMiniMOPAMeanTimeBetweenFailure(MTBF)
ConditionsHours
GroundBenign(GB)126,690
AirborneInhabitedCargo(AIC)14,800
AirborneInhabitedFighter(AIF)10,650
AirborneUninhabitedCargo(AUC)8,400
AirborneUninhabitedFighter(AUF)5,800
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NuPowerTMMiniMulti‐OctavePAUserManual
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2.2 NUPOWERMINIMULTI‐OCTAVEPAMECHANICALSPECIFICATIONS
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Figure2:NuPowerMiniMOPAMechanicalOutline
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Table4:NuPowerMiniMOPAMechanicalSpecifications
ParameterSpecification
RFConnectorsSMA(female)
Control/PowerInterfaceConnector9PinMicro‐D(socket)
Dimensions(LxWxH)2.340”x1.960”x0.425”
Weight2oz.
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2.3 HEATSINKING
TheNuPowerMiniMOPAisofferedasastand‐alonemoduleorwithakit,whichalsoincludesafan‐
cooledheatsinkwithanAC/DCadapter,andaninterfacecable.
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Figure3:TheNuPowerPAKitoffers“out‐of‐the‐box”operationfortheuser.Thefan‐cooledheatsink
withanAC/DCadapterisshownwithanexamplePA(NuPowerMiniMOPAnotshown).
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Caution:Theuseofexternalheat‐sinkingisrequiredespeciallyforthoseapplications
requiringhighdutycycleoperation(e.g.continuouswave)orforextendedon‐timetesting.
Operationwithoutaproperheatsinkundertheseconditionswillcausepermanentdamage
totheproductandwillvoidtheproductwarranty.
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Theexternalheatsinkthermalresistancerequirementsare:
 <0.35˚C/Wforoperationupto40˚Cambient
 <0.20˚C/Wforoperationupto55˚Cambient
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3 SETUPANDOPERATION
ThissectionprovidesspecificdetailsforproperoperationoftheNuPowerMiniMOPAmodule.
Followingtheseguidelineswillpreventdamagetothepoweramplifierorexternalequipment.
3.1 POWERSUPPLYREQUIREMENTS
TooperatetheNuPowerMiniMOPA,ensurethatthepowersupplyhasadequateoverheadtosource
thecurrentdemandoftheRFpoweramplifier.Thepowersupplysourcemustprovideatypicalvoltage
of+28VDCwithgreaterthan3ampscapability.

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3.2 CONNECTINGAPROPERLOADTOTHEANTENNATERMINAL
TopreventdamagetothePA,theantennaterminalmustbeterminatedintoa50Ωload.Examplesofa
properloadinclude:
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 Directlyconnectingtoanantennaspecifiedforthefrequencyrange(225MHzto2.6GHz).
ConnectingtoaninappropriateantennamayresultindamagetothePAmodule.
 Connectingtoaproperantennathrougha50Ωtransmissionlineorcoaxialcable.Avoidusing
damagedcablesorcorrodedconnectorswhileattachingtheunittoanantenna.
 Terminatingtheantennaterminalintoa50Ωpowerattenuatorwithminimum20dB
attenuation.
 ConnectingtoaloadcapableofdissipatingtheRFpowerfromthePAmodule.Loadscapableof
handling20Watts(min)arerecommended.
3.3 POWERING‐UPTHEMINIMOPA
TheNuPowerMiniMOPAmustbeterminatedtoaproperloadbeforepowerisapplied.RefertoSection
3.2forthespecificationsoftheproperload.AfterthePAisproperlyterminated,theinterfacecablecan
beconnectedtotheunitandpowercanbeapplied.ThePAisnowreadyforoperation.
3.4 TRANSMITTURN‐ONTIME
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Caution:DonotapplytransmitdatauntilthePAmoduleisatfullpower.Thiswillprevent
lossofdataatthebeginningofamessage.
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TheNuPowerMiniMOPAisatfullpowerapproximately500µSaftertheRFEnablelinegoeslow
(ground).Therefore,transmitdatacanbeappliedtotheinputafter500µSwithoutlossofdata.
3.5 RFOUTPUTPOWERVS.SUPPLYVOLTAGE
AlthoughtheNuPowerMiniMOPAwasdesignedfor+28VDCoperation,themoduleiscapableof
providingsuitableRFpoweroutputoverabroadrangeofsupplyvoltages:+9VDCto+32VDC.
3.6 POWERBACK‐OFFMODE
TheNuPowerMiniMOPAisdesignedtoallowtheusertoreduce,or“back‐off,”theoutputpowerin
supportoflinearwaveformoperationortotradeoffoutputpowerinexchangeforlowerpower
consumption.Theamountofpowerback‐offisassuminga0dBmdriveleveltothePAmodule.
Pins7&9ontheCTRL/PWRinterfaceconnectoraredesignatedtoallowsuchoperation.Table5depicts
thepinconfigurationstoachievelow,medium,andhighback‐offsettings,where“N/C”isanindication
toleavethepinfloating(i.e.notconnected)sincethepinistiedhighinternally,andwhere“GND”
meansgroundingthepin.Duetothebroadbandnatureoftheunit,theamountofattenuationisan
approximationforeachrespectivesettingasshowninTable5,dependantonoperationalfrequencyand
otherfactors,includingunit‐to‐unitpowervariation.
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Table5:PowerBack‐offSettings
AttenuationSettingsBit1Bit2
Fullpower/NoattenuationN/CN/C
‐6dB(low)GNDGND
‐9dB(med)GNDN/C
‐12dB(high)N/CGND
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4 HARDWAREINTERFACE
 TheRFInputconnectorisSMA(female).
 TheRFOutputconnectorisSMA(female).
 Thepin‐outdefinitionsforthe9pinMicro‐DsocketconnectorareprovidedinTable6.Ina
typicalinstallation,thePAmoduleismatedtoahostcontrollerboardviaacableharness.
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TheRFOutSMAconnectoristheantennaconnection.Thisconnectionshould
alwaysbeloadedinto50Ω,otherwisethePAcouldbedamaged.
4.1 INTERFACECABLEHARNESS 
Thecableharnessthatconnectsthehostcontrollertothe9pinMicro‐DconnectoroftheNuPowerMini
MOPAismadeupof9wires.
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Table6:NuPowerMiniMOPAInterfacePin‐OutDefinitions
PinNo.PinNameI/0Description
1,2VSupplyIPrimaryPower(+28VDC)
3,4GNDISignalandPowerGround
5RFEnableITransmitControl
6N.C.‐ N/A
7Bit1IPowerBack‐offmode,seeTable5
8TempFlag0Over‐tempIndicator
9Bit2IPowerBack‐offmode,seeTable5

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Figure4:Micro‐DSocketLocations
4.2 DCPOWER
ThenominalsupplyvoltagefortheNuPowerMiniMOPAis+28VDC;however,theamplifiermoduleis
abletosupportoperationoverasupplyvoltagerangeof+11to+32VDC.
4.3 GROUND
ThesignalandpowergroundsaretiedtogetherinthePAmodule.
4.4 RFENABLE
Thissignalisthelogiccontrolinputthatdesignateswhethertheunitisintransmitorstandbymode.The
RFEnablelineispulledhighinternallyplacingthePAmoduleinstandbymode.Ifthepinisleftfloating
(i.e.notconnected),theunitwilldefaulttostandbymode.
Groundingthepin(i.e.avoltagebelow+0.2VDC)placestheunitintransmitmode.Theusercaneither
connecttheRFEnablelinetopins3&4ontheCTRL/PWRinterfaceconnector,oranopendrainlogic
linecapableofsinking500µAtoplacetheunitintransmitmode.
4.5 TEMPFLAG
Thissignalisanoutputtoindicateanover‐temperatureconditionintheNuPowerMiniMOPA.Alogic
high(+5VDC)indicatesnormaloperation,whilealogiclow(0VDC)indicatesanover‐temperature
condition.TheNuPowerMiniMOPAincorporatesinternallogiccircuitrythatturnsofftheDCbiastothe
RFtransistors.

Caution:Theamplifiershouldbeshutdownandallowedtocooloffwhentheover‐
temperatureflagissethightoavoiddamagetothemodule.
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NuPowerTMMiniMulti‐OctavePAUserManual
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
Rev1.4
9
5 GETTINGHELP‐APPLICATIONSENGINEERING
NuWavesEngineeringofferstechnicalsupportforbasicconfigurationhelpandtroubleshooting,Monday
throughFriday,8a.m.to5p.m.EasternTime.

TechnicalAssistance,ApplicationEngineering,andSales:
Phone:(513)360‐0800
Email:[email protected]

NuWavesHomePage:http://www.nuwaves.com

ProductWarranty:
http://www.nuwaves.com/wp‐content/uploads/2011/04/NuWaves_Warranty_Repair.pdf


5.1 GENERALINFORMATION
Copyright©2006‐2016NuWavesLtd.Allrightsreserved.Theinformationcontainedinthisuser
manualiscopyrightprotected.NuWavesreservestherighttomakeperiodicmodificationsandproduct
improvementstotheNuPowerproductlineandtheassociateddocumentation.