Waveform and RF power amplifier interdependencies in battery-powered tactical High Frequency radio applications

This paper will examine the subtle interdependencies of physical layer waveforms and RF power amplifiers when applied to a battery-powered High Frequency (HF) tactical radio system. Traditional physical layer analysis usually compares the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) required to achieve a desired bit error rate (BER) but does not consider how the peak-power to average-power ratio (PAPR) of the waveform will affect the design and performance of the power amplifier. This paper will address both the BER performance of physical layer waveforms and the class/efficiency/power constraints of power amplifiers for use in a battery-powered tactical HF environment.