Low-cost 63% efficient 2.5-kW UHF power amplifier for a wind profiler radar

This paper describes a low-cost 449-MHz 2.5-kW peak pulse amplifier for use in a wind profiling radar. New high-power LDMOS transistors are enabling the use of kilowatt level pulse power amplifiers for under US25¢/W in transistor costs. With pulse duty cycles of 10–20%, kilowatt modules with efficiencies greater than 60% can be combined to achieve multi-kilowatt transmitters, allowing higher transmit powers and improved radar signal to noise ratio.