A 50 W Ka-Band Solid-State Power Amplifier and Upconverter for Transportable and Platform-Mount SATCOM Systems

This paper describes the performance of an L-to-Ka-band upconverter for satellite communications. This upconverter uses spatially combined grid amplifier modules to achieve 50 W saturated output power, while meeting linearity requirements for third-order intermodulation, AM/PM conversion, and spectral regrowth at 25 W output. The production unit is packaged in a compact rugged outdoor enclosure that weighs only 32 pounds. The unit's size and efficiency allow it to be mounted very near the feed on truck or trailer systems, thereby eliminating cumbersome long waveguide runs. Furthermore, this solid-state unit maintains the potential for high-volume production, thereby lowering cost through economies of scale