Honeywell G.m.b.h.

Rockwell International Corporation

Kirk A Snodgrass

Peter David Bailey

A step attenuator comprises two branchline couplers with two coupling transmission lines therebetween. Attenuation is accomplished through switchable resistors, in series with switching diodes, shunted across the transmission lines. These resistors reflect and absorb incident power. Switching signals are provided to the diodes through the branchline couplers and the coupling transmission lines. The reflected power is absorbed by a matched termination at the port of the input branchline coupler that is isolated from the port at which the signal to be attenuated is coupled. Phase shift and insertion loss are minimized by tuning the series inductance inherent in the diode resistor combination with tuning capacitors in series therewith. These capacitors are by passed by low-susceptance inductors which provide a dc path to ground for the diodes.

Discrete step microwave attenuator

An improved power amplifier is disclosed which is particularly useful with very high frequency (VHF) transceivers. The power amplifier includes a control loop configured to sense the input radio frequency signal and use that signal as a reference for comparison with the radio frequency output from the amplifier to control amplifier power output. The loop forces the amplifier's output radio frequency envelope to follow the input radio frequency envelope and thus produce a constant gain loop. A limiter in the loop forces the loop to produce a constant power output when the input signal exceeds a level set by the limiter.

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Phoenix, AZ, United States of America

Kirk A Snodgrass