A new approach to wideband architecture for shipboard communications systems

A novel transmitting subsystem architecture is shown, which is simple in concept, but gives exceptional intermodulation performance at efficiencies greater than 20%. The heart of this concept is the fact that a class A field-effect transistor amplifier can be designed to produce less reverse intermodulation distortion than forward intermodulation distortion. This type of transmitting subsystem has all of the advantages of a conventional powerbank with little or no forward intermodulation distortion. It lends itself to modern electronic countermeasures and electronic counter countermeasures systems on shipboard or other applications where transmitting and receiving antennas must be in close proximity. A 4-kW system, for use with up to eight frequency agile exciters, is being built