POWER amplifiers for personal-communications-services (PCS) base-stati
on applications in the 1.8-to-2.2-GHz frequency range must deliver a c
ombination of high gain and high linearity in order to satisfy the str
ingent performance requirements of modern transmission standards such
as Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), code-division multip
le access (CDMA), and North American Digital Cellular (NADC). In fact,
amplifiers may be required to boost multiple signals of the same form
at or a combination of formats. The MRF286 laterally diffused metal-ox
ide-semiconductor (LDMOS) power transistor from Motorola, Inc, (Phoeni
x, AZ) delivers a peak envelope power (PEP) of 60 W with a correspondi
ng 10.5-dB gain and -31-dBc intermodulation-distortion (IMD) level whe
n used in Class AB from 1.93 to 1.99 GHz. This conclusion of a two-par
t article examines the performance of the MRF286 in the GSM, CDMA, and
NADC operating formats.