Tekbox TBHDR1 User guide

V1.0

TBHDR1

TBHDR1 HIGH DYNAMIC RANGE AMPLIFIER

The TBHDR1 is a high dynamic range amplifier with a frequency range from 30kHz to 1.5GHz. Its gain
is characterized up to 6GHz.

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50/11 TRUONG SON, TAN BINH DISTRICT, HO CHI MINH CITY | TEL [phone] | E-MAIL [email protected] | www.tekbox.net

V1.0

TBHDR1

CONTENTS

TBHDR1 MANUAL

1 INTRODUCTION 3

1.1 APPLICATION 3

2 ELECTRICAL SPECIFICATIONS 4

3 APPLICATION AS PRE-AMPLIFIER FOR SPECTRUM ANALYZERS 7

4 ORDERING INFORMATION 8

5 HISTORY 8

TABLES

Table 1 – TBHDR1 gain 4

Table 2 – Ordering Information 8

Table 3 – History 8

PICTURES

Picture 1 – TBHDR1 wide-band RF pre-amplifier, front view 3

Picture 2 – TBHDR11 wide-band RF pre-amplifier, rear view 3

Picture 3 – TBHDR1, gain, 30 kHz – 1 MHz 4

Picture 4 – TBHDR1, gain, 30 kHz – 1.5 GHz 5

Picture 5 – TBHDR1, gain, 30 kHz – 6 GHz 5

Picture 6 – TBHDR1, input return loss, lS11l, 30 kHz – 1.5 GHz 7

Picture 7 – TBHDR1, output return loss, lS22l, 30 kHz – 1.5 GHz 7

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1. INTRODUCTION

TBHDR1 MANUAL

The TBHDR1 is a high dynamic range amplifier with a frequency range
from 30kHz to 1.5GHz. Its gain is characterized up to 6GHz.

The TBHDR1 has a high IP3 and a low noise figure which makes it an

ideal alternative pre-amplifier for spectrum analyzers and receivers in
EMC test applications. Due to its low noise figure, high IP3 and gain
down to the kHz range it also performs very well as amplifier for active
loop antennas.

1.1 APPLICATION

• General purpose gain block

• Pre-amplifier in applications with low noise and high IP3 requirements

• Pre-amplifier for spectrum analyzers, especially in EMC pre-compliance test applications.

• Loop antenna amplifier

Picture 1 – TBHDR1 wide-band RF pre-amplifier, front view

Picture 2 – TBHDR1 wide-band RF pre-amplifier, rear view

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50/11 TRUONG SON, TAN BINH DISTRICT, HO CHI MINH CITY | TEL [phone] | E-MAIL of[email protected] | www.tekbox.net

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2. ELECTRICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Technical Data:

• Maximum supply voltage: 5.5V

• Maximum input power: +10 dBm

• Input, Output: 50 Ohm, SMA female

• Nominal supply Voltage: 5V, typ. 100mA, Mini-USB-B connector

• 1dB output compression point @ 100 MHz: +19.2 dBm typical

• 1dB output compression point @ 500 MHz: +19 dBm typical

• 1dB output compression point @ 1000 MHz: +18.3 dBm typical

typ. gain:

TBHDR1 MANUAL

• 3rd order output intercept point @ 100 MHz: +38dBm

• 3rd order output intercept point @ 500 MHz: +37dBm

• 3rd order output intercept point @ 1000 MHz: +33dBm

• Reverse isolation S12: -28dB

• Input matching: 30kHz-1.5GHz < - 16 dB

• Output matching: 30kHz-1.5GHz < - 10 dB

• Noise Figure: 2.7 dB

30 kHz 150 kHz 1 MHz 100 MHz

500 MHz

1 GHz 1.5 GHz 3 GHz 6 GHz

22.5 dB 23.6 dB 24.2 dB 24 dB 22.9 dB 21.1 dB 19.5 dB 14.1 dB 5.3 dB

Table 1 – TBHDR1 gain

Picture 3 – TBHDR1, gain, 30 kHz – 1 MHz

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50/11 TRUONG SON, TAN BINH DISTRICT, HO CHI MINH CITY | TEL [phone] | E-MAIL of[email protected] | www.tekbox.net

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TBHDR1 MANUAL

Picture 4 – TBHDR1, gain, 30 kHz – 1.5 GHz

Picture 5 – TBHDR1, gain, 30 kHz – 6 GHz

© 2017 TEKBOX DIGITAL SOLUTIONS

50/11 TRUONG SON, TAN BINH DISTRICT, HO CHI MINH CITY | TEL [phone] | E-MAIL of[email protected] | www.tekbox.net

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TBHDR1 MANUAL

Picture 6 – TBHDR1, input return loss, lS11l, 30 kHz – 1.5 GHz

Picture 7 – TBHDR1, output return loss, lS22l, 30 kHz – 1.5 GHz

© 2017 TEKBOX DIGITAL SOLUTIONS

50/11 TRUONG SON, TAN BINH DISTRICT, HO CHI MINH CITY | TEL [phone] | E-MAIL of[email protected] | www.tekbox.net

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TBHDR1 MANUAL

3. APPLICATION AS PRE-AMPLIFIER FOR SPECTRUM ANALYZERS

In applications, where signals close to the base noise floor of the
spectrum analyzer need to be investigated, it may be necessary to turn
on the internal pre-amplifier. However, as pre-amplifiers of spectrum
analyzers are typically optimized for low noise, non-linearities may

create distortions, which falsify the displayed spectrum. Third order non­linearities are especially critical, as they often appear in the frequency
range of interest.

EXAMPLE:

The picture below shows two signals with an amplitude of -35dBm and frequencies 200MHz, 200.1MHz at the input of a spectrum analyzer

If there is no requirement to look at signals with amplitudes close to
the noise floor, everything is fine. However, if the spectrum has
to be checked for signals with amplitudes close to the noise floor of
approximately -100 dBm, the internal pre-amplifier of the spectrum
analyzer needs to be turned on.

The picture below shows the spectrum of exactly the same set up,
with the pre-amplifier of the spectrum analyzer turned on. It shows two

additional spectral lines which are caused by third order intermodulation
of the internal preamplifier. Assuming there are more than two signals
present at the analyzer, e.g. when doing radiated or conducted noise
EMC pre-compliance testing or when investigating broadcast spectrum.
It will become hard to tell which signals are real and which signals
are intermodulation products generated by the pre-amplifier of the
spectrum analyzer:

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50/11 TRUONG SON, TAN BINH DISTRICT, HO CHI MINH CITY | TEL [phone] | E-MAIL of[email protected] | www.tekbox.net

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TBHDR1 MANUAL

The following spectrum shows the spectrum of the same set up, however
using the TBHDR1 pre-amplifier instead of the internal amplifier of
the analyzer. Due to the high IP3 of the TBHDR1, the amplitude of

the intermodulation products are significantly lower, compared to the
preamplifier of the spectrum analyzer.

4. ORDERING INFORMATION

PART NUMBER DESCRIPTION

TBHDR1

24 dB pre-amplier, 1 pc 25cm SMA-male to SMA-male cable, 1 pc 75cm SMA- male to N-male

cable. 1 pc SMA-female to N-male coaxial adapter, USB cable, measurement plot

Table 2 – Ordering Information

5. HISTORY

VERSION DATE AUTHOR CHANGES

V1.0 30.8.2017 Mayerhofer Creation of the document

Table 3 – History

© 2017 TEKBOX DIGITAL SOLUTIONS

50/11 TRUONG SON, TAN BINH DISTRICT, HO CHI MINH CITY | TEL [phone] | E-MAIL of[email protected] | www.tekbox.net

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