Rohde & Schwarz To Present Compact Amplifier For Latest-Generation Satellite Uplinks

With its new R&S PKU100, Rohde & Schwarz is entering the market for satellite uplink amplifiers in the Ku band. The R&S PKU100 combines the best of two worlds in a single device: the unbeatable strengths of solid-state amplifiers and the compactness and low weight of tube amplifiers. Adaptive linearization makes the R&S PKU100 truly innovative.

The R&S PKU100 from Rohde & Schwarz ushers in a true technology shift in uplink signal amplification. The device uses solid-state output stages throughout and offers a genuine alternative to conventional tube technology. Should individual transistors fail, for example, the amplifier will continue to operate at reduced power.

The R&S PKU100 is just as light, compact and energy-efficient as conventional tube amplifiers and therefore clearly superior to comparable semiconductor-based products. No other instrument on the market offers adaptive linearization. This improves signal quality, enabling network operators to transmit significantly more data over the same signal bandwidth. The amplifier offers excellent efficiency, reducing operating costs.

The R&S PKU100 is available in indoor and outdoor versions. It can be used in ground stations and satellite news gathering (SNG) vehicles.

Rohde & Schwarz has put a lot of thought into the amplifier's power supply concept. If fitted with an optional redundant power supply, the R&S PKU100 will continue to operate should one of the power supplies fail.

The solid-state amplifier comes in 400 W and 750 W versions, each with a frequency range from 12.75 GHz to 13.25 GHz and 13.75 GHz to 14.5 GHz, covering the Ku band. The R&S PKU100 can be fitted with a block upconverter (BUC), allowing low-frequency L-band signals to be processed and converted to the Ku band. The amplifier can be controlled remotely; it supports all common standards such as a web interface, SNMP, RS-232 and parallel I/O interfaces.

The R&S PKU100 will be available from Rohde & Schwarz as of June 2018. It will be presented at the Satellite Show in Washington at booth 2216.

About Rohde & Schwarz
The Rohde & Schwarz technology group develops, produces and markets innovative information and communications technology products for professional users. Rohde & Schwarz focuses on test and measurement, broadcast and media, cybersecurity, secure communications and monitoring and network testing, areas that address many different industry and government-sector market segments. Founded more than 80 years ago, the independent company has an extensive sales and service network in more than 70 countries. On June 30, 2017, Rohde & Schwarz had approximately 10,500 employees. The group achieved a net revenue of approximately EUR 1.9 billion in the 2016/2017 fiscal year (July to June). The company is headquartered in Munich, Germany, and also has regional hubs in Asia and the USA.