SECTION 6-4

Communication Amplifiers

Walt Kester

Components used in the signal path in communications systems must have wide dynamic range at high frequencies. Dynamic range is primarily limited by distortion and noise introduced by the active elements in amplifiers, mixers, and so forth. In the past, amplifiers for communications applications consisted primarily of “gain blocks” with appropriate specifications. Typically such amplifiers are specified for gain, bandwidth, distortion, and so forth, as a system is designed, and purchased as a self-contained package. This package itself is actually a communications amplifier subsystem.

Today, however, op amps with bandwidths of hundreds of megahertz, low noise, high dynamic range and flexible ...

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