The AFH-3218A from Microphase Corporation is a Pseudo DC Coupled DLVA that operates from 2 to 18 GHz. It has a dynamic range of 62 dB, a log slope of 50 mV/dB, and a log range from -40 to +20 dBm. The DLVA has a rise time of 20 ns, a recovery time of less than 500 ns, and a VSWR of under 3:1. It requires a DC supply of 15 V and consumes 110 mA of current. This logarithmic amplifier compresses a large input dynamic range into a small output dynamic range and offers better baseline stability vs. temperature for pulse widths less than 200 µsec.
The AFH-3218A has a single diode detecting circuit which overcomes linearity and recovery problems of conventional extended range DLVA’s. It has CW immunity that allows detection of low-level pulses buried in overpowering CW signals. The DLVA is available in a module that measures 2.90 x 2.30 x 0.50 inches with SMA connectors and is ideal for modern radar and EW systems applications.
