RF Power Amplifier Module Manufacturer
BCSK designs and builds RF power amplifier modules in Shenzhen, from 1 W to 200 W across 20 MHz to 6 GHz. GaN, GaAs and LDMOS are chosen per band rather than per catalogue page, and every board leaves with measured power, gain and current draw against its serial number.
- 84
- Amplifier module SKUs in the catalogue
- 20 MHz-6 GHz
- Band coverage, band-specific boards
- 1-200 W
- Output range, 10-100 W in stock
- GaN / GaAs / LDMOS
- Selected per band and price point
Product range overview
The catalogue holds 84 amplifier module boards, concentrated at 10 W, 30 W, 40 W, 50 W and 100 W. Below is the band-to-power map engineers ask for first; everything in the table exists as a board today, and intermediate power levels are built by changing the stage count rather than the platform.
| Band group | Standard power | Device | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20-200 MHz | 50 W | LDMOS | Wideband jamming front ends, lab transmitters |
| 200-400 MHz | 20-50 W | LDMOS / GaN | Analogue video links, low-band counter-UAS |
| 400-520 MHz | 20-50 W | LDMOS / GaN | Public-safety band jamming, TETRA adjacent work |
| 500-600 MHz | 40-50 W | LDMOS | Digital broadcast adjacent, general purpose coverage |
| 600-700 MHz | 40-50 W | GaN | 700 MHz coverage as networks migrate upward |
| 700-850 MHz | 50 W | GaN with isolator | Cellular uplink coverage, jammer integration |
| 850-930 MHz | 50 W | GaN | GSM900 and 900 MHz ISM, drone control links |
| 940-1060 MHz | 50 W | GaN | GSM/3G adjacent, microwave links, telemetry |
| 1160-1280 MHz | 30-50 W | GaN | GNSS L2 / L5 and FPV video downlinks |
| 1550-1620 MHz | 30-50 W | GaN | GNSS L1, positioning denial applications |
| 2400-2500 MHz | 10-50 W | GaN | WiFi, Bluetooth, drone control and video |
| 3400-3600 MHz | 10-30 W | GaN | 5G n78 coverage, private network denial |
| 5150-5350 MHz | 10-30 W | GaN | 5 GHz WiFi, drone video downlink |
| 5720-5850 MHz | 10-30 W | GaN | 5.8 GHz drone video, ISM integration |
Power figures are continuous output at 25 degrees Celsius case temperature unless the model states otherwise. If your cabinet runs at 45 to 50 degrees, derate before ordering or ask for a high-ambient variant.
GaN vs GaAs: which device belongs in your module
Both appear in our catalogue, and the choice is made per band, per power level and per price target. This is the comparison we use internally, including where GaN is the wrong answer.
| Parameter | GaN | GaAs |
|---|---|---|
| Power density | High, roughly three to five times the silicon LDMOS parts it replaced in our designs | Lower per device, which is why GaAs rarely appears above about 10 W in this catalogue |
| Typical output per device | 10 W to 100 W per stage, combined for higher output | 0.5 W to 5 W per stage, used in low-power and broadband blocks |
| Drain efficiency at full output | Around 55 percent on our 50 W and 100 W designs | Around 35 to 45 percent, higher at low output back-off |
| Breakdown and VSWR tolerance | Higher breakdown voltage, survives antenna faults long enough for protection to act | More fragile under mismatch, needs an isolator for anything above a few watts |
| Bandwidth per stage | Octave-class coverage on a single board is practical | Wideband by nature, useful for instrumentation and multi-decade front ends |
| Noise and linearity | Adequate for jamming; linear designs available for communication use | Better small-signal linearity and noise figure, which is why test equipment still uses it |
| Cost at 50 W | Lower total cost once heatsink and stage count are counted | Higher per watt, justified only where its linearity or bandwidth is required |
| Where we choose it | Jammers, counter-UAS, cellular bands, anything above 10 W continuous | Low-noise front ends, broadband instrumentation, sub-watt drivers |
Custom OEM capabilities
Six things change most often in an OEM order. All of them are decided before the sample is built, because moving a connector or a mounting hole afterwards costs more than the module.
Mechanical fit
Board outline, mounting hole pattern, flange thickness and connector position can follow your enclosure instead of ours. Existing designs are also supplied as drop-in boards when a legacy unit is being replaced and the chassis stays.
Thermal path
Extruded heatsink, machined cold plate, baseplate for a customer heatsink, or forced air with a fan bracket. The mounting interface is specified with flatness and thermal resistance so your mechanical engineer can calculate the junction temperature rather than guess it.
RF and DC interfaces
SMA, N-type, MCX or solder pins on the RF side; screw terminals, Molex or a harness on the DC side. Supply options cover 12 V, 24 V, 28 V and 48 V, with enable, alarm and forward/reflected power monitoring available as separate lines.
Band plan
Centre frequency, bandwidth and filter roll-off are set per order. Adjacent-band isolation can be added when two modules share a housing, which is usually cheaper than fixing interference after the enclosure is built.
Protection behaviour
Over-temperature fold-back, reverse polarity, over-current and VSWR protection thresholds are documented rather than hidden. You get the trip points and the recovery time, because a module that shuts down at 70 degrees and one that folds back at 85 behave very differently on site.
Monitoring and control
RS485 or RS232 telemetry, dry-contact alarm output, or a simple analog voltage proportional to forward power. Useful when a jammer system needs to report per-channel status to a control room instead of a single green LED.
What we do not offer: a power level the thermal path cannot support, or a band plan the filter cannot isolate. Those are declined at quotation stage rather than shipped and explained later.
Application scenarios
Four customer types account for nearly all module orders, and each one stresses a different part of the datasheet.
Signal jammer integration
This is where most of our volume goes. A venue or prison jammer needs one amplifier per band, each with enough output to hold a noise floor above the handset link budget at the room edge, and each protected against the antenna being disconnected by an installer. Modules are specified per band rather than broadband, because a 50 W stage covering 700 to 850 MHz filters more cleanly than a 10 W stage covering a decade. Buyers usually order the band set together so connectors, mounting height and DC distribution stay consistent across the rack.
Communication equipment
Private networks, repeater front ends and specialised links use the same amplifier platforms in linear mode. The difference is the specification: adjacent-channel power and intermodulation matter more than raw saturation power, and the module is backed off from saturation so the signal stays clean. Where a customer needs both a wideband driver and a final stage, we quote the pair together with the gain budget already reconciled, which avoids the common problem of a driver that cannot reach the final stage input requirement.
Test instruments
Bench equipment needs repeatable output across the band, low spurious content and a documented thermal derating curve, because an instrument that drifts after an hour is worse than one that is 1 dB weaker. GaAs blocks still appear here for small-signal and broadband work, while GaN handles the higher-power output stages. Units for instrumentation are supplied with per-unit gain and power data at several frequencies rather than a single nominal figure, so calibration offsets can be applied in software.
Drone countermeasure systems
Counter-UAS systems need simultaneous channels, fast warm-up and tolerance for damaged antennas, since a mast-mounted unit is exposed to wind, salt and occasional impact. Modules are built around 900 MHz, 1.5 GHz, 2.4 GHz and 5.8 GHz, usually at 30 to 50 W per band, with isolation specified between adjacent channels inside the same housing. Backpack and handheld systems add weight and battery constraints, so the same output is achieved with fewer, more efficient stages rather than a larger heatsink.
Key specifications guide
Most failed module projects are specification misunderstandings rather than bad hardware. These are the eight lines worth reading before you compare two quotations.
A useful test: ask the supplier for the measurement conditions behind each number. A datasheet that states power, gain and efficiency without ambient temperature and duty cycle is a brochure, not a specification.
Frequency range and instantaneous bandwidth+
Check both. A module rated 700-850 MHz may only deliver full power across part of that span. The datasheet should state where the power is measured, and what the roll-off is at the band edges.
Saturation power vs P1dB+
Psat is the maximum the stage can deliver; P1dB is where gain has compressed by 1 dB. For jamming, Psat is the relevant number. For communication or test use, P1dB and the linearity figures decide whether the signal survives.
Gain and gain flatness+
Nominal gain is meaningless without flatness. A 45 dB module with plus or minus 2 dB across the band needs a different ALC strategy than one with plus or minus 0.5 dB. Ask for the measurement conditions.
Efficiency and current draw+
Efficiency at full output sets the DC supply and the heatsink. A 50 W stage at 55 percent draws roughly 90 W from the supply; at 35 percent it draws about 140 W. That difference decides whether a backpack unit needs one battery pack or two.
Harmonics and spurious+
Harmonic suppression matters when the module drives a broadband antenna, because the second harmonic of 2.4 GHz lands in the 5 GHz band you may also be jamming. Spurious and out-of-band emission figures should be stated at rated output, not at low power.
VSWR protection and trip points+
The protection threshold, the fold-back behaviour and the recovery time belong in the datasheet. A module that folds back at 2.5:1 and recovers automatically will survive a bad connector; one with a hard latch needs a site visit.
Thermal resistance and derating+
Look for thermal resistance from junction to case, the maximum case temperature and a derating curve against ambient. This is the single most common reason a 50 W module underperforms in a metal cabinet at 45 degrees.
Duty cycle and warm-up+
Continuous duty at rated power is a different product from a 50 percent duty rating. Ask what happens at ten minutes, at one hour, and after a cold start at minus 20 degrees.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Psat and P1dB on your datasheets?+
Psat is the saturated output power, measured with the input driven hard enough that more drive produces no more output. P1dB is the 1 dB compression point, where gain has fallen by 1 dB and linearity is still usable. Jamming designs are quoted at Psat; communication and instrument designs at P1dB, with the back-off stated so the two numbers are not confused.
Can you deliver 1 W to 200 W from the same module footprint?+
Within a band family, yes: several boards share an outline and differ in stage count, so a 10 W and a 50 W version can mount to the same holes. Across bands the footprint changes because filter size and heatsink area change. Send the mechanical envelope you have and we will say which power levels fit it, instead of quoting a module that needs a different chassis.
Should I specify GaN or GaAs for my application?+
Above roughly 10 W continuous, GaN is almost always the better choice: higher efficiency, fewer stages, better survival under antenna mismatch. GaAs still wins for sub-watt drivers, broadband instrumentation and low-noise front ends. If a supplier cannot explain which device is inside each channel and why, the datasheet is probably a template.
Do your modules include an isolator or circulator?+
Where the band and power require it, yes: our 700-850 MHz and several 900 MHz platforms ship with an integrated isolator, which is what allows them to survive a disconnected antenna. Below a few watts and on narrowband designs we often omit it to save space and cost, and the quotation states which configuration you are buying.
What supply voltages and connectors are available?+
Standard supply options are 12 V, 24 V, 28 V and 48 V DC, with 28 V common in vehicle and battery-bank installations. RF connectors are SMA, N-type, MCX or solder pins, and DC input is screw terminal, Molex or a flying harness. Custom harness lengths and keyed connectors are available when a module has to drop into an existing rack.
Do you provide measured data for each unit or only a generic datasheet?+
Both. The generic datasheet covers the platform; the shipping unit arrives with a serial-numbered record of output power, gain and current draw measured at stated frequencies, plus a thermal run at rated load. For OEM projects we also supply the sweep used for sample approval, so the acceptance criteria are fixed before volume production starts.
How do you handle thermal design for 50 W continuous operation?+
We state thermal resistance from junction to case, the maximum case temperature and a derating curve, then specify the mounting interface flatness. Whether your heatsink is adequate depends on ambient and airflow, so we ask for both. If a customer reports a unit running hot, forward power, flange temperature and supply voltage usually identify whether the problem is airflow or the amplifier.
What is the minimum order for a custom module, and how long does it take?+
Standard catalogue modules ship from single units. A custom band plan, enclosure or interface carries its own minimum, driven by PCB and filter runs rather than by assembly. The proposal states that minimum, the sample date and the production date. Sample approval is based on measured data, so a change of mind after approval is a new project, not a rework of the same order.
Send the band, power and duty cycle
Frequency range, output power, duty cycle, supply voltage, ambient temperature and the mechanical envelope are enough for a first answer. You will get the device choice, stage count, thermal estimate and price, plus a note on anything that has to change to make the numbers hold.
Samples are measured before approval, and every production unit ships with its own test record. Technical questions reach the design team within one business day.
Related pages
- RF power amplifier module catalogue — Active, digital and passive module families.
- digital power amplifier modules — 23 boards with isolators and protection built in.
- 2.4 GHz amplifier modules — WiFi, Bluetooth and drone link bands.
- 5.8 GHz amplifier modules — Video downlink and ISM integration.
- matching antennas — Panel, fibreglass and PCB antennas to 18 GHz.
- anti-drone system integration — Where these modules end up in the field.
- signal jammer manufacturing — Band sets, testing and OEM process.
- thermal and VSWR troubleshooting — Field diagnosis and replacement guidance.