= How to choose an RF Amplifier? =

It depends on your application of course. 

By default, '''always order them with SMA connectors'''. We don't want to use BNC. For some specialty applications, you might want TNC or N connections.

Here we describe the uses that are mostly used in LIGO.

== Some Common Choices ==
These are in common use in LIGO. They work in the 10-100 MHz band, at least. Not an RF Guru? Then just get one of these.

|| Model # || Gain (dB) || Max (1dB comp) (dBm) || N.F. (dB) || Directivity (dB) || Power Supply (V / mA) || f_low - f_high (MHz) ||
|| ZHL-2-8 ||   35.5    ||       30           ||     4      ||         27         ||       24 / 600              ||   10 - 1000               ||
|| ZHL-1A  ||  17.1     ||       30             ||   8.2     ||       12.7       ||       24 / 600        || 2 - 500          ||
|| ZHL-3A  || 25.3      ||       31.7         ||   5.3        ||      12.5           ||     24 / 600             ||    0.4 - 150               ||
|| ZHL-32A  ||  27.4     ||       31.5           ||  6       ||       13         ||       24 / 600        ||  0.05 - 130   ||
|| ZKL-1R5+ || 40.5     ||   18       ||     2.9      ||    8              ||       12 / 115              ||  10 - 1500                 ||
|| ZFL-500LN ||     27      ||   8         ||    2.9       ||      27         ||      15 / 60               ||  0.1 - 500                 ||
|| ZFL-500HLN ||  20.7      ||          17.1       ||     3.9      ||      16       ||        15 / 110           ||  10 - 500                 ||
|| ZFL-1000 ||     24      ||          5            ||   3        ||       27           ||    15 / 60                 ||      0.1 - 1000          ||
|| ZFL-1000H+ || 34          ||    21.1           ||    4.7       ||     16             ||   15 / 160                  ||     10 - 1000              ||




=== External HowTo Links ===
 * http://www.arww-modularrf.com/PDFs/articles/5Steps.pdf

=== Where to Buy Amps ===
 1. [[ http://www.minicircuits.com/products/Amplifiers.shtml | Mini Circuits]]
 1. [[ | Teledyne Cougar]] Very pricey, but very good
 1. [[http://www.wenzel.com/model/broadband-amplifier-lnba/ | Wenzel]] "Quietly the Best"
 1. [[ | Pulsar Microwave]]