Bonn Elektronik CW Amplifiers

Continuous-wave RF power amplification for EMC and radiated immunity testing spans an unusually wide practical range — from kilohertz-range low-frequency work through to millimetre-wave frequencies near 60GHz — and no single amplifier design covers that entire span efficiently. Bonn Elektronik's CW amplifier range addresses this with five distinct model families, each optimised for its own segment of the 4kHz to 60GHz range.

BSA covers the kHz range in solid-state design, BLWA extends into the MHz range also in solid-state form, and BLMA provides the widest microwave coverage in the range, again solid-state, for GHz-range applications. TWAL brings travelling wave tube technology to bear for higher power at millimetre-wave frequencies, where tube-based amplification still outperforms solid-state alternatives at the power levels EMC testing requires. Dedicated Narrow Band and Cellular units round out the range for applications targeting specific communication bands rather than broad frequency coverage.

Across all five families, over 150 standard frequency-range variants are available, each offered at multiple output power levels — this is a customised-to-order product line rather than an off-the-shelf catalogue item, so the practical approach is contacting Finch with the required frequency range and power level, and matching that to the right standard model or specifying a custom unit.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Bonn Elektronik offer five separate amplifier families instead of one that covers the full range?

Amplifying efficiently across 4kHz to 60GHz requires fundamentally different underlying technology at different points in that range — solid-state design suits the lower-to-mid frequencies (BSA, BLWA, BLMA) while travelling wave tube technology (TWAL) remains necessary for higher power at millimetre-wave frequencies. No single design covers the full span efficiently.

What's the difference between the Narrow Band/Cellular units and the general BSA/BLWA/BLMA range?

The general-purpose families cover their respective frequency ranges broadly, while the dedicated Narrow Band and Cellular units are optimised specifically for particular communication bands — a better fit where the test requirement targets a specific band rather than needing broad frequency coverage.

With over 150 standard variants, how do I know which model fits my requirement?

Given the range's scale and customisation options, the practical approach is providing the required frequency range and output power level directly — Finch matches that to the appropriate standard model, or specifies a custom unit where a standard variant doesn't cover the exact requirement.

See Bonn Elektronik's technical documentation for their CW amplifier range →