A 600 Kilowatt High Frequency Amplifier

A description is given of the electrical circuits and mechanical construction of a power amplifier designed primarily for use in single sideband suppressed carrier operation having a peak envelope power output of 600,000 watts. The amplifier is also designed to handle an off-on keyed CW signal or frequency shift keyed signal at a continuous power output of 300,000 watts. Some of its features are continuous range motor tuning of all circuit elements over the frequency range from 4 to 30 megacycles, a unique method of opening the amplifier by motor elevation of the plate section and a sliding drawer grid section for tube removal and a fault amplifier type of protective system using a hydrogen thyratron to shortcircuit the high voltage rectifier in case of internal arcing in the power amnplifier tube. The power amplifier uses a single tube. The gain in linear operation with resistance loading on the grid circuit is approximately 40. This amplifier was originally developed under a Signal Corps development contract.