3 Way RF Power Divider, Combiner, Splitter
Type N, SMA, TNC, BNC, 350-6000 MHz

3 Way Power Divider Combiner Application Note

INSTOCK three way power divider, power combiners are available in two configurations, in-line and T-style, each offered with type-N female (jack) and SMA female (jack) connectors. All 4 models are optimized for broadband operation covering the frequency range from 0.698 to 2.700 GHz with unsusrpassed electrical performance. These Wilkinson hybrid, 3 way, power divider, power combiners are reciprocal units that can be used to divide or combine signals with equal facility. Their microstrip construction passes DC current to all ports for use in active systems.

In power dividing applications, the input signal is equally split into three output signals, each down 4.77 dB from the incident due to the 1:3 power division. No power is actually lost from this power split; it is just allocated into three amplitude and phase matched signals, thus a so called 4.77 dB insertion loss. True insertion loss of less than 0.7 dB max will be found at the output ports resulting from dissipation of small amounts of RF & microwave energy within the connectors and microstrip circuit. The output signals are isolated from each other by 22 dB minimum through the use of resistors that dissipate any power reflected back to the circuit caused by unequal or unbalanced output loads. The 40 watt maximum power rating of these power dividers is applicable when connected to matched output load VSWR of 1.2:1 or better. This maximum power rating must be reduced when load VSWR's increase and are unbalanced or out-of-phase with respect to one another. See Power Divider Input Ratings Table for additional guidelines.

The situation with power combining is a bit more complex. While it is possible to sum three input signals with no loss, this can only be accomplished if the signals are coherent and identical in phase and amplitude. Such a case would be the three way power splitting of a signal which is then recombined after amplification, provided the amplified signals are phase locked together. But outside this case, or cases of pure sine signals, or CW signals without any transmitted information, the combining of three non-coherent signals will result in a minimum 4.77 dB loss (1/3rd power ratio) plus the true insertion loss of the power combiner (0.7 dB max @ 2.7 GHz). Worst-case combining loss occurs with coherent signals 180° out-of-phase, where all input power is dissipated. Because the combining loss is dissipated through the isolation resistors, the power handling and heat transfer capabilities of these resistors ultimately determines the maximum combiner power rating. See 3 Way Power Combiner Input Ratings Table (left) for more information.

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