THOR

THOR

30th March 2009 - Time to kick this project back to life I think - Phil VK6APH

PC program for designing Class E amplifiers - http://tonnesoftware.com/classe.html

Thor is a high efficiency HF power amplifier using Envelope Elimination and Restoration (ERR) techniques.

The project leader for Thor is Chuck Clark AF8Z.

Further information on EER techniques can be found in the following publications:

Reference for all Class D, Class E and EER: RF and Microwave Power Amplifier Design, Andrei Grebnnikov, McGras Hill, 2005 ISBN 0-07-144493-9

RF Power Amplifiers for Wireless Communications, Steve Cripps, Artech House, 1999, ISBN 0-89006-989-1

Feedback Linearization of RF Power Amplifiers, Dawson & Lee, Kluwer Academic Publishers, 2004 ISBN 1-4020-8061-1

Single Sideband Systems & Circuits, Sabin & Schoenike, McGraw Hill, 1995, ISBN 0-07-912038-5

Power Supplies: Solid State Power Conversions Handbook, Tarter, Wiley Interscience, 1993, ISBN 0-471-57243-8

A very good explanation of High Efficiency Power Amplifiers can be found here -

http://www.ericsson.com/ericsson/corpinfo/publications/review/2006_03/01.shtml

and here -

http://www.highfrequencyelectronics.com/Archives/Nov03/HFE1103_RaabPart4.pdf

A block diagram of Thor is shown below.

The required phase modulated RF signal and envelope(s) will be provided by the Penelope exciter.

Current design work is focused on the switching power supply and modulator.

Why Thor? Thor is the Viking god of Thunder - he was depicted as a huge man with red hair, red beard and red eyes. He was god of the sky, the ruler of storms and the deliverer of thunderbolts and rain. The Vikings believed he rode the heavens in a chariot drawn by two goats. As Thor passed overhead, thunder rumbled from the wheels of the chariot and lightning flashed from sparks created by the hooves of the goats. (He obviously designed mains connected switched mode power supplies!).