Looking to boost HamShield, HamShield Mini or HamShield: LoRa Edition output power? Check out this 8 watt power amplifier.
Note that while it does output an impressive amount of power, there is no receive path. This means you need to either use another HamShield with either a diplexer or another antenna to be able to receive signals.
Specifications
Maximum output power: 8.32 watts (39.2dBm)
Frequency range: 400-460MHz
Voltage: 5V-8.4V (voltage dictates power output)
Input Power Range: 20-23 dBm max, lower power levels will yield reduced power output
Weight: 60g
IMPORTANT NOTE: Be very careful not to use the max output power on HamShield 1.0 or HamShield: LoRa Edition, as it will overload the input. It will likely overdrive the amplifier and cause distortion or damage the amplifier. There is also no reason to put in over 23 dBm, as it did not change the final output power.
Voltage, Power output and Current Consumption Matrix
| Voltage | Power Output | Current Consumption | Idle Power |
| 6V | 5.12W (37.1dBm) | 1.26A | 150mA |
| 7V | 6.76W (38.3dBm) | 1.43A | 180mA |
| 8V | 8.32W (39.2dBm) | 1.56A | 200mA |
During our tests, the average power output from our LoRa signal was within half a dB of the rated output. Given the amount of couplings and the accuracy of the attenuator, thats pretty much spot on! On a light duty cycle, the amplifier was around 35C. We suspect most of this heat is generated by the amplifier's idle power.