[Amps] MRF151G Vs VRF2933

[John Lyles]

The MRF151G is a push pull 'gemini' packaged part. MACOM sells their 
equivalent on Mouser's website for about $105 in 10 piece qty. This part 
has been around for decades and is very well known and used in thousands 
of places. It is one example of a power RF semiconductor that has market 
longevity like a tube. Recently at CERN, the Swiss/French particle 
accelerator site, a new design of RF drivers was developed around this 
part. They are modulator units that provide about 1 kV of kick to the 
protons, and are driven by a cluster of MRF151G's running in HF range. 
Radiation can kill semis, but the MRF151G has pretty good lifetime and 
they have figured out a special way to compensate for the bias shift in 
the parts. Plus, its cheap enough just to throw the transistors away 
every year or so and replace with new, in the big scheme of things.

I recommend designing around the 151G if you want a long time source for 
parts. We use them in a number of solid state amplifiers where I work too.

73
John
K5PRO