A Power splitter is one of the most conventional passive devices which receives an input signal and delivers multiple output signals to different output ports, with a specific phase and amplitude characteristics.
In other words, the power splitter apportions the signal input, received by the base station antenna, to multiple output ports for its further processing.
There are different power splitters known by the number of splits or output power/signals it can generate from a single input power source, namely – two-way power splitter, three-way power splitter, and a four-way power splitter.
A power splitter is a reciprocal passive device, and so the same power splitter can be used as a combiner – multiple input signal vectors combined into one output signal vector. In words, the vector sum of the signals will appear as a single output at the splitter output port.
The following functions can be achieved by using a power splitter or a combiner-the power splitter in a reciprocal application.
- 1. Add or subtract signals vectorially.
- 2. Attain multi-phase proportional output signals from different sources.
- 3. Split an input signal into multiple output signals-from 2 ports to 32 ports.
- 4. Combine signals from multiple input sources to obtain a single port output.
- 5. Attain a capability to get RF logic arrangements.
A Power splitter is available in conventional housing and T-style housing which covers all wireless band frequencies from 200MHz to 18GHz and narrowband to multi-octave versions too. Raditek offers a wide range on it’s website.