STMicroelectronics STEVAL-TDR001V1

Overview

STEVAL-TDR001V1 from STMicroelectronics is a two-stage RF power amplifier evaluation board integrating PD84001 and PD54003L-E N-channel enhancement-mode lateral MOSFETs, a low-pass filter for harmonic suppression, and operates at 380–512 MHz with 4 W output power, 7.2 V supply, and <−70 dBc harmonics-designed specifically for portable UHF two-way radio transmitters.

For engineers reviewing the STEVAL-TDR001V1 datasheet, STEVAL-TDR001V1 pinout, STEVAL-TDR001V1 application, or STEVAL-TDR001V1 equivalent, this board enables rapid validation of RF PA performance, thermal stability under load mismatch (20:1), APC-controlled gain linearity, and LPF insertion loss (<−1.5 dB at 450 MHz) in compact UHF transmitter designs.

Technical Context

The board implements a cascaded two-stage Class AB RF amplifier architecture: first stage (PD84001) provides high gain and input matching; second stage (PD54003L-E) delivers 4 W saturated output with integrated thermal pad and PowerFLAT™ packaging. The on-board 5th-order low-pass filter suppresses harmonics to <−70 dBc while maintaining <1.5 dB insertion loss across 380–512 MHz.

Operation is stabilized by VAPC control (0–5 V), enabling precise output power regulation. Total current draw remains ≤1.6 A at POUT = 4 W and PIN = 10 dBm, with case temperature rated from −20 °C to +85 °C and ambient limit of +55 °C-optimized for battery-powered portable radios with stringent EMI and thermal constraints.

Key Specifications

Availability

STEVAL-TDR001V1 is available at Aetrix Electronics and suitable for UHF portable radio development, RF PA characterization labs, and EMI-compliant transmitter qualification requiring stable component supply, repeatable test fixture performance, and RoHS-compliant evaluation hardware.

Supply support for STEVAL-TDR001V1 includes scheduled delivery planning, volume procurement assistance, BOM continuity management, traceable sourcing, and lifecycle availability coordination for OEM customers, industrial embedded developers, connected-device designers, and electronics production programs.

Manufacturer

STMicroelectronics is a global semiconductor leader headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, designing and manufacturing analog, mixed-signal, power, and RF components for industrial, automotive, and communications applications.

This evaluation board belongs to ST's STEVAL RF amplifier reference design series, created to accelerate prototyping of compliant, thermally robust UHF transmitter stages using ST's proprietary lateral MOSFET process and integrated filtering.

FAQ

What RF frequency bands does the STEVAL-TDR001V1 support?

The board is optimized for 380–512 MHz operation, covering key UHF public safety and professional mobile radio bands including TETRA (380–400 MHz), PMR446 (446.0–446.2 MHz), and US MURS (464.0–464.5 MHz). Its low-pass filter cutoff and transistor biasing are fixed for this range; no tuning components are user-adjustable.

Can the STEVAL-TDR001V1 be used with a 5 V supply instead of 7.2 V?

Yes-electrical characteristics show usable output (≥33 dBm) at 5 V, though POUT drops to ~2.5 W and PAE decreases to ~28%. The absolute maximum supply rating is 15 V, but operation below 7.2 V reduces thermal margin and gain flatness; ST recommends 7.2 V for full-spec 4 W performance per datasheet test conditions.

Does the board include APC control circuitry or require external implementation?

The board provides a dedicated VAPC input pin (0–5 V) connected directly to the gate bias network of the final-stage PD54003L-E, but no onboard DAC, op-amp, or feedback sensor. Users must supply an external voltage source (e.g., microcontroller DAC or precision voltage divider) to implement automatic power control.

Is the low-pass filter on STEVAL-TDR001V1 customizable or fixed?

The filter is a fixed 5th-order lumped-element design using Murata GRM-series capacitors and Coilcraft 0603/1606 inductors, optimized for harmonic rejection up to 1.5 GHz. Component values are not user-replaceable in standard configuration; layout and BOM are documented in the schematic (Figure 9) for replication or modification.