How to choose a correct RF amplifier

[Anirudh_THABJUL_SB]

Hello Everyone,

I am Anirudh THABJUL. I am an Electronic engineer working in a company called Second Bridge, Paris.

We are using LBEH59XUHC chip which consists of Wifi & Bluetooth in combo (for your reference, I have attached the datasheet with this post)

For increasing the performance in our application, we need better Bluetooth range than we have 50M at present . In order to improve the performance of bluetooth on our existing PCB, We are planning to add an additional amplifier between antenna and our LBEH59XUHC chip.

Please help me in choosing correct amplifier? If possible, please let us know what are the parameters do we need to consider for choosing the correct amplifier.

What is the optimum gain needed to increase the bluetooth performance more than 50M.

Thank you.

Regards,
Anirudh THABJUL

[retrolefty]

What range are you looking for? Were you planning on amplifying the device's receiving sensitivity or it's transmit output power? Either one could be the limiting factor, as perhaps the antenna at either end of the bluetooth link you be the limiting factor.

 Not sure slapping a single chip in will succeed.

[rfbroadband]

If I understand the data sheet correctly you are using a module that contains the antenna switch, frontend filtering within your module, which means your RF antenna interface is a RX/TX interface!. You will need to get access into the RX chain within the module to insert an LNA, which basically means you have to re-design the module.

[RadioNerd]

There are bidirectional WLAN amplifier designed for this purpose. They work by sensing the output power of the transmitter. As soon as a transmission is detected, they switch into TX (Power amplifier) mode, otherwise they act as a LNA.
I am not sure whether these work also with Bluetooth.

An example:
http://www.rflinx.com/products/amplifiers/2400/sa/

But there are many other similar devices