At European Microwave Week (EuMW) 2026, everything RF met with Rohde & Schwarz, which showcased its new SAM200 System Amplifier, designed to provide high RF output power and precise signal levels for test and measurement applications at frequencies up to 53 GHz. The company demonstrated how the amplifier can be used alongside signal generators and network analyzers to support a range of applications, including RF component characterization, device testing, EMC measurements, and long-duration testing.
A key highlight of the demonstration was the integration of the SAM200 with Rohde & Schwarz’s SMW200A vector signal generator, illustrating how the combination can deliver high output power while maintaining accurate signal levels at the device under test.
European Microwave Week 2026, held from 4–9 October in London, brought together leading companies, researchers, and engineers from the RF, microwave, millimeter-wave, and radar industries to showcase the latest developments in high-frequency technologies.
SAM200 System Amplifier
At their booth, Harald Specker, Sales Director at Rohde & Schwarz, introduced the R&S SAM200 System Amplifier, a compact amplifier designed to extend the output power of RF and microwave test equipment from 20 GHz to 53 GHz. Delivering up to 4 W of saturated output power, the SAM200 enables engineers to generate signal levels beyond those available directly from a signal generator or vector network analyzer, making it suitable for RF component characterization, device stress testing, long-duration reliability testing, and EMC applications.
The SAM200 expands on the capabilities of the company’s existing system amplifier portfolio with integrated USB and LAN interfaces, a built-in power detector, and three selectable RF paths. These include a low-noise high-gain path, a standard operating mode, and a low-gain mode, allowing users to optimize the amplifier for different signal types and test requirements.
The amplifier can be paired with Rohde & Schwarz test instruments to provide the additional power required for modern RF and microwave measurements, particularly at higher frequencies where achieving sufficient power at the device under test can be challenging. In EMC testing, the amplifier can be used to generate the field strengths needed for electromagnetic immunity and compliance testing.
Combining Power and Precision at Ka- and Q-Band Frequencies
A second demonstration by Product Manager Matthias Weilhammer showcased the R&S SAM200 System Amplifier operating alongside the company’s SMW200A vector signal generator. The demonstration addressed a common challenge in Ka-band and Q-band testing: achieving the output power required at the device under test while maintaining confidence in the actual signal level being delivered.
While external power amplifiers can increase available RF power, they often introduce additional uncertainty due to amplifier gain variations and cable losses. Rohde & Schwarz addresses this challenge by pairing the SAM200 with the SMW200A and providing amplifier characterization data that can be imported directly into the signal generator. This enables the test setup to compensate for the frequency response of both the amplifier and the interconnecting cables, allowing signal levels to be accurately controlled at the amplifier output rather than only at the signal generator.
This approach allows engineers to combine the amplifier’s output power capabilities with the level accuracy normally associated with a calibrated signal source. During the demonstration, the system generated a 43 GHz OFDM signal with approximately 25 dBm RMS output power while maintaining good signal quality, illustrating how the setup can provide both the power and precision required for testing advanced RF and microwave devices.
European Microwave Week 2026 showcased the latest developments in wireless communications, aerospace and defense, radar, satellite technology, semiconductors, antennas, and test and measurement solutions. From advanced RF instrumentation to next-generation microwave components and subsystems, the event highlighted many of the innovations shaping the future of high-frequency engineering. To discover more technologies, product launches, and demonstrations from across the exhibition floor, click here to view everything RF’s complete EuMW 2026 coverage.
Click here to learn more about Rohde and Schwarz and its RF Test and Measurement Solutions.