Radio frequency combiner

A combining network for use in combining n number of coherent radio frequency sources, said radio frequency having a wavelength, said combining network comprising n number of arms, each arm having a first end and a second end, said first end of each arm forming an input port for connection to one of said n radio frequency sources, said second end each being connected to an output port which is common to all of said n number of arms, each arm having a length in electrical degrees of said wavelength, that length being in the range from 55.degree.+m(180.degree.) to 70.degree.+m(180.degree.), wherein n is a positive integer greater than 3 and m=0, 1, 2, 3, . . . .

A combining network for use in combining a plurality of coherent radio frequency signals produced by a plurality of radio frequency power amplifier, each amplifier having at least one power transistor, an output terminal and a network joining said at least one power output transistor to said output terminal, said network having an electrical length of p.degree. of said coherent radio frequency, said combining network comprising a plurality of arms, each arm having a first end and a second end, said first end of each arm being connected to a respective output terminal of each of said plurality of said radio frequency power amplifiers, said second end each being connected to an output port which is common to all of said plurality of arms, each arm having an electrical length of q.degree. of said coherent radio frequency, wherein the combined electrical length of each network and each arm is p.degree.+q.degree. and wherein said combined electrical length ranges between 55.degree.+m(180.degree.) and 70.degree.+m(180.degree.) where m=0, 1, 2, . . . .