Drive level

The power level of the local oscillator signal applied to the LO port of a mixer. Operating a mixer with the maximum recommended LO drive level will result in the best two tone performance, lowest conversion loss and flattest conversion loss vs. frequency characteristics, reduced mixer-generated intermodulation products and will minimize 1/f noise in the output signal. A higher-than recommended LO power level will result in an increased noise figure and higher LO feedthrough at both the RF and IF ports of the mixer.

The input signal applied to the power amplifier. In most cases, 0 dBm (1 mW) is sufficient to produce rated output across the entire frequency band.