Hey JMD, you followed me wearing my shoes. I brought up that HiPower +50dBm (100Watt) Psat amp subject over a YEAR ago, that discussion was done & history. You accidentlaly stumbled on same amplifier this week in year2018, and though Iam too lazy to return to the old subject, I'll just say this much:
Yes it's an RFHIC Amp module encased in enclosure & you'd be surprised who selected all components, FanSink (Heatsink + Fan), control/monitor, etc. & logistics. It was an engineer who selected, in fact that engineer EASILY sold 2 units of said Amp at a whopping 240% profit all by himself outside Amplitech before bringing ideas to AmpliTech.
Don't ask how I know, anyways it's all legal - RFHIC was fully aware, again don't ask how I know stuff. It is quite common in any industry, in RFMW industry we call it "Private Labeling". Amplitech did same by reselling amps also from another, this time US company in Pennsylvania (no names here, for confidentiality), and SO WHAT? If one company agrees to be sold under another's badge, just call it "retail", you everyday buy food which is often labeled say "Trader Joes", "Walmart", "Vons" but made by someone else - that someone else is called "OEM" (Orig. Equipment Manufacturer). It's a dual-edge sword, b/c over time it can damage OEM's own sales as it ends up competing against itself, also OEM's engineering/design data can leak from OEM to the reseller given that both companies share similar expertise/educated engineers, on the other hand reseller e.g. Amplitech isn't always a winner either - b/c once customers discover who (OEM) makes them, they'll switch over & reseller's sales will collapse real quick, unless reseller ads an extra punch/benefits which... undercut profit margin. Like Car Insurance agencies collapsed when Internet gave car owners direct access to Insurances or buying online anything, why would I go to Uncle Joe to buy State Farm coverage when I can goto State Farm's website directly & self-insure? Well, you would - if you need that special touch of sitting in a cozy office, personally guided by some soft-spoken female agent, otherwise - NO. So Amplitech gives you enclosure, OK cool, but if a customer just needs an amplifier and to save a boatload of money (!) - NOpe, they don't need that fansink or fancy labels, and fansink by the way is also stocked by MiniCircuits :), a piece of extruded aluminum block with cheap computer-style fans, made Canada, cheap common basics. That said though, Government customers often don't see an OEM or anyway to save money - they value Specs, Delivery Time, Reliability/Support, they don't coutn money much but that's rare luck and low quantity, if US Navy wants such powerAmps thay won't buy this mre-labeled monster in enclosures, built upon CREE (Woflspeed)) & Qorvo devices, none of Amplitech's in design.
BTW, in turn who do you think makes MiniCircuits' high-requency Microwave & MillimeterWave stuff & very high-power amps? NONE is made OR esigned by Minicircuits, their staff "engineers" & facility (i visited it back in the old days) were too primitive, it's often Avago, RFHIC again, and so on, with "made by MiniCircuits" claim, but Mr. Harvey is like Steve Jobs - he is good at marketing, reselling, yet his company hasn't designed a pint of anything advanced!!, they issued a 40GHz LNA 8 months after & only after I inquired "why not"?, and Harvey bought Merenda (did he?!) from Miteq so he transformed MiniCircuits into well... not too bad of a company. There's still something about MiniCircuits that true scientists/engineers find fake. Anyways, so:
RFHIC specifically requested Amplitech to add enclosure to comply with their reselling requirement, can't sell a bare module as is. So Amplitech did, and after toiling on this "challenge" far too long. BUT that was the end - only 4 units were bought from RFHIC and no more, as RFHIC lost interest after just 4 units. If anyone orders more from mplitech, that would be funny!, they'd need to beg RFHIC, or rip-off RFHIC's design but legally it's insane risk, or buy another mfg. (too slow to create reseller agreements), or most likely cancel the order.
I like AmpliTech, but in the same way kids like their elementary/middle school & careless childhood when world seems rosey... don't you have fond memories of your schools?
