🔍 Key Concepts

• GaAsFET (Gallium-Arsenide Field Effect Transistor) characteristics in RF front-ends • How noise figure/noise floor affects receiver sensitivity • Role of a preamplifier in a VHF radio receiver chain

💭 Think About

• Think about why we put a special low-level amplifier right at the antenna input of a receiver. What key performance aspect are we trying to improve first? • Compare the ideas of gain and noise: what combination is most desirable at the very first stage of a receiver? • Look at each option’s description of gain and noise/selectivity. Which combination best matches what GaAsFETs are known for in RF applications?

✅ Before You Answer

• Identify which choice mentions a low noise floor or low noise figure – this is critical for weak-signal reception. • Check which option describes a situation that would harm receiver performance (e.g., high noise floor) and eliminate that. • Make sure the correct option shows both a useful amount of gain and an improvement in sensitivity, not just selectivity.