What will occur when a non-linear amplifier is used with a single-sideband phone transmitter?

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Multiple Choice

What will occur when a non-linear amplifier is used with a single-sideband phone transmitter?

Explanation:
A sine- or voice-modulated SSB signal requires the final amplifier to behave linearly so the single sideband carries the information without adding unwanted changes. A non-linear amplifier doesn’t respond proportionally to the input, so as you drive it to deliver more power it tends to distort the waveform and create extra spectral components. To keep distortion under control, you end up backing off the drive or otherwise biasing the stage to operate more linearly, which reduces the average power you can deliver for a given input. That reduction in usable output power relative to input power is what is meant by reduced amplifier efficiency in this context.

A sine- or voice-modulated SSB signal requires the final amplifier to behave linearly so the single sideband carries the information without adding unwanted changes. A non-linear amplifier doesn’t respond proportionally to the input, so as you drive it to deliver more power it tends to distort the waveform and create extra spectral components. To keep distortion under control, you end up backing off the drive or otherwise biasing the stage to operate more linearly, which reduces the average power you can deliver for a given input. That reduction in usable output power relative to input power is what is meant by reduced amplifier efficiency in this context.

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