Hi Tom,

Thanks for the information; someone else pointed me yesterday to the idea that
you'd generally match the input for optimum noise performance rather than
optimum power transfer. The data sheet claims that the optimum noise figure
is 0.8dB, but the part itself is marketed as "typical 1.8dB NF" -- which they
obtained from their own eval board that, as far as I can tell, was matched
pretty close to optimum power transfer. In any case, at present mine is also
matched at the input for optimum power transfer, and I'll measure its noise
figure and see whether or not I'm around 1.8dB or better... if so I don't
think I'm going to worry about it too much.

Output matching will transfer the greatest power to the load.

Yeah, but it's not practical, is it? I'm looking back at (approximately) a
current source, and my load is dictated as (approximately) 50 ohms, so the
load itself is what's driving the power transferred, no?

Assuming
S12 is very low

It is, 0.01 everywhere.

And you need to
pay attention to amplifier stability: is it unconditionally stable, or
must you keep the load within some bounds to keep it stable?

I haven't calculated its k factor; I'll do that soon -- thanks for the link.

---Joel