The present invention provides a method and apparatus for compensating the output of a transmitter stage (50) of a communications system. A communications apparatus has a transmitter stage (50) providing a variable control voltage which varies the power of the transmitter stage. The impedance at the output of the transmitter stage. (50) varies as the power varies. A control generation circuit compares a reference voltage to the variable control voltage to produce a control signal (VvswrC). A compensated load (40) coupled to the output of the transmitter stage (50) has active component (s) whose' impedance varies in response to the control signal (VvsweC) so as to compensate for the impedance at the output of the transmitter stage (50).