A dual FET detector having a common RF input and a common detector output for two detector circuits is provided. The first detector circuit is optimized for detecting lower RF signal levels while the second detector circuit is optimized for detecting higher RF signal levels. A detector output voltage output from the common detector output is a composite signal made up of the individual contributions of the two detector circuits. A control circuit receives a feedback signal derived from the detector output voltage, and uses the feedback signal to control a transition between urging a predominance of the contribution to the detector output voltage from one of the detector circuits to the other. The control of the transition between the detector circuits ensures that whichever of the two detector circuits is best optimized for a particular RF signal level will contribute the most to the detector output voltage.