The AM Forum

THE AM BULLETIN BOARD => QSO => Topic started by: Burt on August 18, 2008, 05:34:19 PM



Title: Best amp for 160 meters?
Post by: Burt on August 18, 2008, 05:34:19 PM
I have been on 1.885 mhz the last 2 nights but my IC2KL does not like AM even at 100 watts.
What is a good amp for the AM duty cycle for my IC-756 ProIII?

See my new video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bdbKPcNcq2k


Title: Re: Best amp for 160 meters?
Post by: w3jn on August 18, 2008, 06:57:26 PM
Not sure why that would be, Burt.  I have a TransWorld "1KW" commercial solid state amp that'll do 375W carrier +120% modulation on 160 easily, and I can buzzard on for a good 10 minutes before the fan kicks on.  And that amp supposedly only goes down to 2 MHz.

What do you mean when you say "it doesn't like it"?


Title: Re: Best amp for 160 meters?
Post by: flintstone mop on August 18, 2008, 07:10:31 PM
I use the Ten Tec Titan 425 and it is not bothered at all using AM. No pretty tubes to see glowing because of the ceramic pubes, but still great for AM and a good P.S. for good Peak Power.

Fred


Title: Re: Best amp for 160 meters?
Post by: WA1GFZ on August 18, 2008, 07:12:39 PM
John,
Do you know if the transworld has FETs or bipolars? I just bought a 1 kW amp that is 4 MRF150 push pull stages.


Title: Re: Best amp for 160 meters?
Post by: w3jn on August 18, 2008, 08:37:50 PM
Pretty sure it's bipolars, Frank, but I could be wrong.  I had it open to modify it to install a bandswitch (it was set up for auto band select with a TW100 transceiver) but I can't remember now.


Title: Re: Best amp for 160 meters?
Post by: ka3zlr on August 18, 2008, 08:54:20 PM
Burt can you address a Bald Guys Net in yer next video, we shud have a net for bald Guys things...LOL..... 8)

Why don't you lash up a set of 813's Burt, you have the know how to do that. or, if yer looking for something fabricated look into K7DYY Class D transmitter.

http://www.k7dyy.com/

There's so many ways you can go OM.


Title: Re: Best amp for 160 meters?
Post by: Burt on August 18, 2008, 09:45:38 PM
Not sure why that would be, Burt.  I have a TransWorld "1KW" commercial solid state amp that'll do 375W carrier +120% modulation on 160 easily, and I can buzzard on for a good 10 minutes before the fan kicks on.  And that amp supposedly only goes down to 2 MHz.

What do you mean when you say "it doesn't like it"?

After a few minutes the high speed fan really cranks and once it went into protect mode.


Title: Re: Best amp for 160 meters?
Post by: Pete, WA2CWA on August 18, 2008, 10:58:35 PM
IC-2KL specs says it requires 80 watts drive. In the AM mode, PRO III, maximum output is 40 watts. Also , it's recommended that the AM carrier should not exceed 25 watts to minimize any audio distortion. What is the SWR between the PRO III and the 2KL? Does it work fine on CW and SSB?


Title: Re: Best amp for 160 meters?
Post by: Burt on August 19, 2008, 08:02:57 AM
IC-2KL specs says it requires 80 watts drive. In the AM mode, PRO III, maximum output is 40 watts. Also , it's recommended that the AM carrier should not exceed 25 watts to minimize any audio distortion. What is the SWR between the PRO III and the 2KL? Does it work fine on CW and SSB?

Actually the book says 50-80 watts. Since I only run 100 w output from the amp very little drive is used. Flat SWR between the rig and amp. It worls fine on CW and SSB. At 500w on SSB it takes quite a while to even get warm. On AM 100W toasty in a minute.
Burt


Title: Re: Best amp for 160 meters?
Post by: Todd, KA1KAQ on August 19, 2008, 08:46:08 AM
Burt, what are you running for an aerial and have you used the amp for AM on other bands? If so, how well does it work? Your post seems to imply that you only have problems on 160, so I'm wondering if you have an issue between amp and aerial? Even running a tube transmitter, I have problems on 160 using a marginal (for 160) system. SS gear is a whole lot fussier. Sounds like everything is fine up to the amp but gets nasty from there on.



Title: Re: Best amp for 160 meters?
Post by: Burt on August 20, 2008, 10:51:36 AM
Burt, what are you running for an aerial and have you used the amp for AM on other bands? If so, how well does it work? Your post seems to imply that you only have problems on 160, so I'm wondering if you have an issue between amp and aerial? Even running a tube transmitter, I have problems on 160 using a marginal (for 160) system. SS gear is a whole lot fussier. Sounds like everything is fine up to the amp but gets nasty from there on.



I have used it on AM on 75 and even once on 20m. It works the same on 160 dipole, G5RV and beam


Title: Re: Best amp for 160 meters?
Post by: N3DRB The Derb on August 20, 2008, 12:39:58 PM
too much carrier. run about 15 watts maximum carrier into that puppy. what you want is lotsa audio headroom.


AMfone - Dedicated to Amplitude Modulation on the Amateur Radio Bands