HK Warrior on am

[k9ing]

I recently got back on AM after 50+ year on ssb/cw; I have a Collins 32V1 and wud like some more power. The local ham club has a donated HK Warrior that I cud get; I know this rig bridged the AM/ssb eras, but everything I read is abt is driving it on AM with 15-25 watts for 200 wats or so output, not much improvement over the barefoot 100 on the 32V and I don't think the 32v1 will go that low anyway as I see no way to turn down its power. anyone of you AM Gurus have suggestions? Thanks, Bob K9ING

[WQ9E]

Bob,

The Heathkit HA-10 is a good amp but it won't be very useful with your 32V-1 except for CW.  Very few amplifiers have the capability to provide a significant power increase to a ~100 watt output high level modulated transmitter.   You are already within around 6 db of the current AM legal limit and the HA-10 might provide about 3 db of that difference (or roughly half of 1 S unit to the receiving station). If you were using a DX-60 or similar lower power controlled carrier rig the HA-10 would provide a useful power increase. 

A good antenna and a decent microphone (don't go for excessive low frequency boost) will allow your 32V-1 to do a great job.

[Pete, WA2CWA]

I agree with Roger. There's nothing to really gain running a 32V1 into a Warrior for AM operation. If you were running a recent solid state transceiver with only a max of 40 watts or less on AM or some boatanchor low power AM rig, the Warrior would definitely be a good linear fit.

[k9ing]

I have a gud antenna as I am going to get with lot size-dipole at 35 feet and TA33 with 40 m driven ele and a EV 644 mic will look for another amp. Thanks for the advice. 73, Bob

[k9ing]

What kind of amp need I look for for the 32V1? Any ideas? Tnx, Bob

[Steve - K4HX]

Why do you think you need an amp?

[KD0HUX]

I recently got back on AM after 50+ year on ssb/cw; I have a Collins 32V1 and wud like some more power. The local ham club has a donated HK Warrior that I cud get; I know this rig bridged the AM/ssb eras, but everything I read is abt is driving it on AM with 15-25 watts for 200 wats or so output, not much improvement over the barefoot 100 on the 32V and I don't think the 32v1 will go that low anyway as I see no way to turn down its power. anyone of you AM Gurus have suggestions? Thanks, Bob K9ING

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[WQ9E]

I really don't think there is enough to be gained to justify the cost but if you want to use an amplifier with the 32V-1 or any similar AM transmitter you might as well choose one that will run the legal limit.  To stand up to AM, particularly "old buzzard" transmissions, look for an amplifier that is designed to run RTTY at the legal limit in contest operation.  This will not be inexpensive because now you are looking at something like one of the Alpha, Henry, or bigger Ameritron amplifiers. 

I have several amplifiers and the only two I would consider using to amplify the output of a medium power full carrier transmitter are my Heathkit KL-1 (pair of 4-400A tubes with plenty of air and a very heavy duty external power supply) and my home brew triple 4CX800 amp.  I rarely use my Drake L-7 on 160 with a TR-7A/R-7 station but that is with limited transmission length at well below the legal limit and even then the L-7 fan is running almost continuously at its high speed setting.  Typical twin 3-500Z amplifiers could be loaded to about 300 watt carrier output but most are not going to stand up to sustained AM operation because the power supply, cooling system, and output network are sized to provide SSB operation at a competitive price which doesn't provide much reserve capability for more trying conditions.

[k9ing]

Thanks for all the advice. Bob

[VE3LYX]

I have come to the conclusion and not happily that it is not power we lack, it is participants. If no one is out there it doesnt matter how much power you have. I found this also with my vintage CW stuff. I was to the point I thought it wasnt working when some good soul at the AWA offered a sked. Instant success and everytime we tried it was good. And good distances too with 599 reports. And here I thought there was something wrong with the radio. On AM I was in with a group Sunday mornings. That went on for about a year but now the main driving force has been working and it has fallen by the wayside. Why I dont understand. There were between 5 & 6 of us.  Before you go buying or building more power why not set an actual sked with one of the fellows here with similar equipment. It used to be in the old days Hams would talk to Hams. Now I hear people asking  "Did you hear that guy calling CQ on 7140? I dont go back to him because I dont know who he is." It never occured to any of these new gurus that if you answer his call he wont be calling CQ all afternoon. He might even be an interesting person. More then power we need to occupy some space on a regular basis and in more then one wee spot on the band. I would suggest give it a shot. Set up a sked and go for it. My 2 cents
Don VE3LYX

[VE3AJM]

Running high power, low power, whatever it is..greatest possibility for success would be with the antenna that you're using. If its on the ground, or not properly matched to the transmitter etc, making contacts consistently would be extremely frustrating. I can understand that. I don't think you've mentioned exactly what you're doing there with the antenna arrangement.

Our group on 3725kc is still there Don, most weekend mornings. None of the group can copy you very well Don, most of the time other than Tim. I also live in a very quiet location for radio, and I don't have much luck receiving you, compared to stations running similar power. But, I know they have a relatively good transmitting antenna, for 80m and 40m. Their antennas are up at least 30ft. at the centre and matched properly. I'm guessing that you would see a huge improvement all the way around there with a better antenna setup. Hope to be able to hear you there soon. All the guys there are happy to help out etc. with the antenna or getting it up higher etc.

Al

[John K5PRO]

WQ9E mentions the KL1 (Heathkit Chippewa) as suitable for AM amplification with a medium power driver. What sort of output can be expected from that amplifier, with quality and 100% positive modulation or a bit more?

[WQ9E]

John,

Mine came with a very heavy duty external supply that may have a little more capability than the Heathkit supply that was optional with the KL-1.  I have loaded mine to roughly 1200 watts PEP output and set for 300 watts carrier output it appears to work well on AM.  But one of the nice points of the KL-1 is that it operates the tubes in a regular grid driven tetrode circuit thus very little drive is needed to produce this power level.  It is very useful for bringing a lower power rig up to a useful level under poor conditions.  Recently I made a couple of contacts on 40 meters using it with my Stancor 20P and this nets a reasonable power increase.  I really don't think it would be worthwhile to use a rig in the 32V-x power class to drive it on AM because the net increase in db is not very much.  You would need to greatly attenuate the output of the transmitter when driving the KL-1. 

If the blower speed/size has been reduced as was discussed in the ER article about the KL-1 then I would not use it at this power level on AM. 

Given the going price of a KL-1 unless one already owns one the money would be better spent on a higher power classic AM rig.  The KL-1 was the most capable amplifier sold by Heathkit but it is very heavy, somewhat noisy, and there is a safety concern over the exposed plate current meter which is directly in the high voltage lead.

[John K5PRO]

I have a KL-1 and the KS-1 power supply for it, but they have never been mated, coming from different hams. The KL-1 was modified years ago with a screen power supply added, and I need to spend the time to trace the circuit, to understand how it works and whether there is protection against lost of HV on the plate while the screen is on. I was planning to build a new plate supply for it using a Harris transformer when I found the matching KS-1 for a good price. With the LC filter circuit, I dunno if it has much bounce with modulation.

[VE3LYX]

I have been working on the antenna. I have raised it  but have a couple of limbs in the middle giving me a wee porblem. It is still much higher then it was a week or so ago. In fact height is about double to what it was. Had to buy a slingshot. I was away Sat but listened Sunday morning 9 to 9.30 but heard zip.  Anyway dont want to steal this thread. Am on 40 every night during Wheel and Jepordy. 7120 to 7140. currently at 7135.

Don Ve3LYX