Aloha,,
Jon wrote, in part:
> Anywho, I just hope that it doesn't go so far that if someone literally
> has a 4CX10,000 amp that they don't get written up. Nothing in the law
> states that amplifier capability is limited only the power you put into
> the antenna. Just like a car that can go 150 but is driven at 65.
Yes, it is my understaanding, and may not be correct, that what
you own is not the issue. The issue is how you use what you own!
And, I have not looked it up in Part 97, but I presume there is
a restriction on what can be sold as far as output power goes to
an amateur within the USA; amps of greater capability, evidently
can only be sold legally to export customers? Is this correct by
codified law, or is it just an executive decision by the FCC?
Para. 97.313 Transmitter Power Standards
(a) Use minimum power necessary to carry out the desired
communication. (some words left out)
(b) No station may transmit with a power exceeding
1.5 kW PEP.
and more words also, but the above speak to the HF power
issue for those above Novice and Tech.
Para 97.315 Type acceptance of external RF power amplifiers.
(a) No more than 1 unit of 1 model of an external power amplifier
capable of operation below 144 MHz may be constructed or
modified during any calendar year by an amateur operator
for use at a station without a grant of type acceptance.
and then follows much more about gain of the amps, etc, and
even another Para 97.317 regarding standard for type
acceptance.
It would appear, that nowhere is it mentioned what can be
owned, only what can be operated PEP in the amateur
bands. Also, if the amplifiers were monobanders, it
would seem that an amateur could build 1 each of a model
specific to each amateur band per year, or a total of
nine 1model (monoband) amplifiers, one for each of the
nine HF bands. Of course, the 30 meter external
amplifier must be limited to 200 watts PEP.
Interesting to note that the FCC requires that amplifiers
capable of output of 1.5kW PEP must have no more
gain than 15 dB.
Hope that is the correct answer to how many amplifiers can
an amateur build per year: one per band, I think.
73, Jim, KH7M
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