I also am a experimenter I play up in the microwave ranges where the
amplified RF is somewhat dangerous.
In my line of work I see far too little of what used to be known as
common sense. Of course a prudent ham checks carefully before powering up
but I see far too many hams treat potentially deadly gear like
amplifiers like consumer electronics and assume they are safe. I have
bought a lot of gear
over the years as one of my pleasures in radio besides experimentation
is bringing back classic gear. I picked up a amp not too long ago and
the plate relay had
failed the previous owner (a SK) had simply connected the plate supply
to the METAL toggle on the front panel.
Don't know if there was a causal nexus there but if a new ham had
gotten a 'bargain' I shudder to think what would of happened.when
plugged in and turned on
This amp was so dirty it required the dishwasher treatment to make it
inspectable for unpleasant surprises.
I simply try to make things as safe as possible within the design
constraints so when it's time to pass along the equipment for the next
ham to enjoy it has no undocumented
gotchas!, In my case I think about this a lot because I enjoy the
restoration process but owning the equipment afterwards is somewhat less
important unless the piece
speaks to me in some manner so the equipment will eventually be owned by
someone other than myself. No I don't do this as a business but if I
see a old National, Gonset, Henry that looks like it went 15 rounds with
Muhammad Ali and came out on the losing end. I will probably buy and
restore it to its initial glory and everything will work as it did
coming out of the factory.
Scott - N1JIN
Jeff Carter wrote:
> Contests? Heavens, no. I didn't build this amp to run it in contests.
>
> In fact, I've never had it on the air. I ran it into a dummy load after I'd
> completed it, verified the +10db output, and then pulled the plug.
>
> It's never been plugged back up.
>
> I got into Amateur Radio primarily for access to the spectrum for
> experiments,
> and for the legal rights afforded by licensure like the building of
> amplifiers. I listen to HF a good bit when I'm traveling, but very seldom do
> I ever actually *talk* to anybody.
>
> I want the capability, because I like having options. I may, however, never
> put this amp on the air. It'll take something very interesting to draw me
> out, and I can't think of any contest that would meet that requirement.
>
> Jeff/KD4RBG
>
> On Friday February 13 2009 07:53, Scott McGrath wrote:
>
>> The idiot who gets killed will be someone 2 days and no sleep into a
>> contest when they lose a tube and want to quickly switch it
>> out forgetting in their fatigued state to discharge the caps to
>> ground, They will discharge to ground alright, Right through the
>> newly minted SK might want to think about that scenario instead of kids
>> migght be screwing around with gear.
>>
>>
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>
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