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[Amps] A Symptom of Low Bias?

To: <amps@contesting.com>
Subject: [Amps] A Symptom of Low Bias?
From: "KB0NLY" <kb0nly@mchsi.com>
Date: Fri, 6 Mar 2009 10:34:18 -0600
List-post: <amps@contesting.com">mailto:amps@contesting.com>
Still fighting some small bugs in the new amp this morning, does this sound 
like a symptom of the bias being too low??

When i key up with no drive the plate idles at about 90-100mA, and the grid 
goes slightly negative, just enough to pull the needle a hash mark width below 
the zero on the scale.  As i apply drive the plate comes up to about 400mA and 
the grid starts to come above zero, but i have to literally YELL on SSB to get 
the grid to come up and see full output.  I tried some CW on it last night and 
its making full output there.  Also at the suggestion of some on here i tried 
applying drive on FM and the grid came up to 100mA and the plate stayed around 
400mA yet.

So from the info i can find online, in the handbooks, picking others brains, 
etc..  It would seem i still have a bias issue here as its only amplifying on 
the voice peaks on SSB.  I dug through my drawers and didn't have the parts to 
do the mod for higher bias on the Triode Board so i ordered some zeners from 
Mouser today and i will get that done when they arrive and see if i can further 
adjust the bias and get the idle current down some more as well.

What do you guys think??  Starting to realize once again why i like building 
stuff, learning is fun!

73,

Scott



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