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[AMPS] AWSOME AMP>>>

To: <amps@contesting.com>
Subject: [AMPS] AWSOME AMP>>>
From: jono@webspun.com (Jon Ogden)
Date: Mon, 9 Mar 98 18:32:22 -0600
>The Eimac book shows that their 4CX35,000 would do it. Of course the
>filament alone pulls 3kw (10v at 295 amps). Bet Fair Radio has one of those
>filament xfrmrs.

Oh sure, there are tubes that will do it, but try to buy one!  How much 
does it cost?

I used to call on Harris Broadcast in Quincy, Illinois.  They make 50 KW 
transmitters there.  One day, one of the engineers took me back into the 
lab and showed me some of their xmitters.  The tube transmitters were 
HUGE!  The tube is completely shrouded and probably needs to be to reduce 
x-ray emissions.  You couldn't even really see it.  And while I was 
looking at one of them he said, "Be careful.  Don't get too close.  There 
is so much potential there that if you stick your hand towards it, the 
air could break down and the high voltage line arc over to your hand."  I 
was 2 or 3 feet away when he said this!  He said that when one of those 
tubes blow, it can cause SEVERE damage.  It's like a bomb going off.

Believe it or not, those guys are designing SOLID state 50 KW 
transmitters.  Thousands of little FETs running in parallel.  I've seen 
those too.  It takes a whole wall of racks, but it's much more reliable 
than the old tubes.  If a FET fails, it doesn't blow up like a tube and 
the station doesn't go off the air.

FWIW....

73,

Jon
KE9NA


-------------------------------------
Jon Ogden
KE9NA

http://www.qsl.net/ke9na


"A life lived in fear is a life half lived."




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