On Thu, 18 Mar 1999 18:48:02 +0100 Peter Sundberg <sm2cew@telia.com>
writes:
>
>>>
>>> > I NEED INSTANT ON!!! OK?
>>>
>
>I have been a DX-er for many years and this instant on thing is more
>a
>confidence thing than a must as I see it. How many pileups haven't we
>spend
>10 - 60 minutes in to get through... ? It is just the fact that for
>full
>confidence the full megawatt must be in line, heaven forbid we don't
>get a
>reply at once.
>Real life shows that the 3 minutes in most cases (and I mean most
>cases..
>yes I know, there are times..) is not a problem. However, should that
>elusive DX be the difference between life or death on Honor Roll, then
>I
>agree that instant on is the way to go.
I believe it has been established here several times by amp mfg reps that
the life of an indirectly heated transmit tube will not me measurably
impacted by leaving it on for several hours at a time in standby.
So what the hell is the big deal? Dont tell me the fuss is about the
filament electric bill with those ops that can afford a 87A , AL-1500,
etc
Are we just arguing about cheap hams or am I missing something here?
When I ran the LK-780 ( Two 3CX800's) I turned it on when I got home from
work and turned it off when I went to bed. In between I ate dinner,
played with the kids and sometimes the wife. Trips to the shack were
infrequent or as the need arised by a beep from the DX Cluster or a phone
call. About 8 yrs later I sold the amp which still delivered full output.
My days as a nerdnick that lives at the radio, tuning for hours are long
past. I have a life!
And yes, I have instant on 3-500's on HF now but that is not a concern, I
need nothing on HF that is active.
On 6M where propagation is very fleeting I run a converted NCL-2000
complete with a 3 minute time delay ( the original 90 second one died and
the 180 second was a flea market bargain).
I have yet to miss a new country on 6M because of the wait time. I now
follow my own advice as mentioned above and turn the beast on whenever
I'm in the shack. The 1968 date code tubes are still running 1200W.
Correct..1968 so called fragile 8122 tubes.
73 Carl KM1H
>
>I can assure you guys, the 3 minute limit on some amps can be
>shortened if
>one is willing to sacrifice a bit of tube life span, but for working
>a
>juicy DX that is not a problem. 8877's are only $195 aren't they.
>
>In my 2 mtr EME amp chain I have a 4CX250B as a driver and it is
>normally
>given about 30 seconds to warm up before tuneup, have not changed a
>tube in
>more than 10 years. Yes, the final is instant on.
>
>My point is that very few actually need instant on, they only think
>they do.
>
>BTW, my HF amp, QBL5-3500, IS instant on.. to be on the safe side..
>
>SM2CEW, Peter
>http://home.interact.se~w100088/sm2cew.htm
>
>
>
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>
>
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