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[AMPS] Low Cost Amplifiers

To: <amps@contesting.com>
Subject: [AMPS] Low Cost Amplifiers
From: nospam4me@juno.com (nospam4me@juno.com)
Date: Fri, 18 Aug 2000 00:00:10 -0700


: From: "Tom Rauch" <w8ji@contesting.com>
:The 4CX250 amp looks like a CB amplifier Skipp. It certainly can't 
:be a very good amp for ham radio.

If you refer to one of the diagrams on the sonic server, it is a partial
circuit of 
the Pride DX-300 Amateur Amplifier with 80-10 meter coverage.  It's well 
built but could always use improvements as most any amplifier could.  The

circuits are posted to provide ideas and information.  The input circuit
of this 
amplifier is a circuit worth using in low drive applications. I've never
had it 
on the CB Band, nor am I interested in using it there. 

:It takes 1-5 watts of drive, and worse yet has no screen regulation, 
:current limiting, or metering.

I wouldn't consider 1 to 5 watts drive a bad thing at all. Many qrp hf
rigs are 
sold and used by Amateurs.  Screen regulation to a tetrode amplifier
should 
be included along with many other "upgrades" to the current level of 
Amplifier work. It does have metering.  In the 15 plus years I've owned
an 
amplifier of this model, it's never gone qrt.  Not every amplifier built
has to be 
driven with 100 watt exciters.  

I've done many improvements to this amplifier circuit which I'm happy to
talk 
about.  This model amplifiers main sin is 6.3 volts on the heater. 
Actually, I've 
found about 4 watts is the max drive I'd apply to the circuit.  There's a

laundry list of amplifier improvements which I've done to this amplifier.


: I certainly hope not many are used on amateur bands!

Properly worked through, there's no reason it's operation should 
be avoided.  It's a nice amplifier and my test equipment verifies it. A
lot 
more stable than some 3-500z and 8877 amateur amps sold in the 
past.  

: It looks like a copy of a CB amplifier marketed under the guise of a 
: "amateur linear" by a company that sold out-of-band crystals for 
: CB radio's in the 70's and early 80's.

As built from the factory, this amplifier operates the 80 through 10 
meter amateur bands with modification.  

My misc Dentron and Amp Supply amplifier Collection looks like a 
batch of amplifiers sold to the amateur market under the guise of a well 
engineered circuit.  A lot of Hams were sure taken in...   for many
years... 

Used amplifiers make cost effective rebuild projects and a real bargain 
barn parts source.  It's a smart way to get started with home brew.  
Heck, I see SB-220's moved up to six meters.  A lot more practical 
way to get there vs buying a commercially made box.  We see them 
here on amps all the time.  

:73, Tom W8JI
:w8ji@contesting.com

Fact is, a 4CX250 is an excellent tube for linear operation, cathode or 
grid driven. The circuit shown on sonic preforms well, 4 watts input 
on 28.5MHz gives me 310 watts out the door. I'm impressed with this 
much gain for a single valve.  

I've use a similar circuit on 52MHz with much success. 

I provide complete and partial amplifier circuit diagrams on sonic for 
information and ideas only.  Some are good circuits, others are just 
worth looking at. The daf circuit is also over there waiting a rehash. 

If that gets boring, there's some great mp3 software and south park 
episodes you can watch.  

cheers
skipp 
nospam4me@juno.com
http://sonic.ucdavis.edu      amateur radio pages. 


[sidebar]
The other replies/posts you've received have been from other sources.  I 
know that "toll free" has an Amateur Call sign.  I think he just likes to

get a rise out of some you with his CB jargon.  Not my bag, sorry. 



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