"I think", unless the user causes problems that result in complaints,
the FCC won't bother them.
There are many Tetrode amps with gain exceeding the legal limits by a
substantial amount.
If a ham plans on running the legal limit on AM, or digital, high duty
cycle modes, they will need an amp with plenty of overhead that most
likely would be capable of exceeding the legal limit up to 5 times
over. Unprocessed SSB duty cycle is calculated at 20% for RF exposure
safety limits, while digital and FM is 100%. That's with transmissions
at 3 min on, 3 min off, and 3 min on. I wonder how many have actually
measured, or calculated the RF level for exposure limits.
Technically, in the US, it's 1.5KW at the output of the rig/amp.
"Used to be", the FCC would measure the signal of the suspected offender
from a parked van. Then an official would visit said ham and ask to see
the station. If he, or she could show they were legal AND the measured
signal remained unchanged everyone was happy. Of course there were
cases where a bit of ingenuity was applied to beat the system. Hidden
remote amps, meter shunts, etc. Typically the offenders were caught,
but that was in the days where offensive language could earn a citation.
Now days, with massive antenna systems, some stations run amazing levels
of ERP. Does it really matter if the ERP comes from an antenna system,
or amplifier? I think it does as antenna gain comes by reducing signal
in unwanted directions and putting it in desired directions. Boosting
the ERP at the amp with lesser antennas increases the signal in unwanted
directions, creating interference. With highly directive antennas,
multiple QSOs can exist on the same frequency.
Of course, this often results in someone hearing both the State side
station and the DX. Typically the one station is blamed for
intentionally interfering, when he, or she can't even hear the DX.
73
Roger (K8RI)
On 9/30/2016 Friday 11:15 AM, Jim Thomson wrote:
Date: Wed, 28 Sep 2016 10:17:09 +1300
From: Steve Wright <stevewrightnz@gmail.com>
To: amps@contesting.com
Subject: [Amps] illegal amps
Well, they're everywhere now aren't they.
No one going to prison? No amps confiscated by customs? Any horror
stories with a govt agency? An operator near me has run 6KW into a
foursquare for 25 years, and ZL legal limit here for most of that time
was a measly 100 watts!
Another operator near me made a youtube video of his kilowatt+ amp into
a dummy load, and got the amp confiscated and crushed.
Some truly massive signals coming out of Italy, and lots of huge amp
projects published online, but the legal limit there was 400 watts last
time I checked.
It's plainly obvious now that operators everywhere are pushing the rules.
What's going to happen? Has it already happened? Will the govt
agencies ignore it? Will they adjust the rules - new power limit 10KW?
Something is going to happen. I think it'll be interesting.
Steve
## where have u been ? They have been everywhere since 1969 that I know of.
## BTW, I have an elderly friend of mine who is moving soon, and has a ton of
amp parts FS,
including a 4CX-10,000 + mating socket + fil xfmr, pole pig, and 9/12 kv large
oil caps..and a bunch
of other stuff. I will compile a list when he gets it all sorted out,
hopefully soon.
## stay tuned. Jim VE7RF
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