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Re: [Amps] Modern AM Broadcast Transmitters

To: amps@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [Amps] Modern AM Broadcast Transmitters
From: donroden@hiwaay.net
Date: Sun, 18 Dec 2016 10:04:42 -0600
List-post: <amps@contesting.com">mailto:amps@contesting.com>

Quoting Donald Fox via Amps <amps@contesting.com>:

Gents:
So, if WLW ran the "old school" way of modulation, and had at one time an actual 500 KW carrier, would their meters have stood at 500 kw steady, or hung around 125 KW with 0 modulation and then swung up to 500 from there?


Great Question.

WLW was licensed for 500KW ( 1/2 Megawatts ). Their *Peak* power would have been 2 Megawatts at 100% modulation. With a steady state audio tone, again at 100% modulation, the positive peaks would be offset by the negative peaks on a slow-to-respond meter and the average power would have shown 500KW and the slow meter would have indicated no movement up or down from carrier power.

BUT........ looking at the carrier with a fast acting oscilloscope would show a voltage increase from carrier levels to 2 x carrier level.

Twice the voltage into the same resistance ( antenna ) = twice the current

voltage doubled times current doubled = 4 times power. ( peak )  2 Megawatts

Current ham transmitters capable of 100 watts peak SSB can work on AM by insuring that your carrier ( no modulation ) doesn't exceed 25 watts. Keep the mike audio at or below ALC threshold and you should have a clean AM signal.

Don W4DNR

DonR
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