[AMPS] Type-accept ?

[Tom Rauch (W8JI)]

Hi Dave,

Since I file several TA's a year, I want to correct a couple things. You
are pretty close with the general idea.
 
David L. Thompson wrote:

> All amps made in the USA must be type accepted. 

No, not all amps. All amps for operation below 144 MHz must be type
accepted, or meet the requirements of type acceptance or certification.
There are exceptions allowing a ham to build one amp a year, and that
exception holds if he sells that PA to another HAM....NOT to a CBer.

> This means meeting IMD and
> driving power standards.

There are NO IMD standards. The FCC cares less about IMD performance. 

There are harmonic and spurious emission standards, but no tests for
by-products of modulation.   

>  Here is the drill.....to keep amps out of the
> hands of CBers the amp must not be capable of operation between 24 and 31
> Mhz. 

Actually  6 dB gain from 24 to 26 and 28 and 35 MHz. NO GAIN between 26
and 28 MHz.

> The ham can modify the amp (the FCC still believes hams are
> technically capable.)  The amp cannot be made to be driven by less than 50
> watts.

The amp can not be driven with less than 50 watts or exhibit more than
15 dB gain.
Wavers are granted for drive power.

> CB rigs are 5 watts.  So no AB1 amps.

AB1 is legal Dave. They care less what class the PA is.

> As far as as 2 hole or 3 hole amps...the manufacturer can leave a space for
> the other tube (Alpha 77) and provide a kit for installing it.   Don't know
> how the Commander has been accepted.  

The FCC cares less what dissipation the PA has.

> The IMD and purity standard is why Mirage and others never did bring a solid
> state model to market. 

Mirage just never filed with the FCC, or designed a legal PA for HF. As
I said earlier, there is no standard for in-band modulation byproducts.
They care less about linearity for filing TA.

> The ham can build any amp he or she wants without type acceptance...but they
> must meet the standards if ever checked!

Very true. And you can legally sell the amp only to a ham.

73 Tom



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