[Amps] Westinghouse BC Ammeter QX-37

[k7fm]

"In other words, if an amp already meets FCC specs for IMD, what does
a five or ten dB improvement get you?"

I thought the FCC specs were only that the amplifier be clean enough to stay 
in the ham phone band.  I can easily tell the difference between an amp that 
is "average" with about a -30 db 3rd order distortion and a really clean amp 
that is -40 db 3rd order distortion - and as a neighbor of a ham that is 
about a -20 db level, I can vouch for being near the one that is cleaner. 
The difference is light night and day if you are close by.  I would much 
rather be near an amp that exceeded the norm.

Most amateur amps do not meet the commercial standard for distortion 
products - which may be a recognition that we are "amateurs" and not 
technically able to meet commercial standards.  Hooray for those that do 
want a cleaner amp.

Colin  K7FM