[Amps] Westinghouse BC Ammeter QX-37

[Steve Thompson]

k7fm wrote:
> "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.
Whether it's amplifiers, car exhaust or personal hygiene, clean is lost 
when surrounded by dirty. Change the balance bit by bit, and suddenly 
dirty stands out like a sore thumb.

Steve