[Amps] R. MEASURES PRAYERS ANSWERED

[R L Measures]

On Jun 1, 2006, at 4:14 AM, Pete Smith wrote:

> At 06:52 AM 6/1/2006, Steve Thompson wrote:
>
>
>> Paul Christensen wrote:
>>> K7FM:
>>>
>>>> Rich talks about prayer cloths - but in fact his nichrome  
>>>> suppressor is
>>>> acting as a prayer cloth.  This is a case of putting that in  
>>>> will make
>>>> sure
>>>> something bad will not happen.
>>>
>>>
>>> Fuses.
>>> Circuit breakers.
>>> Lightning arrestors:
>>> Discharge gaps.
>>> VSWR alarm circuits.
>>> Crowbar overvoltage protection.
>>>
>>> What do all these devices have in common with the parasitic  
>>> suppressor?
>>> Why, they are all "prayer cloths" designed to protect against  
>>> something
>>> can *could* happen, not necessarily something that is *pre- 
>>> disposed* to
>>> happen.
>>
>> Another thing in common is that they are sometimes used without
>> understanding of what they do; without knowing if they do anything
>> useful; and without consideration of whether alternatives can  
>> offer the
>> same result. Like parasitic suppressors, they will rarely add any
>> problems - but is that a reason not to discuss why things  
>> oscillate, or
>> different ways of preventing oscillation?
>>>
>>> So here we are -- more than a decade later since these parasitic  
>>> debates
>>> began and we're still debating the use of a one-dollar component in
>>> multi-kilobuck amplifiers.
>>>
>>> If we hire the best design engineers who do the best job they  
>>> know how
>>> to ensure that every component selected for an appliance will test
>>> in-tolerance, and stay in-tolerance during the product's life cycle,
>>> should we then eliminate fuses as being an unnecessary "prayer  
>>> cloth?"
>>> Or, if I build my home in the safest part of the country where no  
>>> known
>>> floods, lightning, hurricanes, tornadoes, sink holes, excessive  
>>> winds or
>>> other nasty environmental factors exist -- am I smart in  
>>> terminating my
>>> homeowner's insurance policy?
>>
>> Probably not, if you lose cover for fire, water leaks, accidental  
>> damage
>> etc. As a different analogy, if you lived in San Francisco and had
>> earthquake insurance, would you take out extra insurance against
>> hurricanes? As you say, if it's cheap, why not, then it's  
>> something you
>> don't have to think/worry about.
>>
>> Steve
>
>
> I'd even go a step farther - I took the nichrome out of my SB-220,  
> substituted traditional suppressors, and picked up about 50 watts  
> output on 10 meters.  Not a significant amount, but indicative of  
> the amount of additional heat and potential reliability problems.   
> The amp remains very stable.
>
> 73, Pete N4ZR

Pete --- Do you know W8JI?
>
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R L MEASURES, AG6K. 805-386-3734
r at somis.org