[Amps] EIMAC (8877 TYPE)

[Rick Stealey]

I'll tell you guys an interesting little story about 6 meter amps that is 
relevant to this discussion.
A few years ago a friend came to me for help with getting an amplifier 
working on 6 meters.
He figured (rightly so) that a cost-effective and time-effective way to go 
was to convert an
SB-220 that he had on hand.  He had redone the tank coil, and substituted 
new pi net caps,
but was only getting about 400 watts out.  I think the original bandswitch 
was still
in the circuit.
I talked to my friend Lou W1QJ (appropriately named "goodguyham") for 
suggestions since I knew
he had a lot of experience with 6 m amps.  Lou gave me a lot of advice for 
such a conversion but said rather than me inventing the wheel all over again 
to bring the amp up to his shop.  To make a long story short in 2 hours in 
Lou's shop we had new parasitic chokes installed by Lou, and a more 
efficeint tuning cap installed, and a few other secret touches that Lou knew 
about because of his experience.
We went home at 11 pm that night with a single band 6 meter amp putting out 
about 900 watts, COMPLETELY stable.  I mean more stable than that amp is on 
20 meters.  It is still working
perfectly 5 years later.
Now, if someone was homebrewing a new 6 m amp would 3-500s be the best 
choice of a tube?
Probably not.  But if you had an SB-220 and wanted a kw out on 6 meters, 
there is no choice
in the matter.  And let's not forget, "A watt is a watt."  And a kw from an 
8877 is the same on the air as a kw from an SB-220.
And if Lou offered me a tube better than an 8877, I wouldn't hesitate for 
one second to
buy it from him.  He is the most honest and generous ham I ever met, and one 
of the most
competent homebrewers I know.  Not only that he goes to Dayton every year - 
He's a DOGGY!
(a member of "The Dayton Organized Group Gathering Yearly")
Rick  K2XT

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