[Amps] Plate Load Calc.

[Robert Chudek - K0RC]

Heh heh... And I experienced something similar, first hand, when I got my QSL card from the FCC. It was back in my Novice days ('62), running a Knight Kit T-50 [-807-], tuning the output for "best" output. Well I was calling CQ on 7416 kHz and was 599 in Grand Island Nebraska. I think I used a ne2 taped to the twinlead feedline for my power meter.

I wonder what happened to all the letters we sent back to the FCC after these reports? They would probably make some pretty funny reading now that "we all know better". 

73 de Bob - KØRC in MN

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Message: 9
Date: Sat,  3 Mar 2007 10:50:00 +0100 (CET)
From: Peter Chadwick <g3rzp at g3rzp.wanadoo.co.uk>
Subject: Re: [Amps] Plate Load Calc.
To: amps at contesting.com
Message-ID:
<25779011.18411172915400547.JavaMail.www at wwinf3004.me-wanadoo.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8

Tom said:
>If you get the Q too low the loading control will work 
backwards. If you get it too high the tuning will be 
needlessly sharp and there will be a little more tank heat.<
Another problem if the Q gets too low is that the harmonic output tends to start rising. If Q gets extremely low, there can be enough harmonic that the apparent SWR rises, since the antenna isn't matched at the harmonic and so the SWR meter sees reflected energy at that frequency. I once saw it happen in a bodged installation where they tried to pull the tx a long way LF outside its real frequency range.
73
Peter G3RZP