[Amps] How about a Solid State MARS amp

[Tom Rauch]

> Why would you not want the ALS500 sitting under your 
> bench???
>
> I have power supply capability for it either with the 
> Optimas in parallel or thru PS from mains.


A bipolar transistor amp like that running at 12V is almost 
never as clean as a better exciter. It just can't be done 
unless you back the power way down. By the time you reduced 
power enough to not degrade the exciter it probably wouldn't 
be worth having. I wouldn't use a Metron at home on big 
antennas, or  Skywalker, or any other 12V amp unless I 
babied it.

It's certainly acceptable for mobile use because we are 
stuck with 12V and probably a pretty dirty mobile rig,  but 
why pollute the bands more than necessary when using a big 
antenna?

Tune around on 20 meters and listen to the signal quality of 
about 25% of the stations on SSB. Why add to the mess unless 
we have no other choice?

I actually changed my mobile to an ALS-600. I modified a 
120V inverter to 50 volts. Best thing I ever did for the 
mobile. I'll never go back to 12V transistors.

73 Tom