[Amps] Alpha 76PA Plate Current

[Jim W7RY]

I have acquired an Alpha 76PA with 3 8874 tubes. I get 1500 watts output with 75 watts drive but the plate idling current in the SSB  position is almost 400 mA. At 1500 watts out, the meter is against the pin! Grid current is around 75 mA.


Doing some searching on Google, I see the solution to the plate current meter indicating high plate current is to put a plate current doubler on the meter. 

Why not just fix the circuit?  Why does the meter read so high? Bad design? Bad component?  I really dislike fixing the symptom.. I would rather fix the problem.

I have run a spot check on the metering resistors and they seem to measure ok. Has anyone actually fixed the plate current metering circuit?


Thanks
73
Jim W7RY