[Amps] 813 efficiency

[Eddy Swynar]

On 2013-02-23, at 5:19 PM, Bill Turner wrote:

> ORIGINAL MESSAGE: 
> On Sat, 23 Feb 2013 10:01:55 -0500, Eddy wrote:
> 
>> It absolutely gobsmacks me how some guys in this hobby would rather whip-out the ol' VISA card & spend literally HUNDREDS on power amplifier tubes, when the lowly ol' 813---paired with some twins, of course!---will do the job as well, and at an absolute FRACTION of the price...
> 
> REPLY: 
> To get the plate dissipation of a single 8877 would take 12 813s. 
> 
> Would you put them all in a row?  Or a matrix of 3x4? Or 6x2? 
> Or maybe in a circle?  Can't wait to hear.  :-)
> 


Hi Bill,

I am obviously missing something here: why would you want to maximize plate DISSIPATION, anyway...?! 

I grew up always believing that the first goal in ANY amplifier was the maximizing of plate EFFICIENCY, a.k.a. OUTPUT.

Since when did the contest exchanges & participants on the Ham bands suddenly take an interest in the plate dissipation of your amplifier tubes...? The various exchanges wanna know your "power", & NOT your "plate dissipation"...    :o)

Besides, the cost of 12 brand new 813s would STILL be but a fraction of the price of a new 8877...

~73~ de Eddy VE3CUI - VE3XZ