[Amps] Source of Mica Caps?

[Carl]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mark Bitterlich" <markbitterlich at embarqmail.com>
To: "Carl" <km1h at jeremy.mv.com>; "Jim Thomson" <jim.thom at telus.net>; <amps at contesting.com>
Sent: Sunday, July 14, 2013 4:07 PM
Subject: Re: [Amps] Source of Mica Caps?


>> ** I suspect most on this forum prefer simple and legal power, not some 
>> freak show ego trip.
>>
>> Carl
>> KM1H
> 
> I'm not so sure honestly.
> 
> If a 3CX10000B7 amp happened to turn up wired up and ready to go, they would 
> turn it away and instead run a pair of 3-500's in a SB-220 (with grids 
> floating of course)  ???
> 
> Personally, I'd fire that baby up and melt the feedline just to see the 
> needles peg, but hey I know I have a screw loose so please excuse me.  Just 
> FYI, I'm one of those that always wants to try what others tell me is 
> impossible or that I'm "not allowed" to do.
> 
> Not stirring the pot (much), but Carl I think most hams that are interested 
> in learning about building amplifiers have at one time or another 
> contemplated having one that requires 220 VAC at 100 amps.  :-)
> 
> I enjoy your postings.
> 
> 73,
> 
> Mark
> WA3JPY 

Ive been thru those stages Mark and even built a few in the 70-80's to earn side money but didnt get past a pair of 4-1000A's and a single 3CX3000A7. That was when AM and FM BC stations had their own engineer and replaced tubes on schedule. The 4X1's still had plenty of life and a FM 3X3 was like new on HF and there were plenty of both within a 15 mile radius of here free for the asking.
Tubes with 5 digit dissipations just are way overboard IMO but I know a lot of them have been on ham bands for decades.

To get a real full 3dB above 1500W even a pair of 8877's wont do it and survive long. The 3CX3000A7 is still an excellent tube (even the Chinese one) and YC-156's are drying up as SS takes over the ISM market.

Carl
KM1H