[Amps] FW: Power factor correction on tube amps

[peter chadwick]

Jim wrote:
>So -- since SPE amps are made in Italy, an EU country, there's a 
good chance that they are compliant with EU regulations. Or maybe not. :)<
The link posted to the site of Bob, G4UJS (http://g4ujs.shacknet.nu/spe_2k-fa.pdf) suggests that they should be, as they claim ISO9000 QA.
However, under the terms of the Radio & Telecommunications Terminals Directive (R&TTED), a manufacturer or importer with a suitable QA policy and organisation (ISO 9000) may self certify against a Harmonised Standard.  A couple of years back, an assessment by the EC showed something like  70% of Short Range Devices (SRD) and about 30% of professional stuff such as Private Mobile Radio  failed to comply, although the vast majority of cases were a failure to have correct paperwork rather than a failure to meet technical requirements.

Now second hand equipment, modified equipment and kits, all intended for radio amateurs, are exempt. So a manufacturer could in theory provide an amplifier as a 'kit'. That would mean the buyer installing the power transformer and soldering the wires to it, rather than having them on plugs and sockets. Perhaps provide the SO239 output socket not installed but with the hardware to do it. There is even an argument that a non-compliant amplifier with an SO239 socket as standard would become a modified and thus exempt device if the socket was changed to an N type by the owner before importation......
Fortunately, the volume of business that amateur radio represents in the EU is small enough that Brussels haven't got around to excess regulation of it - yet!
73
Peter G3RZP