[Amps] Transmit signal monitoring AM & SSB

[Lee]

I am an AMer, and here is my advice!  Don't buy any monitor until you 
know you are wanting to stay in this part of the hobby. Zillions of hams 
have operated in the past and present without using a monitor and have 
not splattered or over modulated.  If you are going to use a 
commercially available ham AM rig follow the procedure and settings in 
the manual.  Also, have local friends WHO KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING and 
talking about help you in your settings based on their listening to your 
signal.  If you are going to use a linear, keep your driving signal to 
at least 1/4 or less of your peak signal.  Yes a station monitor is nice 
and can be helpful, but use of the manual, friends and maybe even an 
oscilloscope is all you need to get into AM with a nice signal.  Don't 
let the lack of a monitor keep you from entering into AM.  Later if you 
decide AM is for you, you can always get a monitor.  Just remember an 
idiot LID owning a monitor is still most likely going to put out a lousy 
signal.  Bottom line, get into this facet of the hobby one step at a time.
Lee, w0vt
Modulating since 1953

On 7/29/2015 6:51 PM, Manfred Mornhinweg wrote:
> Joe,
>
>> I plan on trying some AM.  I remember the old dedicated station 
>> monitors of the past.  I've seen some RF samplers & AF demodulators.  
>> These seem to be in the $200 + range, along with the used older 
>> dedicated CRT type station monitors.
>