[CQ-Contest] Help wanted

[Bill Turner]

ORIGINAL MESSAGE:

On Mon, 22 Oct 2007 23:55:20 -0400, "Tony Rogozinski"
<trogo at telegraphy.com> wrote:

>I have a problem with my Alpha 76/78 amplifiers in Bogota in that the 220 V lines are maybe 200 - 210
>volts which isn't apparently sufficient to activate the start relay.  I can use the amps on 120V but prefer
>not to do so.
>Have looked on ebay for Variac/Auto Transformers but found nothing suitable - very few which would
>work on 220V.  I would like to run 2 Alphas off one unit so guess I'd need about 20 amp power handling
>capacity.
>Any suggestions as to what to use and where to find it - at the most reasonable price?

------------ REPLY FOLLOWS ------------

One inexpensive trick is to get a small transformer, connect the
primary across either the 220 or 115 vac line as appropriate and put
the secondary in series with the 220 line. Just be sure the secondary
is rated for the full current of the 220 line and has the voltage
which you need to add. And of course, remember the polarity. One way
will add, the other will subtract.

The drawback is that the output is not adjustable like a variac, but
the cost should be way less.

73, Bill W6WRT