[RFI] Aims 5000 Watt MSW Power Inverter

[Jim Brown]

On Mon, 15 Sep 2008 12:08:32 -0500, dgsvetan at rockwellcollins.com wrote:

>They draw a LOT of current at 13.6 VDC.  In this case, at 5000 watts 
>output @ 90% efficiency, the input draw will be 408 amps!!!  

I'll second all of Dale's comments, and add this. What is your final 
objective? If you could be happy with 500-600 watts RF output on the HF 
bands, I strongly suggest that you look at a power amp like the Ten Tec 
Hercules II that will be very happy supplying full output pulling 70-80A  
from a 13.8V DC source. It takes only about 25W to drive to full power, 
so the transceiver will add only another 10A. And that's keydown -- 
average current will be a lot less. You could probably buy that amp used 
for about what it would cost to buy an inverter and clean it up enough 
to actually use it in an HF station. Yes, legal limit power is another 4
+ dB up from there, but at what cost? If you can't hear 'em, you can't 
work 'em!  I don't know what other DC amps are on the market, but I'd 
bet that there are others. I have a Herc II. It's a very nice amp. 

73,

Jim K9YC