[RTTY] AL-1200 arcing during QRO RTTY contesting

[Joe Subich, K4IK]

Jerry, 

The advertising claim is LOWER than the manual specification - 
normally things are the opposite.  If the amplifier is rated for 
1/2 hour of continuous carrier at 1500 Watts, I would expect it to 
handle 1000 Watts RTTY out at 50% duty cycle for a 48 hour contest 
period without much problem ... HOWEVER, if there is a problem with 
the antenna system then all bets are off!  

73, 

   ... Joe, K4IK 



> -----Original Message-----
> From: Jerry Flanders [mailto:jflanders2@home.com]
> Sent: Friday, October 05, 2001 12:01 AM
> To: Joe Subich, K4IK
> Cc: RTTY@contesting.com
> Subject: RE: [RTTY] AL-1200 arcing during QRO RTTY contesting
> 
> 
> The reason I bought my AL-1200 was because it appeared to be such 
> a rugged amp and appeared fully capable of RTTY service at the 
> maximum legal 1.5 KW. What I quoted before is from advertising 
> literature. Ameritron states in the Al-1200 manual:
> 
> "Technical Specifications - Output: 1/2 hour continuous carrier: 
> 1500 watts (below 18 MHz)"
> 
> Advertising hype? I dunno. Disclaimer - I have been fooled before 
> by clever advertising.
> 
> Jerry W4UK
> 
> At 09:11 PM 10/4/2001 -0400, you wrote:
> 
> >2500 Watts PEP two tone is about 600 Watts DC (6dB peak to average
> >for a two tone signal) ... RTTY is a single tone mode.  1000 watts
> >RTTY at 50% duty cycle is putting a real hurt to that amplifier ...
> >
> >Your reduction to 500 Watts is more in keeping with the 2500 Watt
> >specification of that amplifier, particularly for contesting!
> >
> >73,
> >
> >    ... Joe, K4IK
> >
> >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: rtty-admin@contesting.com [mailto:rtty-admin@contesting.com]On
> > > Behalf Of WA9ALS - John
> > > Sent: Thursday, October 04, 2001 8:46 PM
> > > To: Jerry Flanders
> > > Cc: RTTY@contesting.com
> > > Subject: Re: [RTTY] AL-1200 arcing during QRO RTTY contesting
> > >
> > >
> > > > The AL-1200 is a pretty rugged amp. Quoting from Ameritron's
> > > > literature on it:"it can deliver power of more than 2500 watts
> > > > PEP two tone output for a half hour!". You were running it at
> > > > only 40% of this at probably less than a 50% duty cycle -
> > > > almost QRP for this amp. You may have to look elsewhere
> > > > to find this problem.
> > >
> > > Well, I'm certain I could've fried an egg on the top of it - I
> > > hate to think what it would be like at 2500 watts!  ;-)
>