[RTTY] NAQP RTTY

Doug Hall k4dsp.doug at gmail.com
Mon Dec 26 16:45:50 PST 2011


Putting aside the rule for a moment, I run across a lot of folks who run
radios on RTTY at 30 to 50 watts when their radios *can* run 100w
continuously.

Over the last 20 years or so I have run 100w from all of my radios in RTTY
contests. These radios include the TS-850, TS-2000, IC-756Pro3, and
FT-1000MP. One of my RTTY contesting buddies here in town has done the same
thing with these same radios as well as an Omni 6+. Over many RTTY contests
with many thousands of QSOs neither of us have ever had a PA failure.

I am sure there are a number of radios that clearly will not support 100%
duty cycle operation at full power, and it's prudent to run them at reduced
power. But a great many modern (and not so modern) transceivers run fine at
100w RTTY, and in my opinion it makes a heck of a lot more sense to run
them at 100w than to throttle them back and run an amplifier, especially a
tube amp.

73,
Doug K4DSP

On Mon, Dec 26, 2011 at 6:44 PM, Tom Osborne <w7why at frontier.com> wrote:

> HI All
>
> Looking at the rules for the NAQP RTTY, I see this:
>
> "Output power must be limited to 100 watts for eligible entries.  Uses of
> external amplifiers capable of more that 100 watts output is not allowed."
>
> This rule puts a lot of people at a disadvantage as a lot of radios can't
> run 100 watts key down continuously.  I know with my TS-450's, I usually
> have to run them at 40-50 watts when running, or they get awfully warm.
> Even then I have an extra fan that I keep on the back of the radio.  During
> a regular  HP contest, I have to crank the exciter down to around 40 watts
> or so and keep the amp around 250-300 watts to keep it happy.
>
> Do they think people will cheat if they are able to use an amp?  I would
> love to be able to turn on the amp and crank things down to 100 watts.
>  Sure
> would keep the equipment cooler and happy.
>
> If someone is going to use an amp illegally, they will do it whether the
> rules allow it or not.  I just don't see the reasoning of saying an amp
> can't be used if kept to 100 watts or less.  73
> Tom W7WHY
>
>
>
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