[TenTec] Guidance on Linear Amplifier Choice

[Tom Rauch]

> passed on a used Titan II because of the 4CX1600B supply, and the cost
> of the amp in question.  My frugal contesting friends keep buying used
> AL-1500's and AL-1200's and working the heck out of them.  

Not only that, the transmitted signal is much cleaner with triodes 
despite all the tube marketing hoopla about how good "modern 
tetrodes" are. 

3CX1200's have about the longest service life of any tube. Other 
than shipping damage, they last about forever and rarely fail. I'm 
still using a couple from 1984-86, and I've run the heck out of them. 

If you get stuck someday finding tubes, it's fairly easy to swap one 
triode for another. Not so with tubes having all the extra grids to 
worry about.
73, Tom W8JI
W8JI@contesting.com