[TenTec] Amplifier Decision???

[Ken Brown]

John,

I have been a ham since 1970. I did not own an HF amplifier until around 
1990. I am not saying that you should wait 20 years to get an amplifier. 
Still there is a lot to be learned about HF CW operating that can be 
helpful to you without making more QRM for everone else on the bands. I 
recomend the book The Complete DXer by W9KNI. There are a lot of 
"tricks" revealed in that book that will help a lot more that just using 
more power. Also, have you done all you can, within the constraints of 
where you live and how much you can afford, to optimize your antenna 
system? Antenna gain can work both for TX and RX. An amplifier can make 
you into an "alligator", all mouth and no ears. There are other 
considerations when using an amplifier; more RFI to consumer electronics 
gadgetry, TVI, and more potential for damage when things go wrong 
(antenna switch in wrong postion and other mistakes) in your antenna 
system. So, do not rush into getting an amplifier.

I gather, since you posted this to the Ten-Tec reflector, that you have 
become accustomed to operating QSK. When I first got an amplifier it was 
not a QSK capable amplifier. I really wanted to have QSK and the power. 
I spent a lot of time building circuitry to make a slow switching 
amplifier operate in a QSK setup, using home built relay sequencing 
circuitry. Actually it was sort of fun. Still it might be a lot easier 
just to buy an amplifier that is QSK ready. Going from 100 watts with 
QSK to high power without QSK would be sort of a double whammy for 
making you into QRM source that does not hear well.

Wecome to the wonderful world of CW operation. Have fun, and hope to QSO 
you.

73 ES ALOHA DE N6KB