[TenTec] (no subject)

[Jim Brown K9YC]

On Mon, 10 Nov 2008 05:04:03 -0800 (PST), JOHN wrote:

>Can anyone give me an idea what they are using for a power supply 
>for the Hercule 2 

I asked this question when I bought my Herc II several years ago, 
and I got several replies from guys who were running from a big 
battery that was floated from a decent power supply. 

The key to successful operation of the Herc II at full output is 
maintaining a relatively stiff supply voltage as close as 
practical to 13.8 volts, and running it into a well-matched load. 
I use Ten Tec 229 and 238 tuners. 

It's also important that it be well air-cooled. If it gets too 
hot, protection circuitry will shut it down. The fan in my amp 
didn't run when I bought it used, and I never got around to 
troubleshooting it. As a temporary expedient, I rigged a muffin 
fan to blow on it, and that's been sufficient to let me run heavy 
duty cycle contesting. 

Because I use the amp for serious contesting. I'm being VERY 
conservative and using two Astron RS70s with their voltage sensing 
terminals strapped together. For more casual operation, a single 
RS70 would probably work be fine. I'm also running short big 
copper between the power supplies and the amp. 

I just loaned my Herc II to the P29NI DXpedition crew, who used it 
to light up New Guinea on 160M. They said it worked very well. I 
don't know how they powered it. I warned AD6E about the fan, and 
he jury-rigged a replacement before hitting the road with it.  

73,

Jim K9YC