Topband: 160M PREAMP SUMMARY_CORRECTION / ADDITION

[Major Ron]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Major Ron" <majrabsr@rconnect.com>
To: <Topband@contesting.com>
Sent: November 21, 2002 11:38
Subject: Topband: 160M PREAMP SUMMARY


> Hi all,
>
> I mistakenly posted this to Towertalk yesterday, when I meant to post it
> here.
>
> I finished the installation of the first two 'two-wire' Beverage antennas
a
> few days ago. The N/S Beverage is 560 feet long and the E/W one is also
560
> feet in length. The NE/SW Beverage will be 1360 feet long and the NW/SE
one
> will be 1100 feet long. All are 'cone-of-silence' lengths. Being able to
> switch directions at the lick of a switch is terrific!
>
> With the first two installed, I was able to compare them with the pennant
> and evaluate the pre-amps with the antennas.
>
> I wish to extend my extreme thanks to those who sent me their pre-amps for
> this evaluation. The only one I did not have to compare was the Elbert
> County Preamp. All preamps have been returned to their rightful owners.
>
> ALL of the units performed well, but I am listing them in the order of my
> preference. Please do not take this as a condemnation of any of these
units.
> Like any other ham gear, preference is almost always a subjective thing,
and
> certain units fit better with my particular circumstances and
applications.
>
> A word of caution is in order. The feed-point for all of my Beverage
> antennas is with 50 feet of my 160M vertical. One antenna passes within
ten
> feet of the vertical. With 1KW to the vertical, I wound up blowing the
> 2-watt 51-ohm resistors in the control box that switches the receiving
> direction. No, I didn't blow any pre-amps because I didn't have them in
the
> line. That is one reason my preference was for an indoor pre-amp.
>
> The preamps from ICE are available as single-band units.
>
> # Mfr    M#  160M  80M  40M  Price
>
> 1) KD9SV    Dual-band YES  YES  NO  $120
> 2) Ameco    PT-3  YES  YES  YES  $120
> 3) AY Technologies  PRE-2  YES  YES  YES  $99
> 4) ICE    See Band 123B  124B  125B  $48
> 5) Elbert County Preamp  PP-1  Not available for test    $65
> 6) Elbert County Preamp  ECP-1  Not available for test    $150
> Ron, KA9ALC
>
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