[TowerTalk] HP8761A

[jimlux]

Roger (K8RI) wrote:
> 
> 
> jimlux wrote:
>> John Kemker wrote:
>>  
>>> Yeah, that's why I'm asking others about it.  It's only rated for 
>>> 10W, but has a 5kW peak?  That's an interesting spread.  I wonder why 
>>> the large range between nominal rating and peak rating?
>>>
>>>     
>>
>> The average rating is determined by heating.  The peak rating is 
>> determined by voltage breakdown.
>>   
> Unless I'm missing something,  this would render the peak rating 
> meaningless for almost all amateur use  Even SSB  at 100 watts PEP  is 
> going to be pushing the 10W average unless making short transmissions. 
> About the only thing I can think of that might work would be short 
> pulses of high speed digital.
>> 

You're probably right.

There are a variety of non-ham applications where the distinction is 
important.  For instance, maybe you have a system which has some sort of 
automatic shutdown, which might burp out high power pulses before the 
automatic shutdown takes over. You'd have to know things about the 
thermal time constant, etc.