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Cuddlebear
| | Posted on Thursday, June 06, 2002 - 1:19 pm: | 
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Wow!
It seems to me anyway, that there are just so many different amps and radio's out there, that it is so confusing to the layman that knows nothing. I see so many different amplifiers out there it makes my head spin. How many features do you want? How do you know your getting a good one? How do you know your getting the best amp/radio for your money? etc. It goes on and on. I've been needing a new amp for almost a year now. Some ppl tell me stick with the mobile amps. Some ppl say don't do that, get a base amp. People say get a palomar. Then ppl say get a tube amp they sound better. etc. again, it goes on and on. My head is swimming with all this. I see some ppl love a certain radio. while others say it's junk. I have one thing to say.......
HHHEEEELLLLPPPP!!!! is there no clarity to this issue? I've been told that certain Texas Ranger radios aren't as good as the Ranger RCI Rigs. Then ppl say Oh no. Galaxy is better. How do you get a good one today without taking a chance on throwing $400-$500 down the tubes? Years ago it was Cobra. But now????? Thinking about it gives me a headach. Putting my head through the wall would be less painfull. |
Taz
| | Posted on Thursday, June 06, 2002 - 7:04 pm: |
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Me and the other forum members will help you find an amp.
First.
1. Whats your budget?
2. How much power do you want? |
Tech671
| | Posted on Thursday, June 06, 2002 - 8:32 pm: |
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Cuddlebear,
I'm only an email away. |
Biged
| | Posted on Thursday, June 06, 2002 - 8:33 pm: |
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There are too many variables to answer that question with accuracy. What you have to do is tell us your guidelines. How much power do you want, how many watts are you going to be driving it with, do you want an external power supply, do you want meters on it, most of all, how much are you wanting to spend? If you were to give us some clues to what you are looking for, maybe we can help you. The only base amp I have ever had was the boomer 500. It was reliable and sounded good. They have an external power supply for hooking up a mobile radio to it which is what I did. Sorry I cant give you any more opinions on other base units. I have went through a few mobile units though. Right now, I use a Galaxy 400 for my base. It will swing almost 425 on my dosey. For the most part it will bring my signal up about 2 or 3 s-units from barefoot. I hope this will help you with your search...Eddie |
Bigbob
| | Posted on Thursday, June 06, 2002 - 9:38 pm: |
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Been there,done that;DX2517 with $30 tune up,loudest dang radio I ever had twice as loud as my eagle 2000 on 2 less watts and it swings too.1 watt or 13 watts swings to 30 watts on am,30 watts on ssb;KLV550,most poke for the money,these are base items.My mobile radios are old workhorses,haven't bought one in 7 years,think I would get a 2950dx or whatever's hot at the time of purchase.The mobiles are pretty much the same anymore,you got am/fm or multi-mode take your pick.And if you got a buncha bucks ol' 307 can recommend one that can really defoliate the bushes. |
Cuddlebear
| | Posted on Saturday, June 08, 2002 - 6:47 pm: |
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Well,
I've always wanted a Tube amp. Only because I've heard that they put out real rich clear clean audio. But the downside I've heard from ppl is that the tubes don't last long, and they have to be retuned to every blessed channel or freq. Now of course knowing as much as I do about these things, I have no clue as to if this is true or not. Just going by what I've been told. I don't know the difference between "HF-or other amps" I've been told that for the money I would be better off with a base amp that ran pills. Anyway, what I want is a base amp that runs about 100-200 watts on AM. and maybe 200-300 SSB. it MUST have a Preamp in it. (Which probably eliminates the KLV amps)I want power, but yet I don't want to draw to much attention to myself if you get my meaning? I really like the KLV-550, but no preamp. So, I've been looking at the palomar or Boomer-300 The 300 has a bit more kick than I want, But it has pretty much everything else I'm looking for. Only question is. It says it's "HF" will that work on my CB? 26-28 freq's Second. it don't say anything about SSB. will it work on Sideband? and is it automatic or manual SSB. The automatic SSB units I've had in the past. (Palomar 225 Mobile unit)is a workhorse, But doesn't care for SSB much. It cuts out at the end of my sentence. I get "Clipped" if i don't talk fast enough. |
Taz
| | Posted on Sunday, June 09, 2002 - 12:23 am: |
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the 550 has a pre amp.
yes, cb is concidered hf (High Frequency)
I have the 550 and its a pretty good amp. No problems here!
Taz |
Hook948
| | Posted on Sunday, June 09, 2002 - 1:28 am: |
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FYI,A transister amp can sound as clean or cleaner than ANY tube amp depending on what bias and how it was built |
Taz
| | Posted on Sunday, June 09, 2002 - 3:10 am: |
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Many people mistake my klv 550 for a tube amp. |
Cuddlebear
| | Posted on Sunday, June 09, 2002 - 5:48 am: |
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Gee, Thank you Taz And hook948, Didn't know that. |
Cuddlebear
| | Posted on Sunday, June 09, 2002 - 3:29 pm: |
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So, tell me Taz,
What are the pretune knobs etc for on that amp? I'm just curious cause I'm looking at them. Either that or the KLV-250 Can you tell me all the features etc, you have on that 550? I want switchable SSB, NO automatic. And does the SSB dead key or what? please explain. Any info would be appreciated. Thank You. |
bruce
| | Posted on Sunday, June 09, 2002 - 7:13 pm: |
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if transistors were so bad tubes would still be in use the fact is if you build it right transistors will work just as well how many ham 100 watt rigs use tubes in the finals ??????
ps i still kinda like the good old days ... smell that hot tube! |
Taz
| | Posted on Sunday, June 09, 2002 - 11:42 pm: |
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Ok,
The pretune knob allows you to control the frequency of the pre amp. I think it goes up 2khz and down 2khz. It has 6 power positions. It has switchable ssb and there is no deadkey on sideband. |
Cuddlebear
| | Posted on Monday, June 10, 2002 - 2:35 am: |
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Taz,
I didn't think so on SSB since it is modulation driven. But yet, still had to ask because I notice it isn't Automatic. What benefits are there to Switchable Sideband? if any? Will it stop that clipping at the end of my sentence? or will I still have to talk like that little rabbit with the battery stuck up his rear to keep up with it? lol Final question, Frequency of preamp??? Isn't this pretuned to the freq your transmitting on? I don't get it. Doesn't it just take the incoming signal and just amplify it? you mean I have to tune this thing like a clarifier??? |
Taz
| | Posted on Monday, June 10, 2002 - 5:49 pm: |
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The benifits are having more control over your amp. I have heard by ALOT of people that it dosent even matter if its set on am or ssb even if your talking on one and its set for the other!
No you dont have to clarify it and it dosent drift. Just keep it on dead center. It allows you to tune it for max receive on that channel. 25-27 bd on receive with that receive amp. |
409
| | Posted on Sunday, June 16, 2002 - 4:02 am: |
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Many large transmitters and broadcast amps still use tubes. To reach high power, they are cheaper. |
Taz
| | Posted on Sunday, June 16, 2002 - 5:29 am: |
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go with a tetrode amp |
bruce
| | Posted on Sunday, June 16, 2002 - 2:01 pm: |
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did i hear 829B ?? |
Taz
| | Posted on Sunday, June 16, 2002 - 8:32 pm: |
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I thout i heard 3cx20000 x 10 |
Bigbob
| | Posted on Monday, June 17, 2002 - 6:58 pm: |
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Sometimes you guys are full of it,Taz and Bruce,lol.I think the klv550 is just what you're looking for but ask tech 671 I'm sure he could come up with just the right one for you ,if you give him all your pertinent info. |
RCI2990
| | Posted on Monday, June 17, 2002 - 7:42 pm: |
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Heres my .002 cents weather you guys want to hear it or not. Ahh! Listen to what the locals run and if you like what they run well get what everyone else runs and then you will feel comfotable with it. Although most all my equipment is not what the "In crowd" runs i dont care. I like my trusty old 3500 and my HR 2600! |
Taz
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 18, 2002 - 4:50 am: |
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Nobody out here runs a klv but me.
everyone else runs a Texas Star 667,500. Or a palomar 300a and a drake 600 an ameritron 800.
And the big dog with the 12k amp (tetrodes) |
Tech833
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 18, 2002 - 10:09 am: |
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Normally, whenever I see these conversations, I just keep my mouth (keyboard?) shut and watch the show (and usually laugh a little too). However, I believe I need to step in before any more horribly incorrect advise and testimonials are given.
First of all, a tube amp will not 'sound better' than a transistor amp if it is not pushed beyond capacity. You see, transistors are designed around a certain device or devices. Each transistor used in your amp is capable of just so much output power and so much input power. Almost every CB amplifier I have seen is pushed way beyond its capability. For instance, I have a Palomar 80 on my bench for a customer right now(don't ask). It is supposed to be an 80 watt amp, right? The single transistor it uses is designed for 30 watts maximum output power and 3 watts maximum input power. That means, your 'deadkey' into this amp should be no more than 1 watt (for AM) and your output would be 10 watts carrier and 30 watts peak envelope power. At these levels, this amp puts out envelopes exactly matching those going in. However, as I drive the amp harder (let's say with a 4 watt CB radio), suddenly, all the positive peak capability goes away and the amp 'sounds' different on the air. Not as loud, and certainly not as 'clean'
A tube amp has a much softer saturation curve. This may help explain why a tube amp 'sounds better' at overdriven levels. Oh, by the way, your tubes should last many years at the duty cycle of 2-way hobby communications. I have several transmitters on the air using glass and ceramic tubes that go for 2-5 years between tube changes with no change in output. And these are transmitting 24/7! I have one transmitter that operates a class C output stage (linear amplifier) for the 1 KW driver. The final stage consists of two 4-400 tubes in parallel for 1 KW output with 50 watts input. Those tubes are almost 3 years old now and just barely ready for replacement. And that transmitter is on the air 16 hours every day.
What you need to do to extend your tube life is NOT tune for 'maximum smoke'. Tune for grid resonance first, then plate resonance next. Plate resonance on a properly neutralized tetrode configuration will occur almost right at plate current dip. It's the old saying 'Dip the plate, peak the grid'. DO NOT tune while whistling. Tune with dead carrier and make sure that plate is dipped, that's why they bothered with the plate current meter on your amp. If tuning for maximum output was the proper way to do it, there would be no meters on amps at all, just tune for watts, right? Also, proper tuning in the first place will give you much broader bandwidth, which means you won't have to retune for every channel. Tune for 28.500 MHz. and your amp will work from 28.000 to 29.000 easily (assuming your antenna will too).
After this, I'm sure a million 'experts' will jump on here to dispute. This expert stands by the instructions above. This is how I feed my family.
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Don123
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 19, 2002 - 1:07 am: |
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Hello Cuddlebear:
I hope you don't mind me putting my 2 cents in here....but I think a key element of a great signal is not always adding power first...no one has asked what kind of antenna system you have?? In my view one should always start at the most important factor in the system....THE ANTENNA! I think you would be money ahead to improve your antenna system first before putting out a signal that is most likely stronger than you can hear back.
Don123 |
Cuddlebear
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 19, 2002 - 3:16 pm: |
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I agree whole heartedly with that,
In my opinion you can have all the power in the world, but if you don't have an antenna worth a damn, You aint doing nothing. I currently have an Antron-99 or what some of us Cb'ers lovingly call the Splattertron-99 With the GPK-1 kit. it does real well for me. But I admit that I do use a antenna tuner to get a great swr. |
Bigbob
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 19, 2002 - 8:57 pm: |
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TAZ-no problems? what happened to 2to1 swr 6watts in 40watts out on high;I'm beginning to think you smoked your pills. |
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