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Message |
    
Waukeshajim
Junior Member
Username: Waukeshajim
Post Number: 24
Registered: 12-2006
| | Posted on Monday, December 17, 2007 - 7:52 am: | 
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What is the best tube amp? You know, one that doesn't bother other equipment and the neighbors!! |
Patzerozero
Senior Member
Username: Patzerozero
Post Number: 4070
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Monday, December 17, 2007 - 10:49 am: |
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the BEST amp that doesn't bother other equipment and the neighbors actually starts LONG BEFORE the amp. clean transmission from the radio 1st, then a well tuned antenna with quality coax and everything properly filtered & well grounded is a must. anything not right there just compounds the problems you are apt to see. unfortunately, if your neighbors equipment is not of the best quality, everything you do may go for nought. my neighbor had a 150+ foot coil of OLD rg59 coax with taped on connectors spliced from the house & run underground to his garage for cable tv-when he could have gotten away with less then 50'. when he found the signal to be poor, he added a rat shack cable tv amplifier. while i had NEVER interfered with the tv's in his house with the 150 watts or less i generally use, it took only 10 watts PEP from my 6 meter radio to freeze up his digital cable box. a year later he called the cable company to replace his mess and the only time we had any trouble on the added run this summer was once during a particularly intense period of E skip on 11-10-6 meters.
as for the best tube amp, the klv's seem to hold their own all the way around performance-wise. obviously if you get out with 100 watts, don't use 1000(for hams, THAT'S THE LAW)because that again compunds things. if you have the $$ and know-how, a modern REAL amateur amp can be had with more efficient internal filtering then the klv's. |
Bruce
Senior Member
Username: Bruce
Post Number: 4559
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Monday, December 17, 2007 - 1:56 pm: |
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Pats lucky ..... his neighbors worked with him to fix the problem.
Amp or no amp my only interferance problem is a 25+ year old 49 mhz phone. HE has made it plain that the only way is HIS way.
Sadly a non-coop interferance problem gets no one any thing but more problems even if like me your SKEEKY LEGAL.
As a rule a good HAM amp will produse less problems and if you follow his advice and keep the radio clean that KLV should with a good filter on the output work just fine too.
Bruce
On 6 since 66
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Tech237
Moderator
Username: Tech237
Post Number: 929
Registered: 4-2004
| | Posted on Monday, December 17, 2007 - 5:45 pm: |
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The best amp?? sits about 40ft up and many many many aluminium elements on a long boom.. Honestly you are better off spending the time and money on creating and tuning an efficient antenna system than on an amp. Remember the gain you get from an antenna works on both transmit AND receive, while that of an amp on transmit only.
Simon
Tech237
N7AUS
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Waukeshajim
Junior Member
Username: Waukeshajim
Post Number: 25
Registered: 12-2006
| | Posted on Monday, December 17, 2007 - 10:15 pm: |
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Thanks for all the good advice. I think a good tower and better antenna system is the way to go.
I'm using a Imax 2000 and General Stonewall Jackson now. The Imax is on the roof and about 45 feet at the base and I am on high ground. Getting a tower and beam antenna is in the spring project.
101 in Wisconsin, Thanks |
Bruce
Senior Member
Username: Bruce
Post Number: 4561
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 18, 2007 - 7:14 am: |
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REMEMBER .....
ALL leagal stations have limited protection from the FCC. So like myself if you have a problem and your leagal not much he can do but cause trouble.
Antennas ....
You gain both ways If you get 10 db of gain it will increase your receive by 10 db as well as the transmitted signal. This will gain you more that any amp/preamp will..... and be LEAGAL another plus.
Even a 3 or 4 elm beam makes a 4 to 6 to one gain in what you can hear and as you limit the receive direction you can get rid of noise and also limit interferance..... On higher bands like 6 and 2 meters a MUST if you want to work the weak ones.
YEP .....
A grand spent on a tower and a beam will give you more results that any amp .... there is a old saying in HAM radio ....
IF YOU CANNOT HEAR THEM YOU CANNOT WORK THEM ....
On 6 since 66
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Patzerozero
Senior Member
Username: Patzerozero
Post Number: 4075
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 18, 2007 - 3:44 pm: |
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here on a suburban plot of land in LI NY, many many many aluminium elements on a long boom will probably hit the neighbors house-if his tree branches aren't in the way. 150 watts of power vs a 16' boom that doesn't really fit made it an easy decision to make sure everything at my base is as clean as possible and 'work' 150 or less......hence the reason for the high gain mobile  . |
