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Ohiobiker
Posted on Thursday, January 31, 2002 - 7:41 am:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Think mine is a 300A, it says no where on it what model it is. But it has a external power supply and uses 6 tubes all 6LQ6's, two driving four. What wattage could/should be achived with this amp? What is the maximum SSB drive for this type of amp? Thanks in advance guys...~OHIOBIKER~575~
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Jyd
Posted on Thursday, January 31, 2002 - 6:45 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

i would guess 600watts or mor.
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Scrapiron63
Posted on Friday, February 01, 2002 - 6:23 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I've got a Palomar 300A, and I have a picture of it as I started to put it on e-bay, I'll put the picture in my profile, you can see if yours is similiar. Mine has the crome top, but they made some with painted tops. They also came with differet tubes, 6LF6s, 6KD6s and I believe 6LX6s.
Mine has 6KD6s. All had about the same output, as each tube was good for 80-100 watts. The two on the right are driving the other 4. I would not want to load mine more than 400 dead-key, and would not use it like that. I like to use about 2 watts in with a good swinging radio, load the amp to 300 or what ever it peaks, roll the load over to the right, drop the dead key to about 200-250, and it will swing around 700, and sound great, not overheat, and the tubes will run forever. The unique thing about this amp, and what makes it popular, you can run it on "low", that turns the drivers off, then you can use a high output radio to drive the finals. I've used mine on turbos, and a 100 watt hf Icom 737. The output will be about the same as using a low power radio with the driver tubes turned on. Palomar later made a 350 ZD, it was about the same amp, except the transformer was build in, and it had a switch on the back for low or Hi input. They had more problems than the 300A because of extra heat from the transformer. scrapiron
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Colt
Posted on Friday, February 01, 2002 - 4:57 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

If I remember correctly, the old Skippers used to do about 500. My brother had a 300A and it did about 500. Don't remember if it did it on AM or not, though.
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Ohiobiker
Posted on Saturday, February 02, 2002 - 7:53 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Well I am not sure at all now! I have had the skipper before, and my 1 of my friends had the 300A. I know what I have isn't make as either of these. Here is a link to what I have...Hmmmm (now you can see what I am asking about) http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1310968503 I bought it from a man who had bought it brand new. After talking viva e-mail I went ahead and purchased it. The pictures do it no justice. But I do beleive that the tubes are weak...But is it just the drivers? If it works as in stated previous posts: When set on low the drivers are by-passed then this is what it is doing...With the amp on low (drivers bypassed) I am hitting it with 0-16W's on sideband and getting a swing of 180w. With the amp on high and useing the same drive for the highside 0-16w I am getting about 230w swing like this on sideband. I am inclined to think these tube are just about flat.(DEAD) or are the drivers dead?..Hmmm...going to get them tested soon(tubes six-6LQ6's), theres no where local to do this in this one horse town...LOL Thanks and let me know if by seeing the link to it, You know the model...~OHIOBIKER~575~
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Scrapiron63
Posted on Sunday, February 03, 2002 - 8:09 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Yours is a 300A also, its the same as mine, just with a different colored face. I believe the whiteface like yours was the last one made, about 1978-79. Yours is the first I remember seeing with 6LQ6s. They have a different base than the other 6 volt tubes I mentioned. You need to get them checked, just one or two bad ones would make it do like yours, it does sound like the drivers might be the worst. With all good tubes, it should do 500+ on SSB. I'll try mine tomorrow, see what if does on high. 6LQ6s are getting hard to find, you might search the internet, and watch e-bay. Antique Electronics generally has them, but I just tried to check, and they are updating their inventory, probably be back up tomorrow.

Antique Electronic
http://www.tubesandmore.com/

Surplus sales has them sometimes, but I just looked and none are listed right now. They do have the 6Jf6, for 10 bucks, it is a replacement for the 6LQ6, but does not put out as much wattage, as its a single element tube and the 6LQ6 is double element. New 6LQ6s are probably gonna cost in the 40 dollar range, but you might not need but one or two.

http://www.surplussales.com/Tubes-Sock-Acc/TubesListed.html

RF parts in California also sells tubes. I didn't check them.
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Rci2990
Posted on Friday, May 10, 2002 - 11:34 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

The 300A is a good amp.
Now something ive been told and two different guys have told me two different things about the 300A.
One is that the amp will work with a big radio like the 2990 on low with a deadkey from the radio of about 35 to 40 watts and swing from there.
Another guy says that thats crazy and you will destroy the amp if you run it with a big radio. HUH!!??!!
Whats the real deal here? Can I or cant i run it on low with my 2990? I know on high it will only handle about 3 watts or so and swing from there. ive seen mine swing from about 200 watts to well over 750 on high with just a standard radio like my HR 2600 keying up 3 watts and swinging to 40!
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Jyd
Posted on Saturday, May 11, 2002 - 10:59 am:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

do not drive it,it is hard on the keying circut,tubes and everything else
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Scrapiron63
Posted on Saturday, May 11, 2002 - 5:18 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

2990, I guess its like anything else, a right and wrong way, but I've run the high drive radios into the 300As for 25 years. The 300a came out in the mid 1970s, ssb was getting popular with CBers. The CB rigs were so weak on SB, that lots of the serious CBers started buying the ham rigs, the yaesu 101 series was real popular and fairly cheap, as the hams were always upgrading, and a nice 101 could be bought around 400 bucks. The 300a was the favorite amp because of the ability to take high drive. After the yaesu 101ZD came out, palomar started making the 350Z amp, it matched the yaesu, and had a switch on the back for 10 or 100 watt drive. However, in my opinion, it was never as good an amp as the 300A. First, they put the transformer inside the 350z, more heat, and was very tight inside. Another weakness, the 350z had a hugh resistor on the front edge of the bottom, that ran so hot, the amp needed to be jacked up an inch or two off your desk, to keep from burning the finish. Needless to say it had to be replaced real often, you needed to keep a supply of them on hand. There might have been a later fix for that, as I gave up on them about 20 years ago. The 350z with the switch in the back on 100 watt drive, cut the drivers off, thats the same thing the 300a does with the switch on low. You are replacing two tubes, that are good for over 100 watts, with whatever you drive it with. Until I sold it recently, I sometimes ran an Icom 737 into my 300A, never had any problems. I didn't drive it full output, but it got the job done. If I need a little extra, I run it behind my Ranger 3500 now, works great. I live on a mountain, with a beam at 75 foot, so I don't need an amp too often.
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Rci2990
Posted on Sunday, May 12, 2002 - 12:26 am:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Is your ranger 3500 a 100 watter or a 35 version? I run a 100 watter and love it to death on SSB! Not too shabby on AM either.

BTW what is your email addy? I have a few question id like to ask you off the forum since you seem to be pretty sharp on this amp and the 3500. Seems we both run the same stuff..
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Rci2990
Posted on Sunday, May 12, 2002 - 12:29 am:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Or email me if you want to.
My email is on my profile.
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Scrapiron63
Posted on Sunday, May 12, 2002 - 10:30 am:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

My 3500 Ranger is the 100 watt version. I also have one of the 3300, 30 watt Rangers, I use it mobile, its a fine radio also. I'll write you to the email address.
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Rci2990
Posted on Sunday, May 12, 2002 - 12:34 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Only thing i dont like is the silly "Cobra 19 plus" style LED S/RF readout on the front of the radio plus the fact the radio has to be fed constant power from the power supply to keep from the memory going dead.
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Jyd
Posted on Sunday, May 12, 2002 - 6:53 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

what i ment was by driveing the 300a it will not last as long, tubes wont anyway.i am not diss anyones opinion cause we all have the right to place our own.i was told a 65 watt drive is plenty,but (me) i would use it as is.
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Rci2990
Posted on Sunday, May 12, 2002 - 9:53 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Hell 30 watts (deadkey NOT swing) is enough to drive the 300A on low IMHO! 100+ or so swing will get you about 700+ on AM out of the 300A..
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Taz
Posted on Sunday, June 09, 2002 - 5:35 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

that thing will do 700? wow i under estimated it
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Jyd
Posted on Sunday, June 09, 2002 - 8:24 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

i just traded my klv-350 for a maverick 250 with new tubes. and it does 900 to 1000 watts swing.its in nice shape to.
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Taz
Posted on Sunday, June 09, 2002 - 9:57 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

haahahahahahahahhaahahhahahaha man who traded you?
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Jyd
Posted on Monday, June 10, 2002 - 9:09 am:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

a guy wanted something to drive his sb 221,and he made the offer so i said hell ya.its in good condition and has new tubes not all scratched up or beat up.awsome trade7
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Taz
Posted on Monday, June 10, 2002 - 10:27 am:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

dude, you got a great deal!
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Jyd
Posted on Monday, June 10, 2002 - 5:50 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

yeah,hard to beleive someone would make a trade like that.
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Taz
Posted on Monday, June 10, 2002 - 8:11 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Is that guy ok. You know like upstairs?
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Jyd
Posted on Tuesday, June 11, 2002 - 10:09 am:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

yeah,he just has a sb220,sb221,sb200,when you have power like that a mavrick is'nt nothing.right now he runs 3000watts on a 4 element beam.listen to channel 32 durring the day and you will here some power.one guy runs 2500watts in a tower crane 400 feet in the air they call him killer.

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