Dummy Load Resistors
3
Gents, Looking at resistive DL¡¯s for QRO is an interesting pursuit, and the recommendation about employing a VNA makes it a good return on investment when selecting the ¡°bits.¡± One of my DL¡¯s is a Palstar 5K. It¡¯s not brand new and it¡¯s seen some excitation, and has smoked, even, with whatever Murphy dumped when I wasn¡¯t looking. Now here¡¯s the rub: The DL returns a 60.1 Ohm DC resistance. To my understanding a 60 Ohm (R) is not 50 Ohms, (Zero) j. So I telephones the factory and ask about buying some in-spec tubulars for my Load, and I was told that ¡°Fifty ohms or sixty ohms doesn¡¯t matter. A null anywhere near the resonant frequency of your tank circuit is good enough.¡± ¡°And besides, they don¡¯t make resistors in that wattage at fifty, only sixty.¡± I have a DL in the shed that¡¯s fifty at J zero, but it¡¯s liquid cooled and I can¡¯t shlep it from building to building anymore. And I don¡¯t think a 245 foot chunka RG8 will pass the Wiltron test for Non-Baloney. Comment? Suggestions? TNX Hal Mandel W4HBM
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Dummy Load Resistor
10
I'm wondering if a Planar resistor can be used for an RF dummy load. I have a couple 1KW 100 ohm Planar resistors and an 18# heat sink, I can't find my answer anywhere. Any information will be greatly appreciated.
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Plate modulated GG triodes
7
Recently a friend and I have been playing around with plate modulating GG Triodes in class C. Just for fun. My rig is a 450TH modulated by a pair of 100TH tubes. His rig is a single 3-400Z modulated by a pair of 3-400Z tubes. He is getting 600 watts carrier fully modulated. This is a tricky thing to get to work correctly but can be done. The trick was to place a choke and resistor in the grid line to self-modulate the grid. bingo. 100 percent modulated carrier. We noticed the 8877 3cx1500 actually has this mode listed on the PDF. They specify grounded Grid Class C plate modulated, cathode driven configuration. It also states that you must modulate the Driver to 83 percent and plate modulate the rig to the rest required. This is because the Drive power is never modulated. Anyone ever try this? I might try it for fun. Probably wont use an 8877. I wonder what the purpose of this config was. What was the advantage? They could get 1000 watts AM carrier fully modulated from a single 8877 in this config which is amazing. Maybe it never caught on? I am simply going use my ranger to modulate the Cathode to 83 percent. Then tap off the ranger's modulators to drive the outboard modulates in phase through a transformer. I will need to adjust the audio to the outboard modulators to get it working. C
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3CX-10,000A7 for sale...... $2500.00
2
Scott, KB1SEL (amprepairguy.com) has a recently rebuilt (by Econco) Svetlana 3CX-10,000A7 for sale. ZERO hours on the rebuilt tube....and also a full warranty. Contact Scott Mitchell at KB1SEL@... or phone him at (203) 892-4119
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Operating RTTY FSK and Alpha 86
12
Hi, New to RTTY. Looking to see what I need to know regarding the use of the Alpha 86 and FSK on RTTY at recommended power settings if any. 73 Ron KK7GO
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572B
11
Hi all, I'll condense this, you'lll get the idea. A friend has an 811H with 3 year old 572B's. One shorted and causes the fuse to blow immediately. Tube replaced and all is well. Measuring with a DVOM shows no shorts at all. I do know some tubes will short after they get warm/hot but this one blows the fuse immediately (no time to get hot) but does not measure any short circuit. I've now talked to two other hams on the air that say the exact same thing happened to them. What causes this? 73, Bob W4JFA
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12 KW CCS ON 160-15M...USING THE 3CX-6000A7... PART 2
5
Ceramic Vac tune and load caps mounted vertically, both with right angle drives below chassis. Between the front panel and sub front panel, they will both feed a sprocket assy, so the actual turns counters will be above the chassis. Multi-tech industries Model 90 bandswitch has been modified, such that there is now 40 amp contacts on both sides of the single wafer. Contacts on both sides to be strapped in parallel. There is a pair of multiple pole rotor assy's, (aka progressively shorting type bandswitch). Neither vac cap has to be padded on 160M. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1q-XC2rAM5A
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Kenwood TL-922-Need a plate current meter.
9
A recent event of unknown cause or origin has totaled the existing plate current meter. I have replaced R5, R6, and R7 (R6 was toast). Diodes D2 and D7 are on there way and will be replaced upon arrival, although I have not tested the existing ones to determine if they are faulty. Does anyone have a Ip meter available? Jim McPhee Placitas, NM W5ABA
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12 KW CCS ON 160-15M...USING THE 3CX-6000A7... PART 3
Here the manually tuned, tuned input is installed. Typ a pair of 4 section broadcast caps are used for this application...and has been used several times in the past. (17-540 pf per section, and all 4 x sections strapped in parallel.....= 68- 2160 pf ). With a pair of 4 x section caps used, they only have to be padded on 160M. In this case, the 4 section broadcast caps are too long. Plan B. A pair of 2 x section broadcast caps are used (load cap used on a SB-220).....and padded on 160M and 80M). Each section of the 2 section caps are 15-450 pf...and again, both sections are strapped in parallel. The progressively shorting bandswitch is from the kw tank circuit of a TL-922 amp. The bandswitch is used to change taps on the (aprx) 3.5 to 4 uh coil seen in the video, and also add padding to each 2 x section cap on 80m, and 160m. Each air variable gets it's own 6:1 vernier reduction drive assy. A small 2" diameter turns counter drives each 6:1 vernier. Each cap only rotates 180 degs to get from min to max (1/2 rev). With a 6:1 vernier installed, it then requires 3 full revolutions to get from min to max C. With the mini turns counter installed, (0-99 increments per rev) it's then 0-300 tiny increments to get from min to max C. This will provide for the ultimate repeatable.... 'dial it up by the numbers'. A simple cheat cheat is then made up for several parts of each band. In normal operation, it's just change the bandswitch to the correct band, and dial up both caps to their respective pre-sets...done. Then the input SWR is always 1:1 across each band. In the past, when using the same manually tuned, tuned inputs, we also have to factor in the tube's stray C (grid to cathode) as the tube C is directly in parallel with the C2 cap of the tuned input. We also have to factor in the stray C from each fil lug to chassis, as there is more stray C at the hot end of the fil choke. We also have to factor in the length of coax from IPA (intermediate power amp) to input of the tuned input. We also have to factor in the bias used (fully adjustable), drive level, (also adjustable).. and also B+ used...(can be altered by varying the taps). We also have to factor in the length of coax from tuned input to the cathode. Ideally, you want the C2 cap as close to the cathode as possible, esp on upper HF, but that is not always possible. Typ eff will suffer on 10 + 6m, with 50 ohm coax lengths > 1' on 10m, and even less on 6M. Typ 'fixes' include using paralleled 50 ohm coaxes ( which effectively adds C to the cathode), or adding C to the cathode (cathode to chassis) In the past, we tested the manually tuned, tuned input by applying a 800 watt cxr for 10 mins on each band. Done with wattmeter's on both sides of the tuned input....then into a 50 ohm DL. The 3CX-6000A7 (and also the smaller 3CX-3000A7) have a 50 ohm input Z. With input swr tweaked for 1:1 we get max drive applied to the cathode...and also max grid current. Trying to design and fabricate 5-9 separate, bandswitched / relay switched PI tuned inputs....that will each handle 800 watts CCS cxr, is an exercise in futility. Arco compression trimmers are only good for 200 w pep...and also have to be padded on 80 +160m. Correct sized toroid's and magnet wire are a non issue. Been there, done that. If fixed caps are used, they have to handle the current, and you need a box of em to arrive at the final tweak...pita. Then either a 2 x wafer bandswitch is used, or a small single wafer bandswitch is used to activate a mess of relays. You end up with a convoluted, complicated mess on your hands....and even more complicated if the tuned input bandswitch is mechanically ganged to the 10 kw output bandswitch. The dead simple, manually tuned, tuned input is far simpler, and bullet proof...and fast to design and install. With 800 watts into 50 ohms, it's only 4 amps into 50 ohms, and only 200 V rms (283 V peak). Those broadcast style caps typ have .032" spacing, and rated for 1.1 kv. With older, dirty ones, toss em into the dishwasher....(with plates un-meshed), and they come out squeaky clean.....and hi
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12 KW CCS ON 160-15M...USING THE 3CX-6000A7... PART 1
Ok, new project started. 160-15M amp using the 3CX-6000A7. I re-designed the 160m coil, made from 1/4" tubing, so it's shorter, but bigger diameter, so it will fit. 80-40m coil already made...from 3/8" tubing. 20-15m coil made from 1/2" tubing. The whole thing is a tight fit. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWytaQwcWZ0
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TL-922 47pF Capacitor
10
G'day all. I am currently working on a couple of TL-922 amplifiers and I have a question regarding what appears to be an added 47pF/3kV blue ceramic capacitor in the output tank circuit. It goes from the output contact of the bandswitch to ground, as seen below. Both amplifiers have this capacitor and the above picture was from Google. Does anybody know what the purppose of this capacitor might be? It definitely looks like an addition. I'm happy to leave it in place but I'm wondering what it does. Thanks and 73, Ale, VK6APK.
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17 x pix of the 10 kw 6M amp...using the new Pentalab 3CX-6000A7 tube.
3
17 x pix of the 10 kw 6M amp...using the new Pentalab 3CX-6000A7 tube. If you want to see pix of both top + bottom of the RF deck, + pix of the HV supply, here is the link. https://amprepairguy.com/10kw-6-meter-custom-pa-3cx6000a7... The next amp is the 80-15m bandswitched unit, using the same 3CX-6000A7 tube. I have finalized the design for the RF deck. Components of course are a lot bigger. 1/2" silver plated tubing used for the 20-17-15m coil (and also the L coil before the main PI-net). The 80-40-30 coil will be hand wound, using 3/8" tubing. 500 pf ceramic vacuum tune cap, and a 3000 pf vacuum load cap. Same setup for the TR relays. RJ1A for the cutoff bias, and a 2nd RJ1A for the input. 2 x paralleled RJ2B's for the output. 7-16 DIN connector for the output. 4 x 200pf HT-57 plate blockers used. I have also finalized the design for the 160-80-40-20-17-15m version. It uses a 4000 pf vac load cap, and one extra coil.... for 160m (silver plated 1/4" tubing used). 8-9 x 200pf HT-57 plate blockers used. The HV supply will use a lot more B+ (7500 vdc)...and will use 2 x identical plate xfmrs in parallel. Both designs employ a bandswitched PI tuned input. (C1 + C2 are padded on 160m) Stay tuned. Jim VE7RF
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Looking for data on an Eimax Y-685A
5
edit: obviously I'm an idiot and didn't realize the typo in the title... Eimac not Eimax... ? Hi all, wondering if anyone has any data on this tube? Potential candidate for a 23cm amp. This came out of a resonant cavity in a 100watt signal generator (this specific module was good for 400-1000MHz). Can't find any data on it, looks similar to a Y-503 but not quite. Have searched through a bunch of Eimac catalogs and found similar planar triodes but not this one. Would like to have some concrete data. Anyone familiar with this? Thanks! 73
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Power meter manual
4
This is a really long shot. I am looking for a user manual and more importantly, a schematic for a "Agikawa APM-1H" automatic SWR and peak reading power meter, 1-8 ~ 60MHz. One is pictured here. https://usermanual.wiki/m/e5d55c2ef7fa11a48b3bc4690743a3ba0ae4b1b46066a8de9ee03cf41cdc1ce7.pdf It looks exactly the same as the Macaw PRM-1, for which I have the manual and schemnatic but the active circuitry inside is completely different. Searches via Google and BAMA have drawn a blank, so I'm hoping somebody might have owned one in the past and still knows where to find the documentation. I have changed the 2 ICs and 4 transistors. All the diodes check out fine as well but the fault persists. When switched to "PEP", the meter pins on 200W scale and shows around 400W on the 1000W and 2000W scales, without anything being connected to the device. I would really appreciated any leads, so I can repair it and pass it on to a friend who is getting back into the hobby after many years away. Thanks and 73, Alek VK6APK.
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Eimac YU-191B
5
I have seen some inexpensive sorce ebay£¨$220/ea), it is seems a water cooled version of 3CX3000A7 but more power(driving power 535W and 8350W out put) Hsu
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3CX1200 photo
2
working on AL-1200 today. (the HV is off folks) Testing filament / blower settings. Photo attached of tube with blower/filament on. 73 If photo doesn't go through, it's on google photos https://photos.app.goo.gl/EZHQmRywvF3CY7UM9
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Heathkit SB-220 Electronic Bias
13
Gentlemen, Some years back, Tony King, W4ZT {SK} designed and sold a small board with a blck wire and a red wire called the Electronic Bias Board. Does anyone remember how to modify the '220 in order to accommodate this little invention? I've looked and looked at the factory schematic and have not been able to reinvent that wheel. I appreciate all your help. Fondly,, Hal Mandel, W4HBM <w4hbm@...>
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ALS-606S low power and checking MRF150's in circuit
Greetings to the group, I am looking at a friends ALS-606S amp. Its symptoms were low gain 4-5 dB on HF and virtually no gain on 6M. 50W drive gets you maybe 150-200W out across the bands. Everything I read suggests this should be around 400W out. I took a quick look inside and there is no apparent damage (no smoked parts). I did a quick check on all the chip R's and moved on to doing an in circuit ohmic test of the MRF-150's. Using a Fluke DVM in diode checking mode I am seeing the diode drops on all four devices from gate to drain (~0.5v). When checking gate to source three of the four devices measure ~0.45V, and one at ~0.02V. I'm guessing the 0.02V one has a gate to source short. This is my first time working on a MRF-150 box. As I'm trying to determine the extent of the repair ahead does the one dead part mess with the matches and kill the amp gain like this? I'm also wondering if there is another way to determine if the other three parts are okay or not. Other things to check? Any thoughts or suggestions here would be appreciated? Many thanks... Mike K9MK
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Ameritron ALS-500m Mobile Power Wiring
3
Hello there, I am trying to learn about backup batteries and isolators in order to provide a good beginning for my new ¡°used¡± Mobile Amplifier. It can draw as much as 90amps with CW, and maybe around 70 amps peak for SSB. My car alternator is 105amp. My battery is a NAPA 800cca Battery. Anybody out there with ideas about backup batteries and isolators, for use with this Amp of mine? I¡¯m looking at Hellroaring Technologies isolators... They have very low resistance according to k0GB the mobile Guru. I¡¯m using an Icom 7100 fed with I think 15¡¯ 4awg Pos and Neg leads directly from battery to passenger floorboard in the back of a 2004 Buick Regal. I will have to redo my entire setup, I¡¯m sure...I already have the bigger LDG at-600pro2 Tuner. Lots of new cables and wires for me to channel from front to the middle... BackUp or Auxilary mode? Isolator or plain ol big Switch? I¡¯m pretty sure once the alternation is running it might be safe to have two batteries in parallel. When charging is not going on, some kind of switch is needed I believe... Let me know if u can... 73 Dusty
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Henry 2K-3
4
Good day, I have a "2K-3" desk model. Power supply separate from the RF deck. According to the schematic there's a pot to calibrate the plate current meter but I cannot find in any literature, including my manual, where this pot is. Does anyone know? Thank you and 73, Bob W4JFA
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