WorldwideDX Amateur Radio Forums

Yeah, I new that class A used 360* of the waveform and class B 180*, leaving C below B and AB between A&B. I guess I just wasn't sure, or maybe I was, what exactly happened to the missing part of the signal. I think the key part of running class C is the filtering, or lack there of in the competition style amps, to keeping unwanted signals out of stuff it wasn't meant to be in.

Good info BTW Eagle.

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Tnx, I hope it helped! Sorry I kept editing over and over. I kept finding better ways of explaining things as I understand them..

If the competition amp manufacturers changed bias and added filtering then their customers couldn't get on the forums and brag that they have a 2 pill that does 800 watts pep.

Good info you posted - if only more people would look at it that way, but most are only concerned with the (big) numbers they see on their meter...even if the majority of it is IMD and harmonics...

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WR0220
CPI • Cobra • Icom • Yaesu

Wow, Thanks for all the good input. I never knew why some people didn't like class C amps, other then them saying they were'nt as clean so ( I just got schooled ) lol... But that is really good stuff.
So What should I be Looking for. A class AB like TNT or older messenger maybe a palomar ( new or used better? ) or something else...
If I understand correctly, if I go with a better class amp. I can go with lower watts because they transmit more wave in the correct carrier so it will sound just as loud as a class c with more watts? And it wont splatter everything else!

I *think* TNT amps are only class B, not AB, but somebody correct me if I'm wrong.

Again, somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but the class C will sound louder because of the distortion. Some distortion in broadcast is intentionally added to increase the perceived volume. A good example would be commercials on radio and TV.

I've only ever owned 1 transistor mobile amp, and I'm not even currently using that, so I could wrong for sure. I've owned 4 or 5 base tubers, so I guess I've just never really paid much attention to the pill boxes.

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In reality, a lot of the "loudness" associated with audio from class C amps is caused by distortion.. It's kind of like what happens when you add distortion to a guitar. The sound feels "louder"..

Basically one must choose whether they want balls-to-the-wall power on their meter and all the distortion, dirt and trash that comes with it, or if they want slightly less power on the meter (and it's typically not a HUGE difference really..), but CLEAN power that is confined to the frequency you are using.

You are correct though, with unfiltered class C amps much of the power that is measured at full drive is from harmonics, which lend nothing to your ability to "get out" on the frequency you're trying to use..

And yes, according to TNT their amps are class B, but that's still an improvement over class C.

I agree that the addition of distortion will increase the perceived volume, but I also think that the use of compression also increases the perceived volume of commercials.

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WR0220
CPI • Cobra • Icom • Yaesu

I was under the impression that compression did increase distortion. Clipping more so than limiting, but distortion all the same.

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