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16 pill

AE5RD

AE5RD

Reformed CB'er
May 4, 2005
136
1
28
62
Do you think it is possible to drive a 16 pill mobile amp with an A/C tube box? I was thinking of using a bank of batteries for the 16 pill at 18 volts and hook up my 200 amp battery charger. The A/C box is a Firebird 500. I can probably just use 12 volts instead of 18 volts. I just want to cruise with the 16 pill. I am usuing a Maco 5 element for a antenna and probably will have to change the Gamma Match. Any thoughts.
 

sure why not, as long as it will drive it well. but you need to make sure you can supply the current you need for that 16...if you undervolt it you will kill it.
 
actually, if you have to ask.....you SHOULDN'T be doing it! at least NOT YET! no reason why YOU can't set up a 16 pill, but even with dc voltage & high current draw, the possibility for catastrophic results is there! not just to the equipment, but to the house-or vehicle-however run. yea it's good that you asked, but use it to ask more questions & work your way UP! don't try to start at the top.
 
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Well I already tried it and it runs the 16 pill great. My only problem is keeping the 16 fed which i have a plan.The other thing I have been trying to find out before i drop the hammer is how many watts is an m105c antenna rated at. I can't find that info anywhere. Maco doesnt specify on their site although they sell watt rated gamma matches. I have to turn down the modulation and keep it at 100 percent or below. So far everything looks good on the meters. I reached out on channel 6 today and talked to Uncle Sam today and he said I was a Bad Man.Conditions were rough. My Elmer would be pissed!!
 
Freecell, I used to drive this 16 pill with a 500 watt deadkey on the driver and let it swing. The Firebird deadkeys about 250 watts and swings to 350 or 400 watts. It has 1 6me6 driving 3 6me6 tubes. I can't find the specs for those tubes. I ran the 16 in my mobile for two years untill i switched vehicles so I am familiar with the setup of a 16 pill. I just haven't used it this way before and I thought I would throw some feelers out there and see what came up. I really need to check reflect as I have several antennas on one tower. Oh by the way the 16 pill pegged out my 2000 watt el cheapo meter. I am waiting to get some slugs for my Bird meters so experimentation is at a standstill for now.
 
I think it calls for 320 amps max. Of course it's a Joker amp so I got the specs from X-Force.
 
The Maco should be rated at 2Kw. You shouldn't have any problems putting the 16 pill into it. The published rating on 2879's times 16 of them will not be over that. In my experience with Maco antennas I have applied almost double the rated power (peak, swing not dead key) into them without a problem. One of the secrets being is that the reflected power is low when you put that much wattage into it. With a 1500 watt dead key most of my antennas only had 4-5 watts reflected.
 
no



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