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Golden Falcon Base Amp - 10 tube

skullman64

Member
Nov 24, 2009
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Hi - Jon here...
I have a Golden Falcon big base amp, with no tuning instructions.

A little history on the amp - first. It was made in the San Jose CA area -back in the day- by a man named Andy Anderson. Not sure if he's still around - but they were a great amp. Untill -I think- the FCC or "Uncle Charlie" (we use to call him) came a'knockin...

Anyway; does any techie know the proper tune method to tune this monster? It uses ten 8908 tubes. 1 drives 3; then the 3 drive 6 more. There's 4 tuning knobs - 2 for the driver section that say "plate" and "coupling". Then 2 for the final section that say "plate" and "antenna". I've tuned all for max output.

Has good output.
The amp puts out around 1400-1500 PEP/SSB on my LP-100A watt/SWR meter.
Very close to that on AM too.

So with that; who's the expert here?
The thing that throws me on this - is the coupling section.

So all of you "geeks wanna-be techies" - show me your stuff!
Anybody know how to tune this monster?

Here's my eBay listing for it:
GOLDEN FALCON 10 METER AMP - eBay (item 200425178727 end time Jan-12-10 16:52:18 PST)

Thanks!
Jon WB6SEW
-aka KW-35...
 

Looks like it could use a little clean up - eh Jon?
I heard you talking with iit yesterday on 38/LSB - verrrry punchy...
 

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yes its been sitting awhile but its output amazes me 1800+ watts after proper tune up i just wish i could hear you better thanks for the pics jon.
 
yes its been sitting awhile but its output amazes me 1800+ watts after proper tune up i just wish i could hear you better thanks for the pics jon.
Well, I am running a barefoot station. I live in urban sprawl; which means I would get noticed if I ran any more power than I do now. The Magnum OmegaForce is good for 8-60 watts PEP, and makes the skipland trip well as it is.

You were making it out into the Santa Clara Valley 5/9 yesterday on this MONSTER/AMPZILLA!!!
As well as S-9+ on my meter.
You live on the other side of the mountain - too.
You heard me loud 'n clear when you were in your mobile in the valley - right?
(y)
 
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My fALCON has six knobs

I have a Falcon that looks like the one Robb posted but mine has
6 Knobs. The Box looks the same but with the extra knob over the two
knobs shown making it three in a tri-angle shape. The inside looks the same
but mine says it was made by "LDO Electronics" Mine punches 2k plus easy
with 3 watts dead key to 15 watts Mod. Mine set for 5 years and I plugged it up and a couple of the tubes in the circle shorted blue. I turned it off until I can replace the tubes. Anyone know of a good source for tubes for the unit?
If so please Private message me. I know there is a tube conversion but changing all those sockets would be timely. I use mine on 10 meters BTW.
Cheers!
Jane
 
If you look long enough you might find a couple of tubes for it but the 8908 and it's brother the 8975 tubes are pretty much made of unabtainium. they are a 12 pin tube and the only tubes that have similar electrical properties are 9 pin tubes. the 6kg6 or the russian equivalent the el509 are your choices there. I rebuilt a galaxy turbo 2K amp a little while back, and did this conversion and it worked out really well. The up side here is that the EL509 tube is still in production in Russia and you can get them new for about 17.00 each. Good luck, I hope you get her up and going.

http://cgi.ebay.com/SVETLANA-6P45S-...ptZVintage_Electronics_R2?hash=item3caa96a5ff here is a link to a auction for 50 el509 tubes for 210.00
 
Last edited:
golden falcon

mine is the same as snowprinces727 has the 6 knobs in a triangle shap were would i go to get the schmatics on how to convert to 9 pin
 
I would luv to have one.....the one my friend had back in the early 80s was a 2 piece golden falcon....amp n ps.
 
A friend of mine has a golden falcon I been trying to get. It has 4 x 4cx250b's in it. Would love to get it and put on the shelf. Another friend has a golden falcon. I think it is a 500. Has has stuck in the corner of his basement. I'm sure it needs tubes. But I bet I can get cheap.
 
My fALCON has six knobs

I have a Falcon that looks like the one Robb posted but mine has
6 Knobs. The Box looks the same but with the extra knob over the two
knobs shown making it three in a tri-angle shape. The inside looks the same
but mine says it was made by "LDO Electronics" Mine punches 2k plus easy
with 3 watts dead key to 15 watts Mod. Mine set for 5 years and I plugged it up and a couple of the tubes in the circle shorted blue. I turned it off until I can replace the tubes. Anyone know of a good source for tubes for the unit?
If so please Private message me. I know there is a tube conversion but changing all those sockets would be timely. I use mine on 10 meters BTW.
Cheers!
Jane

before you dismiss those tubes i would try removing them from the sockets and re insert them a few times ,this will clean the pins a bit .then do a recheck .only other way to know is a tube tester .
could also check the caps on the underside of those tubes to see if they still have the correct value . good luck
 
Hi - Jon here...
I have a Golden Falcon big base amp, with no tuning instructions.

A little history on the amp - first. It was made in the San Jose CA area -back in the day- by a man named Andy Anderson. Not sure if he's still around - but they were a great amp. Untill -I think- the FCC or "Uncle Charlie" (we use to call him) came a'knockin...

Anyway; does any techie know the proper tune method to tune this monster? It uses ten 8908 tubes. 1 drives 3; then the 3 drive 6 more. There's 4 tuning knobs - 2 for the driver section that say "plate" and "coupling". Then 2 for the final section that say "plate" and "antenna". I've tuned all for max output.

Has good output.
The amp puts out around 1400-1500 PEP/SSB on my LP-100A watt/SWR meter.
Very close to that on AM too.

So with that; who's the expert here?
The thing that throws me on this - is the coupling section.

So all of you "geeks wanna-be techies" - show me your stuff!
Anybody know how to tune this monster?

Here's my eBay listing for it:
GOLDEN FALCON 10 METER AMP - eBay (item 200425178727 end time Jan-12-10 16:52:18 PST)

Thanks!
Jon WB6SEW
-aka KW-35...

Jon
This I Ray I wanted to see if you still had that Golden Falcon you posted back in 2009
I've been looking for one like that to restore?
pleadease2@aol.com
Thanks Ray
 
Hello everybody I have a question on this Golden Falcon 10 tube amp with 8908 tubes Is there a video some where that shows you how to load it up the right way? I have no tuning instructions also I am looking for this part for the amp .I think it is a blocking cap I have no paper work for this amp. I was told that this is a 000pf 5kv door knob. It's the hi volt blocking cap.and a .01 disk cap 3kv will work. anyways I need this part if anyone knows where I can get it thanks for any help
 

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