• You can now help support WorldwideDX when you shop on Amazon at no additional cost to you! Simply follow this Shop on Amazon link first and a portion of any purchase is sent to WorldwideDX to help with site costs.

Amplifier purchase help

BammBamm

Instigators ...173 on the southside.
May 24, 2010
625
302
93
50
Steger,Illinois
I have been looking at buying a new/bigger amp but other than rm Italy and copper electronics where can I buy a new one from? I’m looking for somewhere around 500 Watts and must have SSB. I tried to look at Xforce but no amps come up? I liked the midnight special line but like I said it seems to be gone.
 

What isn't wrong with Texas Star amplifiers ?

Compared to most of the junk out there, they can work fine, assuming no voltage drop and not overdriven.
Not many options for thermal tracking.

1CBTricksQuestion.jpg

In placing the above response thru a self-aware analysis recursive algorithm...

I can't think of any type or kind of response that is better than that!

LOL!
 
  • Like
Reactions: 357magnum
@BammBamm - Use what works for you.

The T/S 500 although more Class C than AB biasing - is a better quality unit than the 203 - but it is also made up of Bi-polar devices. Compared that to the 203 - it has none - it is all MOSFET.

TS has more brute force and direct approach to linear operation - so the components are discrete and can be changed to adapt to the environment it will be used in. Versus the Surface mounting that is a little less user friendly when it comes to repairs or field-level adjustments - requires more attention to the input dynamics of the radios' own output.

T/S 500 would work better for High Drive - (HD reference here) radios - so SSB types with more PEP capabilities like what the 980's SSB mode uses - will make the Amp work for you and perhaps sound better than the MOSFET ones that are more Gate Bias driven which really depends upon the users' friendliness to the requirements the Amp needs to work linearly - not like an FM station (pinching audio) - too much drive into a MOSFET amp and she's done (READ:TOAST) just like the others that use amplified inputs to obtain non-linear output of the output finals.
 
What is your budget? Can you stand to have 900 watts PEP for SSB? Can make some suggestions but would like to keep within your budget.
 
The 3 holer-the H will do a bit more, the extra tube won't matter much.
On 20,40, & 75 you will see 600 for the 3 Tube & 750-800 foe the H.
On the receiving end it is only a db, not really a difference.
For what you pay for a new 811 today you can get a used AL-80B with a 3-500z
that you can drive the snot out of it with your dual final radios & get better output &
not strain the tube.
 

dxChat
Help Users
  • No one is chatting at the moment.
  • @ Wildcat27:
    Hello I have a old school 2950 receives great on all modes and transmits great on AM but no transmit on SSB. Does anyone have any idea?
  • @ ButtFuzz:
    Good evening from Sunny Salem! What’s shaking?
  • dxBot:
    63Sprint has left the room.