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Palomar 600 Elite: How Many Input Watts Are Too Much?

Boomer amplifiers are one slight step above junk for the most part. They are class C with auto SSB delay. The only way I would pick one up is if it was clean, functioned 100%, and was priced right.


The only way I would run a newer Palomar or any Boomer is if someone put a gun to my head......even then I might just take the bullet.
 
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Let bob85, ExitThirteen, Shockwave, unit_399 and the other amp gurus answer that question. Not an amp guru. Am a bit lost on the driver and how doing the AB class mod works here. Be interesting to hear what and how they suggest things.

This amp - BTW - was not my amp. Belonged to a local. All I did was some minor repairs, it is long gone now . . .
 
just trying to learn a little something here, the palomar/boomer wiring looks to have the same basic circuit that eagle1911 posted in his kl300 dirty ab bias thread. so i would think that they are ok for ssb

i did look at the new palomar 450fet diagram and that shows the input transformer going straight to ground without this other circuit at all. so i can see where the new ones are class c
 
I have a Boomer/Gray 600 can someone tell me what should the output watt be.It's matched up to an Galaxy 99v2 with 2 watts driving it.
 
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Got a Palomar 600 Elite her that I'm working on for a friend.
How many input watts are too much for this unit? I cannot find any schematics for it either. Anyone have some good links for it? I think the transitors are 4/1446's - but not sure yet.
Thanks in advance...
Mine. Runs a 455 and 4 3749s
 
Hey, looking for some input on Palomar 600 mobile amp ,1×1446 driving 4 ×1446 , I'm looking at changing out the 4×1446 finals and replacing them with the npc 2879 , 120 watt transistors, leaving the 1446 driver, looking for suggestions, thanks
 
IMO - the best thing for that amp is to remove the first transistor (will require other mods) and just run with the other four. That way, you could feed it with a radio that has ~20w PEP output - which would match the input requirements of the four pills..

Cleaner and stronger output, cooler running, and far less chance of destroying the pills.

Putting 2879's wour require far more mods to make the combiners work properly. As well as bias changes too. Not for a newbie - that's for sure . . .
IMO
 
Let me re-phrase my question...
The output of the radio goes into the linear - let's say it is 20 watts PEP...
Now, is that too much for the MRF455 to handle and still be undistorted for the final transistors to amplify?
How may WATTS can the input of the amp handle?
Is it a high drive amp - or a low drive amp
Thanks!
Its low drive, the 455 is the driver.
2w swing 21pep all day.
SSB 12w max pep tone
 
If that is like all of the black face boomer 400 clones that I remember, all the parts were there for a crude bias setup but it was grounded by a wire with a couple of beads on it going to ground making them class c even though they all said AB1 on the face
With the bias hooked up they were too unstable and the builder just grounded it out.
I can't rember who, maybe Bill Either, posted somewhere that there was also a trace on the bottom of the board that you had to cut as well.
Then you could remove the the grounding wire on the input transformer, add a negative feedback network and put a diode on top of transistors for thermal tracking to get it working properly with the bias hooked up.
I remember these were built under half a dozen names back then.

73
Jeff
 
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Got a Palomar 600 Elite her that I'm working on for a friend.
How many input watts are too much for this unit? I cannot find any schematics for it either. Anyone have some good links for it? I think the transitors are 4/1446's - but not sure yet.
Thanks in advance...
When I owned and used three of those 4 x 1446 (base) Palomar, shooting star, Boomer, etc etc 11/2 dead key and 12-15 drove each of those amps very nicely. I'm sorry I sold them. I said I'd keep one but enjoyed using the tube amps I own so much I eventually sold all of them. I digress. Anyway. Driving the amp with 11/2 dk and 12 (max) pep should not only be a good starting point but you'll be guaranteed not to over drive it. I wouldn't be surprised if driving that amp you've got there with 11/2 and 12 pep will wind up being the ideal input for the life of it. Good luck Robb. PS. I've yet to read the other replies and wouldn't be surprised if others suggest the same input I did. I hope you found the schematic. I also hope you get the amplifier working as it should. I've seen quite a few of those up for grabs on eBay over the years and they always sell.
 

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