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KL 203P install, first timer
- Thread starter ND88
- Start date
I've watched a few videos from this guy "CMH electronics" I think is what the video is labeled. He has paired a few 980's with kl203 amps. If I'm not mistaken he set the DK to 2 watts in one video and set the DK to 3 watts in another video to drive those amps with. He also mounted the amp to the bottom of the radios. if this guy is a tech and is doing up radios for people what is his reason for setting the DK so high to drive these amps? Is it gonna hurt em or not? wouldn't he be responsible for his own work? Just curious about the 3 watt dead key. If my info is wrong my apologies to the author of the video it's been a while since I watched them.
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I like my KL503 for what it is.. it gives me good power, I set it so I don't over drive it. keeping it at 200~230 watts every one tells me it sounds clean and I am getting no bleed over.. like a lot of stuff out there you just need to know how to use them and not go over bored. what I see is a lot of people comparing them to good ham gear and that's not fair as they are cheep Wal-Mart amps.
one thing I think needs to be done when you get a KL503 is bypass the pre driver in them there just junk..
look at this guy lol this is just funny...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtNZr7FD2yU
one thing I think needs to be done when you get a KL503 is bypass the pre driver in them there just junk..
look at this guy lol this is just funny...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtNZr7FD2yU
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You can drive the Kl203 with 3 watts carrier but they run better with less carrier and more swing.
The problem with the Uniden 980's is they have very little swing. At 3 watts they might swing 7 watts. But if you drop the carrier on a 980 down to 1 watt it will only swing 3-4 watts.
On SSB with the 980 it's not a problem but on AM you just won't see a whole lot of watts when you really turn down the carrier.
You can drive the Kl203 pretty hard on SSB and as long as your radio isn't distorted to start with you will sound fine on the air.
The problem with the Uniden 980's is they have very little swing. At 3 watts they might swing 7 watts. But if you drop the carrier on a 980 down to 1 watt it will only swing 3-4 watts.
On SSB with the 980 it's not a problem but on AM you just won't see a whole lot of watts when you really turn down the carrier.
You can drive the Kl203 pretty hard on SSB and as long as your radio isn't distorted to start with you will sound fine on the air.
As always great answer. Much appreciated. I have my 980 at 2 watts and to be honest was a bit concerned it was too much. I turned it down to 1 watt one time but it screwed with the meters. "Rf fail" and showed crazy swr readings even though I knew the swr was very low on an external meter. Turned the radio back up to 2 watts and the meters worked correctly again. So since then I've had my 980 set at 2 watts.
On my kl503 I only get around 250 on AM also on sideband. I don't get anywhere near 450 watts. Not complaining though. that's with a cheap Radio Shack meter. doesn't matter which radio I use with it it just doesn't go over 250 watts according to the shack meter.
Galaxy 99v2
Uniden 980
Grant 2
All three of my radios have different DK and swing and my kl503 doesn't do 450 watts on sideband. Nowhere near it. What it does have is good clean audio. So I'm not complaining at all just wondering where the 450 watts are.
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i dont think radio shack meters read peak or [pep] . which would explain the output
the 980 and grant 2 would be about all id put into it. the 99v2 might be too much
especially the pep or swing
The radio shack meter has a pep setting, but on ssb it won't show the true reading, maybe 80%. And don't rely on the manufacturer watt rating, they are all inflated to make a sale. If the amp is working properly and you are getting good audio reports then leave it and stop worrying about watts!! Don't get caught up in the amount I watts it's supposed to do. Like I said the manufacturer inflates the numbers to make sales. As long as your VSWR reading is good, use the amp and DONT over drive it. Like said a uniden 980
Or cobra 148 will work just fine and and sound clean. Besides the other end will never notice the difference, maybe a 1/4 of an s-unit, if that. Just use it and be happy. If you are getting your name called it is working. God bless.
Or cobra 148 will work just fine and and sound clean. Besides the other end will never notice the difference, maybe a 1/4 of an s-unit, if that. Just use it and be happy. If you are getting your name called it is working. God bless.
Should I change the stock power leads to a heavier guage on my kl-203p ??
I use mine alot and every now and then after doin some heavy duty dx,n the power leads get a little warm and besides that I can't believe that rm italy uses such small power leads are on these things doesn't seem appropiate.
I use mine alot and every now and then after doin some heavy duty dx,n the power leads get a little warm and besides that I can't believe that rm italy uses such small power leads are on these things doesn't seem appropiate.
Funny that you mention that because I upgraded the power cables on a kl203 the other day. I did just because I took it apart for study purposes and thought why not.
I will tell you that 12 gauge is about the thickest wire you can use because it has to fit between the pcb and heatsink. It's still bigger cable than the 16 gauge they come with. It's fairly simple to do.