One other note using that amp on SSB...One problem I ran into using my Kicker 500 with my Cobra 2000 gtl, was my radio was swinging to 20w's on SSB...This didn't agree well with the Amp turned on, everyone was saying I sounded over modulated and crackling on SSB with the Amp turned on.
These Amps were made to have little drive, so I had to turn down the SSB ALC pod so on SSB so I only swinging to around 6 or 8w's. This cleaned up my audio, it did drop my output from 750 to 800w's down to about 400-450w's but the signal was much cleaner and no crackling sound.
Backing off the ALC for SSB had no effect on AM, but on AM I sounded fine anyway and still swinging around the 400w mark.
everything you said there is very true
.i got a new diawa cn-801 2k watt meter with avg and pep readings today..the amp amazed me compared to my 30-40 yr old meters..
i have my ole pres grant as maxed as "i can get it" and only doing 8 watts pep on ssb..thats showing 250 watt average on ch 40 and swinging 500 plus..
i still dont understand how 4 6lq6 tubes rated for 60-70 watts each can accomplish this but i will take it lol..all testing i did was with 2 diawa meters that read the same so im sure mine is right.
on ch 20 am im dk 2-3 watts is all i have and it still swings 450 watts pep.
still dont make sense to me but the cbtricks manual says with 15-18 watt swing on ssb the amp will do 800-850 watts"wtf that dont make sense" but i guess there much closer than people think since im swinging over 500 with a average of 8 watts on ssb.
for 75 bucks this is the best cash i ever spent..the diawa meter is sweet too and the best meter i will prob ever afford..and my power supply for the radio is only a 4 amp ps-4 audiovox from way way back..
the drive tube and the last tube in line glow blue good when on ssb.
online says they supposed to glow blue,then others say there gassed and need replaced when glowing blue..
then i read some are supposed to glow blue and some tubes are not..well i wish someone would help me get to the bottom of if there supposed to be blue or not when transmitting ??..
i have a new tube coming fri and guess i will try the new one in place of a tube thats not glowing blue when talking and see it the new one glows..if it does then i will assume there supposed to as the tube tested at 105 percent and very good..
talking to italy daily does feel good for a mobile 35 yr old radio and amp in the house with antenna not even high enough, and i have talked a lot to canada from fl on 8 watts pep so for a first timer i cant complain..filling the log book fast and getting to where i dont even keep track of them all anymore..well its fun, and i just took my practice ham test today..
only got 15 right but didnt really no much of any of it but will keep trying till i learn it all..then get a ticket, before i get a real ticket
j9