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Cobra 18 WX ST II (don’t laugh)

Update:

I decided to go from the KL203 to the KL503….and so far I am liking it!! Thanks to Night Thumper for his experience with 88Radio. Shipped from NorCal and here in a few days. I was expecting it coming from Hong Kong.

F8D6E8F0-1CC2-481B-A365-69895E823690.jpeg
I went with the 503 and not the HD version since my McKinley isn’t too powerful.

I am running it at the #2 spot and getting little more than 300w in both AM and SSB with a 45w DK. Amp power increases to around 375w on #6 with a 80w DK. I don’t want to overdrive it and 60w or so less is no biggie.

4Runner alternator is able to power it. With the amp(modulated), head lights and AC there is about a 45amp draw. Although the rpm’s drop a bit when I modulate and voltage drop a bit. I am going to Big 3 the electrical so hopefully that should help. A bigger alt shouldn’t be necessary with only 300w.

Made some contacts on both AM and SSB and reports are that it sounds good. No crunchy sound or distortion. BUT…I need to have my SSB aligned as I get reports that’s it’s off a bit. Clarifier fine tune adjusted a little to the left by locals I chat with. So..my voice a little high pitched.

So anyways I am enjoying this amp at the moment! This should suffice….for now. LOL
 
Update:

I decided to go from the KL203 to the KL503….and so far I am liking it!! Thanks to Night Thumper for his experience with 88Radio. Shipped from NorCal and here in a few days. I was expecting it coming from Hong Kong.

View attachment 60154
I went with the 503 and not the HD version since my McKinley isn’t too powerful.

I am running it at the #2 spot and getting little more than 300w in both AM and SSB with a 45w DK. Amp power increases to around 375w on #6 with a 80w DK. I don’t want to overdrive it and 60w or so less is no biggie.

4Runner alternator is able to power it. With the amp(modulated), head lights and AC there is about a 45amp draw. Although the rpm’s drop a bit when I modulate and voltage drop a bit. I am going to Big 3 the electrical so hopefully that should help. A bigger alt shouldn’t be necessary with only 300w.

Made some contacts on both AM and SSB and reports are that it sounds good. No crunchy sound or distortion. BUT…I need to have my SSB aligned as I get reports that’s it’s off a bit. Clarifier fine tune adjusted a little to the left by locals I chat with. So..my voice a little high pitched.

So anyways I am enjoying this amp at the moment! This should suffice….for now. LOL
A little fire in the wire! Sometimes you just need a little help, just that extra lil bit of fire.

Is that what you're using in the Yota?
 
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Reactions: ForestRunner98
The KL203 works but an extra few hundred doesn’t hurt.
This really is true. Adding power takes you from screaming like a banshee trying to get a return to concentrating like mad trying to copy weak stations. I've had a lot 4x1 and 5x1 contacts lately, but then again, I probably wouldn't have a copy without a modern ham rig. I usually just tell them they are just above the noise, but I don't tell them my noise floor is an S 0.5 lol
 

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