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Difference between ham amps and cb amps

linearone,
Part of the 'problem' here is a lack of tolerance of human mistakes. Another part of that 'problem' is that the Ameritron amplifier is an example of one that has a problem (a very minor one). Is that 'Wizard' amplifier one that also has a problem? I think not. So very basically it's comparing a 'problem' with a non-problem. Makes very good advertising 'sense', but very little sense otherwise. So how about comparing a 'Wizard' built amplifier with a problem to an 'Ameritron' amplifier with no problem? A silly idea, you say? No more so than this comparison.
Something that I wonder about from the questions at the end of that 'Ameritron' video, would that 'buzz' (or tone) still be present with the fan on the normal, or low setting? For some reason, I suspect not. Think about that for a minute...
- 'Doc
 
I can't see or hear the video (my pewter too old & slowwww!), but maybe the "buzz / hum" is just harmonics under a heavy load?

I bought a brand new 25 amp p/s to run a TS-350HD, & once in a while under a heavy load, the transformer would sound like it was shorting out! (It was really loud!) It had meters for both volts & amps, & during the intermittant "growl" - both meters would read "normal". :confused:

Not wanting to burn it up, & thinking I got a lemon, I took it back to where I bought it. The guy who sold it to me (73yrs. young & a "Extra class" - been a ham since 17!) looked it over, ran it on his bench for two days, & even changed the voltage reg. (on the third trip back to him!!:headbang )

I would take it home & use it (three times!!), & the same thing happening over & over again! On the fourth trip back to his shop, I reminded him that I've dropped over $3K in sweep tubes @ his shop, & I felt he should "make it right". He got mad, slammed a new p/s on the counter, & politely ignored me until I left.

My story is basicly saying that sometimes, when the conditions are "just right", anything can & usually will happen.

BTW - The "new" p/s has NEVER had any issues, & I still own it today! (I just don't run the TS-350HD on it! ASTRON ALL THE WAY!! (y))

That's just my two cents....
 
has anyone actually watched the video? The buzz happens when the amp comes out of warm up and the HV clicks on. It is in standby, idling away, buzzing away.

My first guess was a bad filter cap, one bad out of a bunch will make an audible buzzing sound. wonder why they dont use oil filled, they last forever.
 
You run an 8877 at 4 kw out in class B or AB the plate will be overdissipating.
Class C cop out won't help this time because in this class you will be overdissipating the fragile grid.

Pair of 4-400s if cathode driven has a combined screen grid and control grid dissipation of 45 watts for each tube. 90 watts combined verses 25 watts for an 8877. You can make mistakes with that that will take an 8877 out in 2 seconds.

Poor choice of tube to kick the crap out of. Why not for once build a CB amp with a large tube and run the thing so it will last a while?

A friend had one of those Ameritron amps. It hummed for 2 years. The mic didn't pick up the hum and he is a war vet with lousy hearing.....
 
The AL 1500 has a rating of 4.7 with 51 reviews on Eham. And I bet the Ameritron will still be workig 100% long after the CB junk on the other video is gone.
 
linearone said:
hams have no idea. you CAN generate 50kw of honest rf on a vehicle.
Click to expand...

I used to know a whole lot of those guys that ran big 10kw+ mobile specials all the time, and they spent a lot of time on the key. Notice I said used to, honestly a lot of those guys started to develop some serious health problems with they got into their 50's, things like cancer, lukemia, benign tumors. High instances of these disorders when compared to the rest of the population.

That pretty well ended a lot of their association with the radio, being exposed to all that RF is not good for you.

Yes you can make 50kw in a mobile, but it is not the smartest thing that you can do.:headbang
 
not to get into the middle of this argument but why dont some of you amp experts help a guy out and answere my question i posted about (tube amp adjustments) thanks guys, carry on.
 
n8fgb said:
The AL 1500 has a rating of 4.7 with 51 reviews on Eham. And I bet the Ameritron will still be workig 100% long after the CB junk on the other video is gone.
Click to expand...

The AL 1500 is a good basic amplifier, the Wizard amps are probably the best the CB world has to offer in a tube amp, but is also nothing more than just a basic simple amp. Let's keep it in perspective when comparing the Wizard to the Ameritron.

The Guy in Chi Town that builds the Wizard does not have to worry about the complexity of band switching, he does not have to worry about FCC type acceptance, he does not have to worry about a tube warranty. He hands build each unit over a period of time with select parts that he can test and and ensure that they are perfect.

He does not have a production schedule or deadline that he has to meet. He probably is not buying bulk generic components to keep costs down so he can afford to pay his 50+ employees and keep them insured with health benefits, he has very little overhead, he does not have a dealer network to contend with, his amps are not built on a noisy production line with a dozen or so other amps per week where time is money, and I bet his amps aren't shipped a few times from factory to warehouse to store to end user. Three rides in a UPS truck will beat the living crap out of an amplifier and can easily damage components including transformers.

The comparison is not even, he is comparing a hand built product to a production item.

Do a real comparison, compare the Alpha 8410 or 9500 to the Wizard, both are hand built and are the best offered for their intended uses. I will take the Alpha over the Wizard, more bands, more warranty, better quality, cheaper per band price.

Now of course there is a price difference but the Wizard is also for only one band @$2150.00 for the 8877 model. So compare the Alpha's per band price even for the fully automatic, computer remote controllable, brick on the key no time limit Alpha 9500, it is only $1075.00 per band, its a steal when compared to the Wizard single band limitation.
 
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hams have no idea. you CAN generate 50kw of honest rf on a vehicle.
Click to expand...

Do you have any idea how harmful RF exposure is?

You can drive a car with your feet, it doesn't make it a good idea.
 
"hams have no idea. you CAN generate 50kw of honest rf on a vehicle."

I'll bet I can name at least two that do have an idea. :) Maybe a better question would be, why would you even want to?
- 'Doc

Lets see...
50,000w / 12 vdc = 447 Amps
447A / 60% efficiency = 745A round to 750 amps

Guess about 100 amps to run whatever else you might need in that vehicle so 850 amps. Tack on another 100 amps just for the 'grins' and you have a draw of about950 amps.
I sort of doubt if NAPA or O'Reily's will have that size alternator in stock, but maybe 4 or 5 smaller ones? Also kind'a doubt if a VW would spin them so how about something with a CAT diesel in it, a dump truck? Probably need that dump bed to hold some batteries, right? Ought'a make for a good 'groundplane' too! Lets paint it pink while we're at it! AWWRIGHT! How about a couple of 102" whips... Co-phased! Cover of the Rolling Stone!!! I can see it now...
Name it "Tiny"... 'Bling' diamond lettering on both sides!
'Pimped' hell! That thang be 'dude RANCHED'!
 
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W5LZ said:
"hams have no idea. you CAN generate 50kw of honest rf on a vehicle."

I'll bet I can name at least two that do have an idea. :) Maybe a better question would be, why would you even want to?
- 'Doc

Lets see...
50,000w / 12 vdc = 447 Amps
447A / 60% efficiency = 745A round to 750 amps

Guess about 100 amps to run whatever else you might need in that vehicle so 850 amps. Tack on another 100 amps just for the 'grins' and you have a draw of about950 amps.
I sort of doubt if NAPA or O'Reily's will have that size alternator in stock, but maybe 4 or 5 smaller ones? Also kind'a doubt if a VW would spin them so how about something with a CAT diesel in it, a dump truck? Probably need that dump bed to hold some batteries, right? Ought'a make for a good 'groundplane' too! Lets paint it pink while we're at it! AWWRIGHT! How about a couple of 102" whips... Co-phased! Cover of the Rolling Stone!!! I can see it now...
Name it "Tiny"... 'Bling' diamond lettering on both sides!
'Pimped' hell! That thang be 'dude RANCHED'!
Click to expand...


Hey Doc, are you using a solar powered calculator in the dark again? :D

Check out those figures again: 50,000/ (lets say 14.2 volts to allow for charging voltage,so that becomes 50,000/14.2=3521 amps and at typical 60% eff. it would need 5868 amps.:eek: The bad news is you were wrong in your math,the good news is that the true current is even more outragous than you thought.
 

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