Stryker 497 / Palomar LD 450FET

[TheRealPorkchop]

I hate it for you. The anxiety here is overwhelming and I’ve been through a few myself, I don’t have a count though. One is too many.

I’d hook it up and use it like it is, just hold off on the amp until you figure out exactly what you want to do or can do. I’m lowering my antenna tomorrow, I’ve deemed it my “tower of ridiculousness”. If I don’t, there won’t be anything left of it I do t imagine.

So good luck to you and hopefully you’re wrong but we both know how that can go. Be safe.

 

[ExitThirteen]

You will smoke that LD-450 in short order with that Stryker, even if you turn the Stryker down. The LD-450 is 1 ERF7530 driving 4 ERF7530, so max PEP input is about 25-30W. I wouldn't recommend trying to run that amp with that Stryker.


~Cheers~

 

[TheRealPorkchop]

I’ve got an older 497 too, probably just like Red’s but it’s been modded to swing wide open. I’ll agree it’s probably a bad idea but what does that thing swing if it’s not modded?

Probably absolutely a bad idea regardless but I want to go out to the shop and un-mod it to see. Got me curious now.

 

[ExitThirteen]

The one I had was about 60-70W PEP unmodded. I still think it's too much for that LD-450... you would take out the driver MOSFET pretty quickly, and those 7530's are not easy to get.

If the 7530's were easy to get, you could just play and if it blows up, you replace the MOSFET. Wouldn't be that big of a deal. But they aren't the easiest of parts to get right now....


~Cheers~

 

[TheRealPorkchop]

I was thinking with the power turned down it would swing lower on the lower setting. Hmm. Guess that only controls carrier then huh?

I’m aware they’re hard to get, that’s part of why I said not to try it. Or they’re probably right under our noses but we don’t know what they actually are so we can’t get them?

I wouldn’t try it either. If it was a regular ole amp though, I’d cram it to it. If it released the magical smoke then I’d just fix it and CSD (continue same direction). I was a Schwans man, that was a route book abbreviation.

 

[Redbeard U812]

Great! Thread back on track. I need all the advise, due to my inexperience in such matters. I would really like do see for myself, but apprehension prevails. Like I stated before, need to see exactly what it puts out with variable power turned all the way down, swing included. If exceeds 15w I doubt I should do it. But have a couple say it is doable, because you are not staying keyed for long. The 497 is a straight AM radio correct? The 450 LD lists a sideband delay. Had been given advise about hooking my 148GTL to the 450. 148 on ssb swings to about 21~23w.

 

[Handy Andy]

The radio is too much for that amp...

Use the amp for a paperweight for now...

That 497 is just too strong in output power and you simply can't "turn it down" to handle the FET amp you got with it.

So let that amp sit there- use it for a radio that needs it. Don't destroy the radio and amp trying to make them work together - it won't work well and doesn't turn out well for either of them when they fail...

The amp would need 1~2W AM with swing only to about 4~6 watts on a typical power meter (the store bought kind) so you'd have to run AMC and ALC pretty tight on A STOCK CB RADIO that has 4 watt carrier output STOCK - Stryker? Geez man - let that thing breathe on its own - it's got more than enough...40W or more you'd kill the amp and as retaliation to killing it - it'll kill the radio too - so don't do the two-fer-one and stay simple and clean...

 

[TheRealPorkchop]

A light bulb that operates on 110v won’t take a quick switch flip on in a 220v circuit. So, short keys isn’t really a valid argument here.

I think the amount it swings is more valid.

If, IF, you can turn the radio down and it NOT swing more than what that thing is rated for on its input then maybe it would last a little longer. But I still think that long term it’ll let go at some point, it’s just not designed to take that abuse.

If it was some HG2879’s, I’d be waving my stooges flag and saying key down on it big poppa, let it fly.

Only one way to satisfy your curiosity, go hook it up and start jaw jackin’ and modulatin’

 

[Redbeard U812]

The radio is too much for that amp...

Use the amp for a paperweight for now...

That 497 is just too strong in output power and you simply can't "turn it down" to handle the FET amp you got with it.

So let that amp sit there- use it for a radio that needs it. Don't destroy the radio and amp trying to make them work together - it won't work well and doesn't turn out well for either of them when they fail...

The amp would need 1~2W AM with swing only to about 4~6 watts on a typical power meter (the store bought kind) so you'd have to run AMC and ALC pretty tight on A STOCK CB RADIO that has 4 watt carrier output STOCK - Stryker? Geez man - let that thing breathe on its own - it's got more than enough...40W or more you'd kill the amp and as retaliation to killing it - it'll kill the radio too - so don't do the two-fer-one and stay simple and clean...

I agree "if" my swing is too high. I should not operate. I do not wish to burn a good linear. The equation has been a proven default. I should not proceed.

 

[Handy Andy]

Whew...!

Care to try that amp on another radio - like say a Cobra 19+ or maybe something even easier - a Cobra 29?

 

[Redbeard U812]

It's currently happily married to my PC66XL and residing inside my Dodge. Has been for years. Works great. Uniden is about 28~30 years old. I was wanting to get the Stryker into truck due to the channel mod being able to converse with LSB 38. The 450LD has a pretty good Pre-Amp and can really bring in a weak signal. The Stryker seems to not be able to "Hear" as well.

 

[Handy Andy]

Oh, that's even better!

 

[Ranch55]

8:23 a.m.
I am very familiar with the Palomar LD 450 FET amplifier.
If it does still have the driver board in it and operational,
Do Not drive it with more than 4 watt am dead key with PEP of around 26 watts.
This will push the amp to about 450 to 475 watts output.
I do now at this moment have this very amp on my work bench doing a high drive conversion on it so it can be used with a high drive radio such as my Stryker 955 HP radio.
I also upgraded the finals from ERF7530 to ERF9530 MOSFET's .....
Again, you can pop the driver board with a high drive radio. You may be able to turn the dead key power down, but will that also decrease the PEP watts to a safe level for the driver board?
If you tire of this amplifier, contact me. I would be interested.

2:30 pm .......
Finished with the Hi-Drive conversion on the Palomar LD 450-FET amplifier a little while ago.
With my low drive Galaxy DX 959 radio set at am 4 watt dead key, the radio will peak about 24 watts.
This drives the amplifier to about 160~175 watts output ..... Not to bad actually .....
With my Stryker 955HP radio set at am 4 watt dead key, it will peak about 60~65 watts or so.
This radio will drive the Palomar amp to about 450~500 watts PEP output, depending on my modulation syllables ....... Pretty darn good for this amplifier.
And I got it tuned to fairly low VSWR on the input and output sides .....
The new ERF9530 MOSFET's I installed are pretty robust .....

 

[Redbeard U812]

8:23 a.m.
I am very familiar with the Palomar LD 450 FET amplifier.
If it does still have the driver board in it and operational,
Do Not drive it with more than 4 watt am dead key with PEP of around 26 watts.
This will push the amp to about 450 to 475 watts output.
I do now at this moment have this very amp on my work bench doing a high drive conversion on it so it can be used with a high drive radio such as my Stryker 955 HP radio.
I also upgraded the finals from ERF7530 to ERF9530 MOSFET's .....
Again, you can pop the driver board with a high drive radio. You may be able to turn the dead key power down, but will that also decrease the PEP watts to a safe level for the driver board?
If you tire of this amplifier, contact me. I would be interested.

2:30 pm .......
Finished with the Hi-Drive conversion on the Palomar LD 450-FET amplifier a little while ago.
With my low drive Galaxy DX 959 radio set at am 4 watt dead key, the radio will peak about 24 watts.
This drives the amplifier to about 160~175 watts output ..... Not to bad actually .....
With my Stryker 955HP radio set at am 4 watt dead key, it will peak about 60~65 watts or so.
This radio will drive the Palomar amp to about 450~500 watts PEP output, depending on my modulation syllables ....... Pretty darn good for this amplifier.
And I got it tuned to fairly low VSWR on the input and output sides .....
The new ERF9530 MOSFET's I installed are pretty robust .....

Thanks for the input. My 497 will PEP 125+ by itself. More like 130. It's been modified. Trying to locate "Doc" at FLA. 595 CB Shop. His sticker was inside. Wonder what he actually did to it. Have my 450LD hooked to my 30 year old PC66XL, works great. Have a 148GTL that swings 23w, which I wont even think about paring with the 450, no variable pwr on it. I'll just hold out and find a good HD for the purpose.
Do Appreciate all the information.

 

[Ranch55]

Thanks for the input. My 497 will PEP 125+ by itself. More like 130. It's been modified. Trying to locate "Doc" at FLA. 595 CB Shop. His sticker was inside. Wonder what he actually did to it. Have my 450LD hooked to my 30 year old PC66XL, works great. Have a 148GTL that swings 23w, which I wont even think about paring with the 450, no variable pwr on it. I'll just hold out and find a good HD for the purpose.
Do Appreciate all the information.

I could convert it to a hi-drive unit for you if you want one.