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Telstar dx250 and dx 350 amplifiers

cliff hanger

Member
Nov 19, 2016
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Has anybody had any experience with these amps? On paper they look pretty good but I haven't read much about them. Any comments would be appreciated. Thanks
 

Be sure to pick out some Tupperware as an enclosure, sorry that's most of what I've heard about these. I don't see why a nice aluminum or tin enclosure wouldn't work.

Oh and the man that makes them is a HAM operator, that gives him a two amplifier per year limit.*(citation needed)
Expect to buy a complete board with transistors pre-installed, nothing more than a "prototype" going by the legal definition. (Incomplete, not "plug & play")

They look to be well designed, (AB bias, thermal tracking) how rugged they are is in the air.
I have never seen a Telstar amplifier abused or pushed to it's failure point, It seems not too many CB'ers use these, I could be wrong.

I would just be careful buying such equipment online, I have heard rumors.... About Griffey (the designer of the sky wave amps). Just have your (HAM) call sign ready & I don't see any issues!
These amplifiers are considered pricey by some.

(I'm not bashing on Telstar, let's just say that I disagree with Brian Griffey and will not own any of his products.)

Honestly, the skywave products are likely to be well designed, quality performers that would bring years of enjoyment.

73
 
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I'm not a ham but a friend of mine has been a ham for 50 + years, He said he hadn't heard that a ham couldn't have an amplifier business.He has never seen a telstar but said they looked good on paper. I was just trying to find out something about them. Thanks for the reply.
 
I'm not a ham but a friend of mine has been a ham for 50 + years, He said he hadn't heard that a ham couldn't have an amplifier business.He has never seen a telstar but said they looked good on paper. I was just trying to find out something about them. Thanks for the reply.
No problem, like I say I've never owned or seen one up close.
I will have to get a citation regarding building amplifiers for sale.

-Cheers!
 
Thanks LeapFrog, I'm just trying to hear from someone who has any experience with one of these amps. I'm aware the enclosure is plastic but is this a bad thing? This is what I'm trying to find out. Thanks again
 
I'm aware the enclosure is plastic but is this a bad thing? This is what I'm trying to find out. Thanks again
You will hear from people that plastic enclosures are a bad idea for an RF generating device, this statement is a generalization and will not always hold true for certain products.

Brian Griffey is an Engineer, and has likely designed his devices to behave in a manner that do not cause any harmful interference, even without the use of a metal enclosure.

Many designs use a metal enclosure, and they also act as a form of shielding in places; There seems to be a lot of drama surrounding the fact that Telstar amplifiers have been seen with plastic enclosures.

This drama may have been 'born' purely out of ignorance, and will likely not survive a thorough
scientific examination; If the device is indeed not susceptible to receiving or causing any harmful interference without the use of an "RF shielding" metal enclosure, the debate goes right out the window.

I wouldn't doubt the amplifiers he has designed have already been examined under a high level of scientific scrutiny.

(I'm not bashing on Telstar, let's just say that I disagree with Brian Griffey and will not own any of his products.)

Best Regards
 
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Once again thanks for the reply, I wish someone who has tried one would respond. I wish I knew more about amps but i'll try to find out before I buy. thanks
 
I asked a simple question and this is the answer i got. Should have known better. I'm out of here. Thanks
I edited (slimmed down) my previous post.

I'm not being rude cliff hanger, & I apologize if I offended you.
You said that you wished that you knew more about amplifiers, I was trying to give you a pointer, a not so obvious fact about amplifier use.
 
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I got my first cb in 1961 or 62, call sign KPC-0722. Most people don't need a lecture on the rules as they know whats legal and whats not. I'll say it again, all I want is to hear from someone who has some experience with one or first hand knowledge of them.
 

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