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wanted klv200v amp
- Thread starter doctor
- Start date
Errrr, base?
Or mobile?
Your radio is a bit big for only 120 to 125 Watts output. Most small solid-state amplifiers will multiply the radio's power by a factor of at least eight-to-one, or as much as times 12 or 14. Most of them will have a "Low" switch on the front. Might bring the power down to that level, more or less.
If you care about SSB, the list of choices gets narrower. An amplifier may have a "SSB" switch on the front and still sound terrible on sideband. To sound right on SSB, additional parts have to be added to provide bias current to the transistors. Leaving out the extra "bias" components reduces the cost to build one, and won't affect how AM works, in any way most folks could tell. Putting that "SSB" switch on the front, and a capacitor to stop the relay from chattering is cheap to do, but won't by itself prevent the "sandpaper" modulation on SSB. An AM-only amplifier will sound worst on sideband with the mike gain turned lowest, and sorta clear up as the mike gain (and radio drive power) are increased. Cranked full up, you can probably understand four words out of five, maybe more.
Texas Star and Skywave amplifiers both come with SSB bias in them. Many others do not. Some custom builders offer a choice, to install or leave it out.
And if all you care about is AM, this widens your choices.
As for the tube stuff, it's not JUST the years, it's the miles, too. You probably wouldn't buy a 25 year-old car without showing it to a mechanic for his opinion first. An old tube linear may have been cleaned up on the outside, but if old stuff inside hasn't been brought up to date, it's a breakdown risk for the buyer. A seller who won't let you show it to a qualified tech first probably has a reason. And if all that stuff HAS been updated, the sale price will always be higher. The seller will want to recover what he spent on 20-plus years of maintenance.
73
Or mobile?
Your radio is a bit big for only 120 to 125 Watts output. Most small solid-state amplifiers will multiply the radio's power by a factor of at least eight-to-one, or as much as times 12 or 14. Most of them will have a "Low" switch on the front. Might bring the power down to that level, more or less.
If you care about SSB, the list of choices gets narrower. An amplifier may have a "SSB" switch on the front and still sound terrible on sideband. To sound right on SSB, additional parts have to be added to provide bias current to the transistors. Leaving out the extra "bias" components reduces the cost to build one, and won't affect how AM works, in any way most folks could tell. Putting that "SSB" switch on the front, and a capacitor to stop the relay from chattering is cheap to do, but won't by itself prevent the "sandpaper" modulation on SSB. An AM-only amplifier will sound worst on sideband with the mike gain turned lowest, and sorta clear up as the mike gain (and radio drive power) are increased. Cranked full up, you can probably understand four words out of five, maybe more.
Texas Star and Skywave amplifiers both come with SSB bias in them. Many others do not. Some custom builders offer a choice, to install or leave it out.
And if all you care about is AM, this widens your choices.
As for the tube stuff, it's not JUST the years, it's the miles, too. You probably wouldn't buy a 25 year-old car without showing it to a mechanic for his opinion first. An old tube linear may have been cleaned up on the outside, but if old stuff inside hasn't been brought up to date, it's a breakdown risk for the buyer. A seller who won't let you show it to a qualified tech first probably has a reason. And if all that stuff HAS been updated, the sale price will always be higher. The seller will want to recover what he spent on 20-plus years of maintenance.
73
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