[AMRadio] why i like am

Wed Dec 1 23:47:30 EST 2010

I have a TS-2000 and it has both power and carrier settings.  Since I cannot 
use more than 12 watts of drive to limit output to 375 watts of carrier I 
find this;
Setting the carrier to 100% and reducing the power to 12 causes the alc to 
limit the output.  This seems to cause the wattmeter not to move much on 
modulation peaks.  If I leave the power control set at max the alc drops to 
0 on carrier but rises on  modulation peaks.  If I then set the carrier 
control to allow 12 watts of carrier out the alc barely moves on modulation 
and the wattmeter moves a great deal with modulation.  I have not tried 
airchecks though to see if others can hear the difference.  My service 
monitor never registers more than 80% modulation with either setting.
WB5OXQ

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jay Bromley" <jayw5jay at cox.net>
To: "Discussion of AM Radio in the Amateur Service" 
<amradio at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Wednesday, December 01, 2010 10:31 PM
Subject: Re: [AMRadio] Was what is this???? now why i like am

> HI Rob,
> On most rigs the "Power Control" sets the power for the final section, the
> carrier control controls the driver to those finals.  So if you set the
> Power Control on most Japanese rigs to say 20 watts ALC will be cutting in
> on you very quickly during modulation.  The carrier control on most rigs 
> is
> harder to adjust, but you won't be hitting the ALC, if at all, if you 
> leave
> the Power Control crank up and just set power level with with the "Carrier
> control".
>
> For some reason it is very hard thing for the new AM guys and also new ops
> using digital modes like PSK31.
>
> Many times the carrier control is an afterthought like in the TS-940.  I
> also hate that in Icom ads they rate AM power for their 100 watt rigs at 
> 40
> watts, instead of the more proper 20-25 watts.
>
> 73 de jay/w5jay..
>
> -----Original Message----- 
> From: Rob Atkinson
> Sent: Wednesday, December 01, 2010 6:57 AM
> To: Discussion of AM Radio in the Amateur Service
> Subject: Re: [AMRadio] Was what is this???? now why i like am
>
> Jay, maybe because I got up 15 minutes ago but I don't know what you
> mean.  I have a FT1000MP and there is a "power" pot on the front panel
> which I think somehow adjusts PA collector current and as far as I
> know, that's it.  What's the carrier control?  Maybe a control found
> on older JA rigs with tube PAs?
>
> Jim in Waco, what is your exciter and amp?  I use the exciter to drive
> a pair of 3-500zgs.  they are g.g. cathode driven so they need more
> drive.  There are limits due to plate dissipation and B+ (2800 v.) but
> 20 w. drive gets 300 w. out, which is about my maximum for my amp.
> the ricebox has a 200 w. PA so 20 w. modulated does not get any ALC
> reduction.  If your exciter is 100 w. maximum you probably want to
> stay at around 12 w. if you make long transmissions.  at 20 w. the
> heat sink on my rig gets pretty warm after a while--the 200 w. spec is
> for SSB.
> I use a SB610 monitor scope and an old Tek 438.  These old scopes are
> cheap at hamfests--actually the 610 cost more than the real
> oscilloscopes hi hi.  You can turn a scope into a trapezoid monitor.
> I'm sure we all can tell you how to do it if you want to know.   if
> you get an old heath monitor scope replace the caps in the h.v. CRT
> supply.
>
> 73
>
> rob
> K5UJ
>
>
> On Wed, Dec 1, 2010 at 3:53 AM, Jay Bromley <jayw5jay at cox.net> wrote:
>> You will get better performance using the carrier control for adjusting
>> power.  Leave the power control wide open so when you modulate you will
>> have
>> plenty headroom.
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