[AMRadio] Ongoing Quest: Legal Limit AM Amp

[Todd, KA1KAQ]

On Tue, Jan 24, 2012 at 10:41 AM, Darrell Brooks <hbrnut at suddenlink.net> wrote:
> There seems to be a lack of understanding by many ( maybe most) guys running linear amplifiers about the process for tuning them up. They want to put full drive to them, tune for maximum output, and go to town. If you try to explain to them that it's necessary to over couple them in order to gain 6 dB of headroom they think you're crazy.

Bingo. I think this is what Rick is missing. We're not talking pure
carrier power, what the tube specs say on paper, etc. Unmodulated
carrier power is one thing, peak power/voice peaks(headroom) require
more consideration. This is lost on many who want to run AM with a
linear like they'd run SSB: tune for max and go.

> I'm sick of the splatter. Trying to run a linear amplifier on am is a bad idea.

Couldn't agree more. Some guys clearly have no problem with the
combination, but they know what they're doing and take the time to
tune things up properly. Guess we should've expected it with the
increase in AM activity, but it still stinks. There are a couple of
Class E signals that have similar issues which both ops have been made
aware of. It's one thing to have a strong signal on a nearby
frequency, another when you can hear them 20KHz away or pick up spurs
up and down the band. Of course, when you're doing it merely to piss
off the SSBers, that in itself speaks volumes.

~ Todd,  KA1KAQ/4