[AMRadio] AM Radio

[Jim Wilhite]

I believe the real difference is not necessarily the carrier power, it 
is the audio power.  There is a lot of difference between 400 PEP and 
1500 PEP.  That is where the difference lies.  The audio is in the 
sidebands and the more there the louder you are.  Works well unless you 
get too much over there.  For one thing, I never modulate the negative 
cycle to more than about 95%.  That way there is a slim chance I will 
cause trouble for stations on adjacent frequencies.  If the station I 
want to contact has too much trouble hearing, I sign until conditions 
are better.

What most of us face is living in a city or town.  Our antennas are, at 
best, usually a compromise so we add power to overcome as much of that 
as we can.  The next problem is space.  I don't have room in my shack 
for my GK 500 & HRO 60 along with my Icom and AL 1200,  rotor control 
box, wattmeter, scope to monitor the signal, power supply for the rig 
and all the other 12 volt equipment and antenna switch box.  Others have 
less space than I do.

So we compromise.  If you do that and keep your signals clean, I don't 
complain and I don't care what produces the AM, I will talk to you.  If 
the signal has real problems I will mention it and if the station that 
has the problem doesn't cure it or acts like I don't know what I am 
hearing, I won't talk to them any time in the future until they change 
it.

So produce the signal any way you wish, keep it clean, as powerful as 
you wish by any method you wish and most people will talk to you.

Jim/W5JO



----- Original Message ----- 



> But the difference between a DX-100 at about 100W of carrier and 375W 
> of
> carrier is not significant. Like has been said. It is less than ONE S 
> unit.
> A single S unit just does not help me!