[Boatanchors] RE: [Heathkit] DX-100 whata good amp for my DX-100, i have a SB-220 now

[Peter Markavage]

It's probably not worth the effect to use the DX-100 with the Thunderbolt
and you would be dissipating a lot of wasted power including on the
electric bill. You're better off getting something like the Ranger,
either running it on the low voltage or through an attenuator. I've used
my Thunderbolt and 6N2 Thunderbolt with various "modern" transceivers
that have a variable output power control. Of course, an Icom 706 or 7000
as an exciter, sitting next to a Thunderbolt, just does not look
esthetically boatanchor pleasing.

Pete, wa2cwa

On Thu, 7 Feb 2008 07:57:05 -0800 (PST) Glen Zook <gzook at yahoo.com>
writes:
> The Thunderbolt is a grid driven linear and requires
> only a very few watts of drive.  Remember, Johnson
> used a 6 dB attenuator when the Ranger was used to
> drive the Thunderbolt.  The DX-100 will require more
> like a 10 dB attenuator.
> 
> The SB-220 is a grounded-grid linear and requires
> substantially more drive.  However, to keep the linear
> down to the 300 to 375 watt output range that would be
> required for proper AM operation this means that the
> drive from the DX-100 is going to be have to be
> reduced by between 3 dB and 6 dB.
> 
> In either case, you are going to have to dissipate a
> lot of the power provided by the DX-100.
> 
> The real question is whether or not the additional
> power output is really worth the effort.  
> 
> If you really want to use the DX-100 as a driver for
> either the SB-220 or the Thunderbolt then I do make
> equivalent attenuators of the Johnson design.  Go to
> 
> http://k9sth.com/uploads/attenuatorad1.JPG
> 
> for details.
> 
> Glen, K9STH