[Boatanchors] Conar 400 Loading Problem

[Bill Stewart]

Good Afternoon, 

I have two Conar 400 xmtrs which exhibit the same problem...too high a plate currant on 80mtrs, either using a 80/40m inv. vee or dummy load. Here are some plate current readings at a few xtal check points: 

Freq          Inv. Vee                 Dummy Load 

*3725   min dip @ 105ma     min dip @ 8 0ma   

           ant. load @100%       ant. load @ 100% 

*3601   min dip @ 90ma       min dip @ 85ma 

           ant. load @ 100%      ant. load @ 100% 

3579   min dip @ 90ma         min dip @ 90ma 

           ant. load @ 100%      ant. load @ 100% 

3568   min dip @ 90ma         min dip @ 95ma 

           ant. load @ 100%      ant. load @ 100% 

*3540  At this freq, I get a barely preceptable dip at 130ma 

            and the output pwr peaks around 8w 



>The * notes xtals are orig. FT-243 type, others are modern, stuffed into FT-243 holders. 

>In all cases min dip occurred at around 80-86% of plate tuning capacitance. 

>In most cases, the  ant. loading was around 100%  capacitance for proper dip. 

>At points where a proper dip was reached, decreasing the ant. load capacity would increase the 

  plate current and dip point. 

>Ninety ma is the recommended plate current and power output was as specified at 12-15w. 

>Forty mtrs works ok for the most part. 



I doubt I've explained this very well, but in a nut shell....on 80 mtrs, I can't go below about 

3568 due to being unable to get a plate current dip. Above that freq,  when a dip can be reached, the ant. loading is at max capacity. 

  

I'm wondering if anyone else has had similar problems with the Conar 400 and/or do you have any 

suggestions. 

  

Many tnx, 73 de Bill K4JYS