[CW] Transmitting power

[George, W5YR]

Don, look at the big contest stations and note the amps. Better still note
the amps that aren't shown.

Yes, many stations run at least 1500 watts to the antenna and not a few
routinely run considerably more than that. A prominent amateur in Dallas
was electrocuted a few years ago when he stepped *inside* his 8 KW
amplifier and touched the wrong thing. 

Your point is well taken that there is almost never any reason for amateur
purposes short of some extreme emergency under the worst of conditions to
run that sort of power. Even 1500 watts is unnecessary 99% of the time. But
it is largely a personality thing with most of the big guns - and it is
their hobby, too.

I find 100 watts to be QRO for me and 5 watts much more often in the
logbook. Sometimes a big amp would be nice, but so would a 100 ft tower
with stacked monobanders . . .  <:}

As to compliance with the regs, unfortunately the phrase to the effect of
"satisfactory communications" can be used to justify such high power is
that is the level of communications quality that the user requires. Hokey,
yes, but that is what happens when you try to legislate fairness and
commonsense.

73/72/oo, George W5YR - the Yellow Rose of Texas         
Fairview, TX 30 mi NE of Dallas in Collin county EM13qe   
Amateur Radio W5YR, in the 56th year and it just keeps getting better!
QRP-L 1373 NETXQRP 6 SOC 262 COG 8 FPQRP 404 TEN-X 11771 I-LINK 11735
Icom IC-756PRO #02121  Kachina 505 DSP  #91900556  Icom IC-765 #02437


Donald Chester wrote:
> 
> Before the power limit rule was changed to output power, the legal limit was
> 1 kw DC input to the final.  For CW, that translated to a maximum of about
> 750 watts output.  With the new rule, it is now approximately double that,
> 1500 watts output.
> 
> Does anyone actually run that much power on CW?  The vast majority of CW
> stations I work run about 100 watts, and many are QRP.  At 300 watts output
> on 40m I seem to be one of the most QRO stations on the band.  Has anyone
> ever even HEARD anyone on any band running 1500 watts?
> 
> Would 1500 watts output power on CW be reconcilable with the rule that
> requires minimum power necessary to maintain the desirable communication?