[Heathkit] HW101-AM

[Jim Shorney]

On Mon, 01 Oct 2007 22:24:49 -0400, SBJohnston at aol.com wrote:

> so what's yer beef?

No beef, just the comment that there are better solutions.  The HW/SB system
components are not designed for AM, and AM operation applies extra stress to
the components.  ALC will likely not be optimal and will need to be reworked.
Impedances will be shifted. Extra cooling will need to be added.  In the end,
it will still not sound as good as an old classic plate-modulated AM
transmitter, and will not be as efficient.

It's not that I'm against modifying radios per se, but not all modification
are sound or advisable.  Modifying a design optimised for SSB to add AM is
not an optimal solution.  I once had a Swan 700cx that was modified, possibly
at the factory, to add AM.  It worked OK and was professionally done, but it
just didn't work as well as a "real" AM rig.

>I believe the value of a mod is up to the owner of the rig.

If only this were true.  I've seen lots of mods that have been technically
unsound and ill-advised.

73

-Jim


-- 
Jim Shorney      -->.<--Put complaints in this box
jshorney (at) inebraska.com
Ham Radio NU0C
Lincoln, NE, USA
EN10ps
http://incolor.inetnebr.com/jshorney/