[Kenwood] Amplifier Keying from various transceivers

[Kenneth G. Gordon]

On 10 Feb 2013 at 19:04, w3bj at juno.com wrote:

> I asked the question simply because I aquired a TS 830 and I have
> newer amps as well as older Heathkit amps. Some of the newer radios
> required a buffer for keying the older amps as the voltage was
> different. A lot of hams use footswitch to key amps. I thank everyone
> for input. I got some great responses. This is why the reflector is
> here.

I might jump in here for another viewpoint, if I may.

I own two TS-940S. Those do have a relay in them which will handle the 
switching of my Heathkit SB-200......for a long while.

I also own and use a TS-820S, which does have a more robust relay than 
that in the TS-940S.

But... in both cases, but particularly in the '940, the relay is somewhat small, 
and will eventually fail. Replacing that relay is not particularly trivial in either 
case.

Installing a solid-state relay-buffer in the SB-200 is both trivial and 
inexpensive. There are several options available from "commerical" versions, 
to home-brew versions, all equally effective.

IMHO, it is simply good sense to reduce or eliminate any possibility of future 
problems by the use of so simple and reliable a device.

I have found that my use of this device is completely transparent, and I no 
longer have to bother to worry about whether my choice of driver can handle 
the switching current/voltage.

Ken W7EKB