[NLRS] VHF Amplifiers

[Mary Brown]

W6PQL, Beko for 1kw+ amplifiers... I have a Beko HLV-1000 1kw 2m amp that
has been a workhorse and idiot proof... 

Mary
W0AAT

-----Original Message-----
From: nlrs-bounces at mailman.qth.net [mailto:nlrs-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On
Behalf Of Rich Westerberg
Sent: Wednesday, February 03, 2021 1:51 PM
To: Jon Platt
Cc: nlrs at mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [NLRS] VHF Amplifiers

Hi Jon -

For now I'm in the 3-band category.  With no preamps and no 432 antenna, I
still managed 6th place in the US in the category last June.  If I can get
decent antennas up, I'll be in a better spot.

I'm looking to get at least 200 watts for 2M but could go higher for 6 & 2.
If that requires 22v, then I'll work to get that.  Since things are so tied
to digital, I just wanted to be sure I got an amp that wouldn't melt.
I'm looking at a few fronts.  Just looking for recommendations (solid state
bricks or larger).

Rich

On Wed, Feb 3, 2021 at 11:24 AM Jon Platt via NLRS <nlrs at mailman.qth.net>
wrote:

> Thoughts on VHF amplifiers:
> For general operating, more power is always better than less power.
> For contesting though, there are rules.  For the three ARRL contest, 
> the SOLP is 200w PEP or less on 6 and 2m, 100w PEP or less on 222 and 
> 432 MHz, and 50w PEP or less on 902 and above.  If you are over these 
> power limits on any one band then you fall into SOHP category.  The 
> ARRL contests also has a SO 3 band category in which you would be 
> limited to 100w PEP or less on 50 and 144 MHz, and 50w PEP or less on 432
MHZ; just these three bands.
> The current ARRL rules do not make a power limit distinction for 
> multi-op or multi-op limited as both can run legal power; there is no low
power
> multi-op category, just "multi-op".   For CQWW VHF, which is just 6m and
> 2m, there is no power classifications except for SO QRP which limits 
> you to
> 10 watts or less on all bands.
> Your FT991 provides 100 watts on 6m and 50 watts on 2 and 432.  That 
> alone puts you in good grace for SO3B with full allowed power on 6m and
432, and
> only 3 dB down on 2m.   If you wanted to, you could look for a solid state
> 2m amp that gets you up to 100 watts but its of questionable value. 
> ..If you want to jump into the SOLP category you have some room there 
> to go from
> 100 to 200 watts on 6m (3db), 50 to 200 watts on 2m (6dB), and 50 to 
> 100 watts on 432 (3 dB).  Again, adding a solid state 2m amp at first 
> may be the best value as that gets you close to 6 dB of gain on that 
> band.  If you enter the SOLP category you would be competing with 
> other SOLP stations that may have more bands.  Adding those more bands
gets to be more work,
> more cost, etc, but sure is a lot of fun !   Note that the ARRL's Limited
> Multi-op is any four bands (or less).  ..If you want to go big, 
> especially for say CQWW VHF and the June contests, go for high power 
> on 6 and 2m.  One consideration for you would be the availability of 
> 110VAC vs 220VAC when adding a high power amplifier.  Lots of guys are 
> having fun now days running such high power and using all sorts of 
> modes, including digital, to work lots of stuff.  ..So, to summarize 
> my random thoughts, you are probably well suited right now to jump in with
a competitive SO3B station
> with the FT991.   Improvement after that may be to add a 2m 200w solid
> state amplifier (?) to either run it at 100 watts for SO3B or full power
> for SOLP.   Given that you have lots of 2m drive (i.e. 50w), you can go
> with something like a Mirage B-320-G, 50w in give 200w out.   After this,
> the return on investment dwindles unless your thinking about going 
> truly high power in which case you may need 220VAC, I defer to others 
> on that subject.
> I await to see what others may think...73, Jon  W0ZQ
>
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