[TMC] PMO/VOX etc

[Telegrapher at att.net]

In reading all the comments on this subject i might comment That it is a good saver of power to not use the VOX/SBE combo if you can live without it.  All that is required is an RF source of modulated power, AM, CW,SSB etc at around 2W or less to drive the Amps you have been talking about.  I know a fellow up north of me who uses that configuration and has a pair of SBT/PAL configurations.

The SBE and VOX are large heavy and sometimes not operational and parts are non existant unless you happen to know of a source of a junker.  They are power consuming, read the manuals to see what the power requirements are.  Heavy man and that's an understatement.  In my case one of the VOX units has an open winding in the out oven so that doesn't work which does indeed save some "Watts" of power.  

I recently picked up a radio that will allow me to run anything from .5 watts upward to 100 and will be using that to run my PAL-500 here in the shack as that not only gives me all the modulation types i will be using but also the flexibility of moving around on the band.  However i want to point out that they amps (PAL-500/350, SBT-1K types) are not broadbanded in the sense that you can move all over the place without retuning them.  While we run 7293 AM out here in the southwest, i find that even moving 10 or more KC can require retuning of the PA.  

Yep it's fun running the big iron but with all the headaches of the VMO/SBE an added cost of electricity, i think i'll leave them in the rack but run the PA with a QRP capable rig that is frequency agile.  Now the only thing is to figure out how to drive a T_R switching arrangement using an external driver.  

ALways something else to tinker with.  Ain't it fun!

Larry
W0OGH