1st AMP AL-811

[hookedon6]

Well the Amp Supply price wasnt as cheap as I thought it was going to be. He finally said he would take $350 with no Tubes. So I have a brand new AL-811 sitting next to me...

yep, smart move. you would have had $500+ (min) in the 1000NT.

enjoythe 811 and WATCH the grid current.

it is a "small" amp, but, the most "bang for the buck" is in the first 500 or so watts. you proved that with this comment: "I was hearing 1 station at about a S3 to S4, tried to contact barefoot, but he wasnt hearing me, turned the amp on and made the contact with a 59 report back from him."


btw, are you doing the "10 meter mod" or did it come with it?

did they include the PI network input "tuning tool" with the amp?

are you running it on 110 or 220 vac?

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

Was it shipped with the tubes and transformer already installed? Most amps have at least the tubes removed and packaged separately.

 

[928bolo]

this artricle will explain about antenna tuners, and much more it is worth reading.

The Real SWR Page - Explained by WC7I - Will high SWR burn up my radio?.

Great link. Thanks.


-

 

[W1MSG]

Was it shipped with the tubes and transformer already installed? Most amps have at least the tubes removed and packaged separately.

I did a pick up, HRO Salem is just under an hour away. Good thing its not closer, the tubes werent plugged in but in place wrapped in foam the the caps installed. All I had to do was plug them in. I wore some latex medic gloves so I wouldnt get any skin oil on the tube glass.

So Far so good, seems to put out well, but I need to get a peak Watt Meter on the output, I dont trust the watt meter on the Tuner.

Ok maybe some one can answer this one, its kind of odd.

The IC-7000 has a swr meter and when in bypass it shows pretty much the same reading as the swr on the tuner. Now when I use the amp the swr on the radio jumps way up to 2.5 while I'm talking but the swr on the tuner stays where it was when I did the tune cycle. This is kind of weird and not sure if its an issue or not ...

Craig

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

I did a pick up, HRO Salem is just under an hour away. Good thing its not closer, the tubes werent plugged in but in place wrapped in foam the the caps installed. All I had to do was plug them in. I wore some latex medic gloves so I wouldnt get any skin oil on the tube glass.

So Far so good, seems to put out well, but I need to get a peak Watt Meter on the output, I dont trust the watt meter on the Tuner.

Ok maybe some one can answer this one, its kind of odd.

The IC-7000 has a swr meter and when in bypass it shows pretty much the same reading as the swr on the tuner. Now when I use the amp the swr on the radio jumps way up to 2.5 while I'm talking but the swr on the tuner stays where it was when I did the tune cycle. This is kind of weird and not sure if its an issue or not ...

Craig

When you are using the amp the radio sees the input of the amp and not the antenna. The amp sees the antenna. You should tweak the input tuning coils for a better SWR looking into the amp.It should be in the manual.

 

[wavrider]

Amp looks great, has WARC bands also and 160.

Now it is time to make the antenna farm to cover all those bands you have, providing you have the operating privileges to use all of them.

Friend of mine has the tentec amp that uses the 811a, he put 572b in it about eight years ago and has not had a problem with it ever.

You will not get any more output by using 572b, but they are a more rugged tube.

Like was stated before the first 500 watts is the biggest difference.

Antenna, best improvement you can ever do to amateur system.

 

[W1MSG]

I'll keep an eye out for the 572B Tubes, hopefully I wont need them any time soon.

As far as the antenna farm goes, about the only thing I am going to be able to do is maybe a OCF Dipole for 10-80. I just dont have the room, the short tower thats going up will hold my Gulf Alpha Dual Band Yagi 2m - 70cm for working the FM Satellites.

Maybe I could throw up a small Yagi if I get a bigger Rotator but I am already cramped around where the tower is going.

Anyway, all the fun stuff is done, now I'll have to do the hard work outside ..

 

[Robb]

I'll keep an eye out for the 572B Tubes, hopefully I wont need them any time soon.

As far as the antenna farm goes, about the only thing I am going to be able to do is maybe a OCF Dipole for 10-80. I just dont have the room, the short tower thats going up will hold my Gulf Alpha Dual Band Yagi 2m - 70cm for working the FM Satellites.

Maybe I could throw up a small Yagi if I get a bigger Rotator but I am already cramped around where the tower is going.

Anyway, all the fun stuff is done, now I'll have to do the hard work outside ..

Perhaps use the tower for the apex of you dipole?

 

[W1MSG]

Perhaps use the tower for the apex of you dipole?

Not unless I am going to put one end of the antenna accross the 4 lane road out front, I just dont have alot of room. I guess the best way to go would be an OCF or a Verticle, I'm thinking the OCF would be the best way to go and give me the shortest run back to the house. The Tower is only about 25 feet, I suppose I could get another 10' section and use that for the end of a dipole and run it the 200 feet to the woodline, but then I will have a feedline dangeling out in the middle of the yard.
I'll figure something out one way or another. Right now my G5RV Jr is doing an awesome job on 20 and 40.

Keep the ideas coming !!

 

[wavrider]

Verticals.

They are alot of fun, and they work GREAT dx.

I have a vertical on top of the TA-33 it is a 23 foot piece of tubing, (old .64wl 11 meter vert) I tune it inside the shack for 10 through 40 meters.

It works, does it work as good as a YAGI, no but it works and in some instances I hear on the vert stations I do not hear on the yagi.

So if you are crowded for room, and limited in real estate, vert maybe the way to go.

If you have room for an OCF then you have room for a fan dipole.

I have tried both, the fan performed better in my opinion.
MULTI BAND HF FAN DIPOLE ANTENNA DESIGN

Better bandwidth was what made the decision to go from an OCF to a Fan dipole

 

[W5LZ]

I don't have a lot of room for antennas. Well, I've got the room, just no convemient trees to hang antennas from in the right places. In my particular circumstances a horizontal 80 meter loop 'fits' and will do almost everything I can want. It has it's own set of 'peculiarities' but I can live with them.
The next 'best' antenna I've used on more than one band has been one of those 'fan-dipoles'. They have their own peculiarities too, but in general, work just dandy.
I have to say that until you've used a dipole erected half-way right and resonant, you can certainly 'think' a 'G5RV' is a nice antenna. After using a moderately well tuned dipole you'll throw rocks at the 'G5RV'. The only real exception to that would be 20 meters where that 'G5RV' was designed for to start with.
About that feed line hanging down in the middle of your lot. So let it hang there! Just remember to move it before cutting the grass. Got kids, or neighbor kids? Cut a switch and hang it on the dangling feed line. Tell those kids that if you catch them playing with the thing hanging down, you'll wear that switch out on them. You might be surprised at how well that works. (Kids tend to call 'bluff's, so don't 'bluff' them.)
I'm not much of a vertical antenna fan. I've used them, they do work, but only 'half' the time. The other half of the time signals are of a different polarity, and they don't work too well.
It all just depends on how much room you have and what your interests are. Not having the absolute most bestest antenna in the world is a very common condition, and in most cases, not going to make much difference. Not happy with whatever antenna you are using? Change it. What's stopping you?
- 'Doc

 

[W1MSG]

When you are using the amp the radio sees the input of the amp and not the antenna. The amp sees the antenna. You should tweak the input tuning coils for a better SWR looking into the amp.It should be in the manual.

Havent found that in the manual yet, and what type of toold do you need to make the adjustments, I looked in the holes, I am assuming that is where the adjustments are made.

40m gets out Great 500 to 600 watts no problem but 20m is horrible, not sure what the issue is.

Craig

 

[hookedon6]

yep, smart move. you would have had $500+ (min) in the 1000NT.

enjoythe 811 and WATCH the grid current.

it is a "small" amp, but, the most "bang for the buck" is in the first 500 or so watts. you proved that with this comment: "I was hearing 1 station at about a S3 to S4, tried to contact barefoot, but he wasnt hearing me, turned the amp on and made the contact with a 59 report back from him."


btw, are you doing the "10 meter mod" or did it come with it?

did they include the PI network input "tuning tool" with the amp?

are you running it on 110 or 220 vac?

Havent found that in the manual yet, and what type of toold do you need to make the adjustments, I looked in the holes, I am assuming that is where the adjustments are made.

40m gets out Great 500 to 600 watts no problem but 20m is horrible, not sure what the issue is.

Craig

"The IC-7000 has a swr meter and when in bypass it shows pretty much the same reading as the swr on the tuner. Now when I use the amp the swr on the radio jumps way up to 2.5 while I'm talking but the swr on the tuner stays where it was when I did the tune cycle. This is kind of weird and not sure if its an issue or not "



yes , it IS an issue, the exciter will start to "fold back" the output power level when it "sees" a high VSWR. making proper amp tuning impossible.

thats why i kinda "hinted" about it, the manual really doesn't explain the exciter tuned input setup very well.

you have the CHOICE (but not both bands) of tuning for best exciter input VSWR on 30 OR 20 on one of the pots.

also same CHOICE of 15 OR 17 meters on another pot.

also (i think) the AUX pot tunes exciter input VSWR for 10 OR 12 meters.

it is an insulated hex driver,..... i think its metric......can't remember what size. i'm sure some one here will tell ya

 

[W1MSG]

yes , it IS an issue, the exciter will start to "fold back" the output power level when it "sees" a high VSWR. making proper amp tuning impossible.

thats why i kinda "hinted" about it, the manual really doesn't explain the exciter tuned input setup very well.

you have the CHOICE (but not both bands) of tuning for best exciter input VSWR on 30 OR 20 on one of the pots.

also same CHOICE of 15 OR 17 meters on another pot.

also (i think) the AUX pot tunes exciter input VSWR for 10 OR 12 meters.

it is an insulated hex driver,..... i think its metric......can't remember what size. i'm sure some one here will tell ya

Yup I think that is exactly whats happening, so I need the correct size hex driver, which I most likely have as I have RC Helicopters which use metric hex bolts everywhere.

Just need to know for sure. I will most likely just tune it for the best on 20m as I am most active there. 40m needs some adjustment but its not as bad as the 20m.

They forgot to give me the instructions for 10m but they did drop them in the mail so when that gets here I will be doing that mod ..

Thanks..

Ok who knows the size on the hex driver ??

Craig

 

[hookedon6]

...They forgot to give me the instructions for 10m but they did drop them in the mail so when that gets here I will be doing that mod ..

well, when ya are in there "clipping that green wire",..... do your self a favor.

check EVERY joint for a cold solder, tighten all nut/bolts ect.
turn the unit upside down and (gently) shake it.

MFJ is infamous for leaving "stuff" inside units.


of course,...... be sure to discharge the caps first