CB RECEIVER PRE-AMP (REDCO RPA-1) ?

[Switch Kit]

I was wondering if anyone knew how much power can one of these pre-amps handle ? This model seems to work very well on both AM/SSB ......anybody know anything about this one ? thanks .....Pre-Amp

 

[Beetle]

It's a RECEIVE preamp - don't feed it any RF from your transmitter.

 

[Switch Kit]

they must be able to take some kind of power ? ....goes from radio to antenna and hooks up on 12 volts ...so they must have some kind of power rating ? the question would be how much ?

 

[Beetle]

OK - NOW I understand the question .

Lessee - Google doesn't recognize this thing, nor does any other search engine...try whoever it was you got it from?

 

[Switch Kit]

it came from some one that didn't know what they had in the first place , thrift shop. I only know that it works very well , I didn't pay to much for it so If I don't figure something out ,I'll just put about 400 watts through it and see how things work out. thanks Beetle

 

[paws264]

Hold on now, I may be wrong in my understanding here but, the RECEIVE Pre-amp goes inbetween the amp and the radio.

It does not go between the amp and the antenna; No high power should go thru the RF pre-amp.

Am I in left feild on this thing?

 

[Switch Kit]

Thanks Paws ! Starting to sound very logical about now. It certainly sounds like a safer approach about going at it. Funny how the logical approaches can avail ones brain. But still make a lot of sence all the same. Thanks Paws ......IM glad I've held out from doing anything thus far.Just was never sure if the little dude could handle any kind of heavy power at all ? but it surley would make sence to do it between the radio and the amp and NOT the amp and the antenna

 

[freecell]

the preamp includes relay bypass switching between tx and rcve modes and should handle 20 - 25W PEP without any problems.

 

[C2]

I was gonna say it depends mostly on the RF relay...and I guess you don't use those with the 2970 then, but of course they would work best when mounted right at the antenna.

 

[paws264]

...........,I'll just put about 400 watts through it and see how things work out. thanks Beetle

Thank goodness you caught it in time

I would not advise using it behind one of those big radios either (the ones with more than 25 watts out), those things were probably designed/built before the newer class of radios.

Nor, was it made to be installed in an outdoors environment; it is not waterproof, does not have a self-contained powersupply or remote controls.

 

[Switch Kit]

It's old ,IM guessing mid to late 70s on this one , looks like it could be in the Digi-Scan family ? It was made in City of Industry,So.Cal ,if i recall ? Digi-Scan was out of El Monte So.Cal. I'd guess to say we have come a long way from those dinosaurs , The Texas Ranger readouts seem so much nicers. I was using that pre-amp this evening off an old 1990 148 GTL on SSB and I was somewhat impressed with it's operation , very nice that you can dial in as much extra receive as possible. Freecell sounds like he knows the little amp ,it does have relays. Sure glad I didn't fry the little guy. Thanks much gentleman for the advise.