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Drive to Amplifier

S

Straightshooter58

Active Member
Dec 9, 2015
57
29
28
70
Rockwall County, Texas
how much Drive(watts out of the radio) do I need to run a newer solid state amplifier? I've heard a lot of thing like cooking the finals in the radio..to killing the new amp by throwing too much power through it..so I want the straight scoop on what is what before I switch out the old tube amp for a new solid state model. The Radio puts out 11 watts AM,and 16 watts SSB(I mainly use SSB) and has been running into a older tube amp consisting of (1)one 6BO5 and (4) 6JG6A Tubes..putting out close to 330PEP. I've been looking at a New Texas Star DX350HDV to replace the old tube amp..but was told that I have to re-tune my radio to lower output or I will Fry the New Amp! Not sure if that is true or not..just what I was told! My main question is..does the raidos output have a big factor in the type/or brand of amplifier that I can use..or..can I just plug in and play with the new amp
...without cooking everything! Any/All Info will Be Helpful. Thank You.
 

If the 11W AM is peak output on AM, you'll be fine, and the 16W on SSB is fine also. If your deadkey on AM is high you'll want to adjust it back to about 2W and let the radio swing from there. Those numbers will be fine for a T/S 350.


~Cheers~
 
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Just because it will accept a 4w drive deosnt necessarily mean you have to run it there. When I had amps I ran them consertively. They last longer.

JMO.....
 
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RT431 said:
Just because it will accept a 4w drive deosnt necessarily mean you have to run it there. When I had amps I ran them consertively. They last longer.

JMO.....
Click to expand...
You must have had some of the RM Italy amps. If the manufacturer says 4 to 20 it has been tested at those levels and they approved it. I have one amp here that requires 100 watts to drive it. I would run the 350HDV with 10 watts and not be worried at all,
 
The 350HDV is safely ran up to 20w PEP AM mode I read and upto 25w or so for SSB. But like most said 2w AM deadkey is nice and swing to say 10-15w won't hurt it. Mine swings 2.5 to about 10 on AM and it works fine. My radio does 17w or so on SSB.
 
The flipside is adjust the output of the radio to the specs of the transistors in the amp.
Assuming 2x2SC2879, (100 to 125 watts each)
AM: adjust radio output so the dead key with the amp engaged is ~ 60 watts, If the radio is in spec, expected PEP would be ~240 watts.
SSB: adjust radio output to see ~240 watts PEP using a 1 kHz tone (simple phone app @ mic).

edit - this would assume using a true peak reading meter.
 
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Straightshooter58 said:
how much Drive(watts out of the radio) do I need to run a newer solid state amplifier? I've heard a lot of thing like cooking the finals in the radio..to killing the new amp by throwing too much power through it..so I want the straight scoop on what is what before I switch out the old tube amp for a new solid state model. The Radio puts out 11 watts AM,and 16 watts SSB(I mainly use SSB) and has been running into a older tube amp consisting of (1)one 6BO5 and (4) 6JG6A Tubes..putting out close to 330PEP. I've been looking at a New Texas Star DX350HDV to replace the old tube amp..but was told that I have to re-tune my radio to lower output or I will Fry the New Amp! Not sure if that is true or not..just what I was told! My main question is..does the raidos output have a big factor in the type/or brand of amplifier that I can use..or..can I just plug in and play with the new amp
...without cooking everything! Any/All Info will Be Helpful. Thank You.
Click to expand...

If that is, in fact, your radio's output power as you stated, a Texas Star DX350HDV will be just fine.
With a maximum AM dead key of 3.5 ~ 4 watts, and AM PEP watts of 11 and SSB of 16 watts, you will be good to go.
 
Straightshooter58 said:
how much Drive(watts out of the radio) do I need to run a newer solid state amplifier? I've heard a lot of thing like cooking the finals in the radio..to killing the new amp by throwing too much power through it..so I want the straight scoop on what is what before I switch out the old tube amp for a new solid state model. The Radio puts out 11 watts AM,and 16 watts SSB(I mainly use SSB) and has been running into a older tube amp consisting of (1)one 6BO5 and (4) 6JG6A Tubes..putting out close to 330PEP. I've been looking at a New Texas Star DX350HDV to replace the old tube amp..but was told that I have to re-tune my radio to lower output or I will Fry the New Amp! Not sure if that is true or not..just what I was told! My main question is..does the raidos output have a big factor in the type/or brand of amplifier that I can use..or..can I just plug in and play with the new amp
...without cooking everything! Any/All Info will Be Helpful. Thank You.
Click to expand...
I am the original (2002) owner of a "oldy but a goody" Uniden Grant XL and I am considering purchasing a Texas Star Amp. The Grant was "tuned" to 7 watts dead key when new and continues to produce 7 watts at a dead key. I am also curious if the TS DX350 or TS DX500 can handle the 7 watt dead key without having the radio de-tuned.
 
Recon said:
I am the original (2002) owner of a "oldy but a goody" Uniden Grant XL and I am considering purchasing a Texas Star Amp. The Grant was "tuned" to 7 watts dead key when new and continues to produce 7 watts at a dead key. I am also curious if the TS DX350 or TS DX500 can handle the 7 watt dead key without having the radio de-tuned.
Click to expand...
That would definitely be too much for the 350. It might be ok on the 500 but would probably get hot quickly.

http://www.texasstar.com/export/specifications.html
 
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Shadetree Mechanic said:
That would definitely be too much for the 350. It might be ok on the 500 but would probably get hot quickly.

http://www.texasstar.com/export/specifications.html
Click to expand...
Thanks for the quick feedback! I'm on the same page as you and maybe I'd be pushing the 500 also. I'd hate (reluctant) to have anyone tamper with my original Grant for the sole purpose of de-tuning it so as to use an amplifier. I have a new Galaxy DX 2547 with variable watt output and I think that is the radio I should use with an amplifier for skip. I have a new Astron VS-70M power supply and trying to decide on what size amp to buy.
 
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Recon said:
I am the original (2002) owner of a "oldy but a goody" Uniden Grant XL and I am considering purchasing a Texas Star Amp. The Grant was "tuned" to 7 watts dead key when new and continues to produce 7 watts at a dead key. I am also curious if the TS DX350 or TS DX500 can handle the 7 watt dead key without having the radio de-tuned.
Click to expand...
"Tuned to 7 watts"? I wonder if the radio still has a clean signal. It must have been tuned to "Ghost Watts" that are up in the 50MHz range.
 

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