High Drive Amps

[secret squirrel]

Will a high drive amp allow me to run a radio amp combo without having the radio detuned or the DK lowered? Example being. Can I run a Uniden 76XL with a normal tune of let’s say 5 watts swing to 24 watts , or a old Midland 4 watts swing to 16 watts, without stressing the amplifier? I am sure that I will not have efficiency and great performance with the amp itself. It was always my understanding that high drive amps were for dual final radios with big swing suck as a General Lee with1.5 watts swinging to 35 watts. I am looking at picking up a RM Italy high drive model and new power supply with the expected tax return. My expectation for an amp to use with my base radios is just to get close to get clean sound about 200 watts out. Thanks all.

 

[NightThumper]

The RM Italy KL-503HD or KL-703 will take a 35 watt input. Either amp depending on your drive will exceed 200 watts. See pics for output

 

[lonestarbandit]

Well since someone started this threat Ill pile on lol since Nightthumper probably has the answer.

custom built class B bias 4x hg 2879s base box. Can I safely run a KL203P in as a driver off a 2950CD or turn the RCI up and forget the driver? It's a brand new Hopperbuilt should be here next week sometime. Would hate to beat the pills to death first day. I realise theres limits and I'm wondering if the 203 is too hot.

 

[86lidewell]

Well since someone started this threat Ill pile on lol since Nightthumper probably has the answer.

custom built class B bias 4x hg 2879s base box. Can I safely run a KL203P in as a driver off a 2950CD or turn the RCI up and forget the driver? It's a brand new Hopperbuilt should be here next week sometime. Would hate to beat the pills to death first day. I realise theres limits and I'm wondering if the 203 is too hot.

I would ask hopper. He seems very knowledgeable about exciters.

 

[lonestarbandit]

Well hes building the box atm dont want to bother him lol ive been waiting a while lol.
Fairly excited myself. No harm in asking opinions here in the meantime.

 

[Shadetree Mechanic]

The 203 is way too much in my opinion. You will probably need less than 5 watts dead key drive on the amp input to get around 100 watts out. Run it with the 2950 and the amp will last forever and will be clean. This is especially important on sideband. People on YouTube get 1000 watts peak out of a 4 pill, but the output is not pretty. When you see them increase the average power while the peak power stays the same, it is because of power compression. Meaning that the peaks are being clipped.

So sure you can do it, but the rated drive on the pills is 10 watts each. It just depends on how clean you want to be and how long you want to run the amp before it has problems.

 

[9C1Driver]

Well since someone started this threat Ill pile on lol since Nightthumper probably has the answer.

custom built class B bias 4x hg 2879s base box. Can I safely run a KL203P in as a driver off a 2950CD or turn the RCI up and forget the driver? It's a brand new Hopperbuilt should be here next week sometime. Would hate to beat the pills to death first day. I realise theres limits and I'm wondering if the 203 is too hot.

No don't do that. The 2950 will drive that amplifier just fine.

 

[9C1Driver]

Will a high drive amp allow me to run a radio amp combo without having the radio detuned or the DK lowered? Example being. Can I run a Uniden 76XL with a normal tune of let’s say 5 watts swing to 24 watts , or a old Midland 4 watts swing to 16 watts, without stressing the amplifier? I am sure that I will not have efficiency and great performance with the amp itself. It was always my understanding that high drive amps were for dual final radios with big swing suck as a General Lee with1.5 watts swinging to 35 watts. I am looking at picking up a RM Italy high drive model and new power supply with the expected tax return. My expectation for an amp to use with my base radios is just to get close to get clean sound about 200 watts out. Thanks all.

Over the years so many amplifiers had HD stamped on them because they would sell better. Any time you run an amplifier you have to pay attention to input wattage both dead key and peak swing. What ever amp you are considering you will have to read the specs and or talk to the builder or shop selling the amp. RM Italy amplifiers were mentioned above. I have always found them to be low drive amplifiers and they all seem to run better and last longer when not driven hard.

 

[groundwire]

Well since someone started this threat Ill pile on lol since Nightthumper probably has the answer.

custom built class B bias 4x hg 2879s base box. Can I safely run a KL203P in as a driver off a 2950CD or turn the RCI up and forget the driver? It's a brand new Hopperbuilt should be here next week sometime. Would hate to beat the pills to death first day. I realise theres limits and I'm wondering if the 203 is too hot.

I have a hopper 4pill and bigger and a radio is all you need to drive the 4pill. My 4pill does 650w-700w with a cobra 148gtl. No driver needed.

 

[lonestarbandit]

Nice. Should be done soon I hope. Looking forward to it.

 

[groundwire]

Nice. Should be done soon I hope. Looking forward to it.

He is a little backed up but catching up quickly. You wont have to wait 2, 3, 4 months, half a year like some builders do, pshh. You will be happy. Great boxes, i have a bunch of them and a 32pill on the way.

 

[9C1Driver]

I have a hopper 4pill and bigger and a radio is all you need to drive the 4pill. My 4pill does 650w-700w with a cobra 148gtl. No driver needed.

Just curious, is this a base amp running at say 16-17 volts? Trying to figure out how your seeing 650-700 honest watts from 4 HG 2879's. And then when you say it's from a low drive radio like a Cobra 148 I'm even more amazed.

 

[sp5it]

KL203 need 1.5-2W dead key for cleanest output possible. Anything more result garbage out.

 

[groundwire]

Just curious, is this a base amp running at say 16-17 volts? Trying to figure out how your seeing 650-700 honest watts from 4 HG 2879's. And then when you say it's from a low drive radio like a Cobra 148 I'm even more amazed.

15vdc mobile. Bird meter reading.

 

[lonestarbandit]

I think nate says the base amps do around 800 but they might be volted slightly think the P/S are all set to 15v bur havent got mine yet so.. I'm not that amazed.