ic706mk2g on AM

[Captain Kilowatt]

Or build!!!

In thinking a little bit more, I'd be willing to say that across the board, the average Solid state transceiver can be accurately marketed as a stand-alone digital, SSB, and CW radio, but is only good (as far as AM is concerned) as an exciter for an amplifer.

You got it! A modern solidstate rig will only give you 25 watts of carrier at best. Folowed by a good amp,either bought or homebrewed, it can be a great station.

 

[davegrantsr]

You got it! A modern solidstate rig will only give you 25 watts of carrier at best. Folowed by a good amp,either bought or homebrewed, it can be a great station.

hmmmmmmmm.....at 25 watts carrier, my mk2g only shows about 50 PEP with the compressor off, and the ALC swings down....big time. but the wm1 doesn't show downward swing, and audio reports, on e skip at least, are 'sounds good'-NO exclamation mark. double hmmmmmmmm.....

 

[SR385]

Don't forget, what truly sounds good, when judged by people who understand what a nice wide range and whistle clean AM sound should be, is a WORLD away from the completely overmodulated CB concept of what 'good audio' sounds like.

AM should sound like AM broadcast radio, not like you are screaming at someone inside a shower stall. If you sound like you are sitting in the room with the listener, you have a nice AM signal.

As mentioned before, you want clean audio and a big carrier....which means an amp. Also you want an amp made for the duty cycle of AM use too. I might get 250W carrier out of my amp, but I won't run it on AM simply because it will beat it too hard.

 

[cyclops1970]

at 25 watts carrier, my mk2g only shows about 50 PEP with the compressor off

Remember what the metering circuits are measuring. That 50 watts you're seeing isn't TRUE PEP. It's an average based on the modulation characteristics of your voice. And most rules (most notably PEP=4 x carrier) are based on a sine wave--which your voice ain't.

and the ALC swings down....big time.

That's kind of puzzling. Negative ALC action on modulation. Something's not right there, but I can't wrap my head around it....maybe overdriving???

wm1 doesn't show downward swing,

It shouldn't. If it does, it means that the power decrease due to negative modulation peaks is swamping out the power increase due to positive peaks. In other words, your transmitter would be probably running out of headroom.

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

Don't forget, what truly sounds good, when judged by people who understand what a nice wide range and whistle clean AM sound should be, is a WORLD away from the completely overmodulated CB concept of what 'good audio' sounds like.

AM should sound like AM broadcast radio, not like you are screaming at someone inside a shower stall. If you sound like you are sitting in the room with the listener, you have a nice AM signal.

As mentioned before, you want clean audio and a big carrier....which means an amp. Also you want an amp made for the duty cycle of AM use too. I might get 250W carrier out of my amp, but I won't run it on AM simply because it will beat it too hard.

It's nice to see that there is someone else out there that can see the differance between "loud and pround" and what AM should really sound like.

 

[SR385]

It's nice to see that there is someone else out there that can see the differance between "loud and pround" and what AM should really sound like.

...and not trying to be a hypocrite as I started in this forum with modifying an 857D and intending to use it on 11m and asking similar questions.

I just learned my way around a radio since then ;-) ...with your help and others here of course.