Kenwood TS 440

[42Ford]

Gidday everyone, a question..... my brother is driving a Texas Star DX 500 with a Kenwood TS 440 .... 50 watts am into the DX 500, isn't that too much ? Can he damage the amp ?
His signal sounds fine to me, I'm in Australia, he's in New Zealand.
On the Texas Star website 20 watts is the input to get 500 watts out.
Thanks, Steve.

 

[ExitThirteen]

Heya Steve!


Yes, 50W on AM is too much for the Texas Star. You really only need about 5-7W deadkey and 25-30W swing on AM for that amp. Anything more than that will burn out the resistors on the input stage of the amp, and eventually, the transistors. Have him back it off a little more and he should be fine then.



~Cheers~

 

[W5LZ]

I think that I would advise him to also turn that TS-440 down to what it was originally. It is not capable of producing 50 watts AM without 'pushing' that radio much too much. That has nothing to do with legality, it has to do with how long the thing will 'live' without major repair.
- 'Doc

 

[towerdog]

100 watts peak on AM, with 50 watt carrier that does not leave much room for audio, try backing carrier down to about 25 watts, it will be much louder and last longer.

Running a TX star amp, even less power, make sure you back the carrier and gain way down. So far down on mine the internal meter is not accurate so I have to use a cheap external to get the kenwood NOT to overdrive and burn up the amp.

 

[TonyV225]

I think that I would advise him to also turn that TS-440 down to what it was originally. It is not capable of producing 50 watts AM without 'pushing' that radio much too much. That has nothing to do with legality, it has to do with how long the thing will 'live' without major repair.
- 'Doc

Yes these radios are usually set at "25" watts carrier or "dead key" and the audio is all the way down and as your talking you slowly start turning the audio or "Mic" gain" and as soon as you see that needle or meter wiggle then thats what you need on the older rigs for good or tolerable AM use.

 

[42Ford]

Thanks guys, I have sent a link to this forum to him.

Conditions are good lately, U.S stations are very strong down here.

Cheers, Steve.