TEXAS STAR 1600 AS A BASE

[TonyV225]

Ok I had this forsale 2 times I wanted to sell and buy another amateur amplifier or trade it for one or an HF rig and had no luck other than a hit I had on another site that was a scam I caught early and the P.O.S. ran when I caught onto what he was doing. Anyways I was thinking I might aswell use the thing now instead of leaving it sit in the closet.

3 X 50 Amp supply setup should be fine after volages are matched. some of you have been a huge help with info on this for me and I appreciate it. I know this is more of a pain to setup and an straight AC setup is more practical or easier to do but as I said Im not gonna let this 1600 sit anymore its a waste of $$ to do so.

Now what gauge wire would you reccomend for connections I know theres 8 guage comming out of the amplifier but should I then go into 6 or 4 gauge at this point and inbetween power supplies? I also think I will hunt for another legal limit antenna tuner for this setup.

What has actually been seen come out of one of these 1600 for output power AM/FM SSB/CW?? Im going to start this within the next 2 weeks I think if its not ssold by then this is what I am working with and have any of you seen a fankit like this?? Its different than the Texas Star fankit Texas Star sells 2 different covers 1 top 1 bottom each with 2 fans if you look mine has just the clear plastic top cover with 4 high flow fans and I cant believe how these Comair Rotron fans push air I blow air halfway across the room from out of the ends of this cover it certainly will keep a guy from worrying about overheating.

The only thing is I see where the remote head 3/4 inch plug goes into the amplier theres a 3/4 inch plugin slot for the fan kit my fankit has a couled cigarette adapter wired to it and I see that the amp has a fan thermostat that controls when the fans come on and turn off. I believe that itb was on at 115 degrees and shut off at 105 degrees so instead of fans running constantly pulling in dust and and eventually wearing out Im going to put a 3/4 in plug on instead of the cigarette lighter adaptor and utilize the automatic thermostat unless the thermostat is not part of the internals of the amp ad was exclusively on Texas Stars fankit anyone know anything about this?

 

[BOOTY MONSTER]

http://www.firecommunications.com/dx1600.txt

Texas Star 1600:

AM operation: 4 watts input will produce approximately 175 watts with plenty of
swing. To increase power output, use a modulator and adjust output on the modulator
to no more than 30 watts. 30 watts is maximum input for AM operation. A guideline for
any installation is to increase AM power until it begins to sound distorted, then
decrease it slightly. 30 watts input will produce approximately 850 watts output.
Modulators are made for AM use only- never SSB.

SSB operation: Turn on SSB delay switch. Any radio or amplifier used to drive this unit
should be class AB biased with an output of no more than 150 watts. 12 watts input will
produce approximately 450 watts output. 100 watts input will produce 1600 watts PEP
output as long as 13.8 VDC is maintained during keydown and the antenna is 50
ohms. if 13.8 VDC is maintained but output is low, connect output to 50 ohm dummy
load and test again. All Kenwood, Yaesu and Icom transceivers can run output directly
into this unit.

FM operation: This unit will accept up to 100 watts FM input. Keep transmissions to
less than 30 seconds.


4 watts in avg > 175 watts avg out at 48 amps current draw
10 watts in avg > 450 watts avg out at 72 amps current draw
20 watts in avg > 700 watts avg out at 92 amps current draw
50 watts in avg > 1000 watts avg out at 115 amps current draw
100 watts in avg > 1250 watts avg out at 125 amps current draw

installation: Use #2 electrical cable or two #6 wires in parallel to connect each
positive and negative lead directly to the battery. A second battery next to the unit
will help to keep the voltage up. Use RG-8U or RG-213U coax to connect output to the
antenna. Do not use RG-58U coax.

optional fan kit: plugs into the rear of the unit. the fans will turn on automatically
at 115 degrees fahrenheit and shut off at 110 degrees.

Additional Note: for absolute best performance and longevity, (dependability and reliability)
configure your drive levels and peak-to-carrier for anywhere from 1.5:1 to 4:1 (depending
on how you're measuring power, average or pep) and maintain heatsink temperature below 110
degrees fahrenheit. if you plan on completely ignoring this recommendation then i heartily
suggest that you purchase the fan kit. you'll need it.

..........................................................

you length will probally be pretty short so cost isnt really a factor . id do 4 gauge .... just because . but i like big fat power wires , LOL .

 

[TonyV225]

Thganks Bootster I appreciate this info!!! I cant believe this beast didnt sell or trade so what the hell Ill use it for 10 and 12 meters I love my Texas Star amplifiers reliable and trouble free and the best part is they sound great on SSB.

As I said since it hasnt sold or traded off Im gonna make use of it forsure and I bet this would make an @$$KICKIN 10 METER MOBILE SETUP in the future if I decided to go that route

 

[190]

Should make a nice base rig Tony. i got a texas star dx500v and love the thing. i use it as a base with a couple diferent uniden grants. i run it off of a pyramid ps-86ks power supply. plus i dont get people pounding on my door with this amp like i have with a couple different vintage cb sweep tube amps i got.

 

[Shockwave]

At one time I used one of these amps in the house with a 200 amp regulated power supply and a Yaesu as the exciter. It was without a doubt the dirtiest amplifier I ever ran in the house. Sure it's biased and may sound good on SSB but the problem is the output is loaded with harmonics. Interference to other RF related equipment such as televisions, scanners, and other receivers is far worse with CB solid state amps. Direct RF interference to devices like computer speakers is not much worse with transistors.

I have to completely disagree with the last post suggesting the Texas Star would produce less interference then even a cheap tube amplifier. I've never seen this to be the case. All tube amplifiers benefit from harmonic reduction due to the tuned tank circuit in their output stage. A broadband solid state amplifier will require several poles of filtering to reduce harmonics to that of a tube amp. It can be done with the use of an external filter but remember this only helps with harmonics not RFI.

 

[TonyV225]

I love my Texas Stars as I said I think there one of the best built as far as mass production units go I have 2 DX500 and 1 DX400 and there just great Ive had 1 of the 500 and my 400 since the mid 1990s and they have been reliable same transistors and all I replaced a few lightbulbs in the pushbuttons on my older 500 and a keying transistor which was kinda my fault anyway but hell you cant beat these things for the price AB-1 biased for a great clean SSB TX audio and yes Ive had not one complaint of RF splatter not even in my own home!!

Everyone has there oppinion and in my experience with several amplifiers these Texas Stars are at the top of my list hands down they have proven themselves to me for about 16 years thats good enough for me to give my grade score or opinion on them.

As I was saying I was just wanting something Ide use more like a HF base amplifier HF radios or other trades because I didnt want to mess with power supply linking or paralleling but if I cant find it a new home well then IM USING IT LOL!! As it is now I have 2 power supplies together for 104 amps and running an eport Galaxy 2527 at 25-30 watts SSB I seen around 700 or so Watts coming out and can only imagine what one of my HF rigs will do paired up with this thing but Ill need another power Supply paralleled in with these other 2 to see this outcome or to try this.

I have other supplies but there not the same brand as the 2 I put together and when a 3rd supply is added Im going to have to change the 8 guage jumpers betweeen supplies to 6 guage.

 

[190]

shock wave, i usually run my dx500v dialed back. plus i put a rf choke on my antenna feed line. and the old vintage sweep tube amps i was refering to are a sos electronics scout 20 with 4 driving 4. and a 9 tube job. 1 driving 2 driving 6. does a number on the tv.

 

[555]

back in my earlier days of running the little texas stars
i had a TNT Supermodulator as a driver for the Sweet 16 - 8 2879s
i noticed you called it a 1600 but it looks like a Sweet 16

later on i bought another sweet16 and some big power combiners
oh and well thats another thread

but it did some good talking for what it was back then

from your power supplies
can you run a copper buss bar and attach it to the proper posts
so if you sit the PS on top of each other then just run a bar down all 3 positive post then another bar for your negative posts

then at the bottom leave enough bar to attach a 4 guage or 2 guage into some anderson connectors or just attach the 16 directly to the bar
and run a ground strap from neg to copper rod outside.

hope this helps

 

[TonyV225]

TEXAS STAR........SWEET SIXTEEN.......DX1600 if you look at the front faceplate of the amplifier this is how it reads.

 

[psycho]

At one time I used one of these amps in the house with a 200 amp regulated power supply and a Yaesu as the exciter. It was without a doubt the dirtiest amplifier I ever ran in the house. Sure it's biased and may sound good on SSB but the problem is the output is loaded with harmonics. Interference to other RF related equipment such as televisions, scanners, and other receivers is far worse with CB solid state amps. Direct RF interference to devices like computer speakers is not much worse with transistors.

I have to completely disagree with the last post suggesting the Texas Star would produce less interference then even a cheap tube amplifier. I've never seen this to be the case. All tube amplifiers benefit from harmonic reduction due to the tuned tank circuit in their output stage. A broadband solid state amplifier will require several poles of filtering to reduce harmonics to that of a tube amp. It can be done with the use of an external filter but remember this only helps with harmonics not RFI.

The only good Texas Stars are the ones that someone else owns.

 

[me999]

I have 5 power supplys hoooked together no problems running that way for many years..

Use no less than 4 guage wire (short as possible) to make your connections.. Set voltage on all PS's to 15 volts BEFORE hooking them up and double check voltage after.

As far as wattage, claims will vary from different meters but you can expect about 1,400 out depending on drive.

 

[Mr Clean]

I have 5 power supplys hoooked together no problems running that way for many years..

Use no less than 4 guage wire (short as possible) to make your connections.. Set voltage on all PS's to 15 volts BEFORE hooking them up and double check voltage after.

As far as wattage, claims will vary from different meters but you can expect about 1,400 out depending on drive.

Is that avg or pep. I would think pep but just checking.

 

[mexloco]

you dont pay for my baby :bdh:

 

[Sonar]

At one time I used one of these amps in the house with a 200 amp regulated power supply and a Yaesu as the exciter. It was without a doubt the dirtiest amplifier I ever ran in the house. Sure it's biased and may sound good on SSB but the problem is the output is loaded with harmonics. Interference to other RF related equipment such as televisions, scanners, and other receivers is far worse with CB solid state amps. Direct RF interference to devices like computer speakers is not much worse with transistors.

I have to completely disagree with the last post suggesting the Texas Star would produce less interference then even a cheap tube amplifier. I've never seen this to be the case. All tube amplifiers benefit from harmonic reduction due to the tuned tank circuit in their output stage. A broadband solid state amplifier will require several poles of filtering to reduce harmonics to that of a tube amp. It can be done with the use of an external filter but remember this only helps with harmonics not RFI.

I used a Palomar 300a, 350z, and d&s phantom for 4 year's without a single complaint. My home and all homes located in my area, are about 20 feel apart. On top of that my IMAX 2000 was less than 10 feet off the ground. If that's not a potential nest of interferance I don't know what is.
While operating one weekend afternoon one of my family members was channel surfing (Xfinity cable) when they stopped on channel 25 to answer a phone call. When they returned to the tele they noticed, channel 25 would go completely black when I keyed the mic.
I turned the TV that's located in the radio room on, and went to channel 25. I keyed the mic, and total black out!
No audio coming through the tele's speaker. Just a total black out.
I wasn't about to wait until a neighbor happened to be tuned in to channel 25, which is the local high school informational Channel. I wanted to turn an rf choke, but after asking how to do it properly, and getting 50 different answeres from 50 ppl I decided to purchase an MFJ 915. $39, and $10 for a double male (pl259 connector) and a week later had the 915 rf choke instead directly to my IMAX 2000's so239. It worked like a charm.
It straightened out the key down blackout of cable channel 25.
My point is that none of my "dirty" CB craze era sweep tube amps caused any static (literally and figuratively) between me, and my neighbors. So I'd have to agree with you about sweep tube amp doesn't necessarily equal RFI. At least@ my qth.
On occasion I would run one of my 3 4x 1446 base Palomar/Boomer, Shooting Star ect ect 35 amp built in power supply (you know the amp.) And I had no RFI issues with any of those amplifiers either. Go figure? I'm assuming rfi is caused by several factors. And it's one issue I havnhav had to deal with. Thank hoodgood. I could definitely affect the enjoyment of the hobby. 73. PS. I wish I would've kept one of those Palomar, Boomer, Shooting Star, No name ECT ECT amps. If I come across a cosmetically clean, unmolested straight 4x 1446 low drive amps, I'd consider buying it. 11/2 watts dk 15 pep got me 500 (on the button watts,) and that output was shown by all 3 of the ones I owned. I don't know why they got such a bad reputation. A robust amp to say the least. Sorry for going off topic. I tend to get carried away (sometimes.)

 

[TIN_CAN]

I run my dx1600 for my base and drive it with my anytone AT-6666 1nd 150amp PS with good results. has been a reliable amp since I have owned it.