WILL DEAD KEY AFFECT AMP PEP?

[Sonar]

This question is about tube amps that need to be tuned and loaded.

Will/can someone driving an amp with 1 watt and 20 pep get more pep output from that amp if they were to increase the dead key to 3 watts yet still only show 20 watts modulated/pep? Or will a dead key increase only raise the amps dead key?

 

[Onelasttime]

First how is the input tuning. A transistor radio does not always match up well. Number two you need to adjust the radio to match the amplifiers needs. Power output is not the most important factor. You always adjust for make output but that assumes your not being a block head and over driving the amp. Unless it says so most tube amps designed for CB use only need 3 watts of rms input max. So unless you know otherwise a 2-2.5 watt dead key swinging to the classic 4:1 ratio is about the best you can do. Now if you have a power meter that has rms and pep and someone you can trust over the air you can dial it in a bit more specifically. Having more swing above and beyond the 4:1 ratio is really only any good for talking over other locals. A higher carrier in my opinion is of more benefit when trying to extend your range. The idea of 1/4 watt dead key swinging to 20 watts is absolutely counter productive to anyone other than a key down contestant running class C gear trying to key over one another. Some swing is good but like all good things taken to extreme it is not good at all. Since most CB'er sound like garbage it is not hard to outperform most of them buy avoiding the temptation to be louder and louder and louder.

I have never had anyone not compliment my sound but that was before hifi mod's and such. The fact that I was super clean sounding and never over modulated and never over driven I stood out.

People chase low dead key and swing far too much!

 

[wavrider]

The power supply, voltage and current rating of the high voltage transformer will determine the output power.

A lower dead key will not use so much current thus you may see so called more swing on the meter but the avg power out will be the same .

I like the 1:4 method mentioned whatever the carrier/deadkey is the max output or swing should be 4 times the amount of the deadkey. Clean in clean out.

This 1 watt carrier swinging to 40 watts sound like shit, add a class C splatter box and you cover 10 channels either way.

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

Like waverider said, output is a condition of voltage, current and driving power. Since in both of your examples the driving power at maximum remains the same at 20 watts the output will be the same.