Jim - this video is a classic how-to. I've recommended it to numerous inexperienced hams. You are doing a great service to the amateur radio community - 73 & good health, Al W1VTP
Jim: This is a HUGE HELP to this new ham. Purchasing a rebuilt Yaesu FL-2100F from one of our local elmers, and I've never watched anyone tune up a tube amp. Many thanks for all your great videos, and 73. Sky - KO4DKI.
Hey Jim haven't heard you on of late good video. I have a AEA LA-30 and a Al80B and they have been good to me. Take care and thanks for the time you take making the videos. Keep them coming. VE8AP
Than you for your prompt reply, Jim. Westflex-103 is indeed darn good stuff. I've already got a small PCB etching to take the soft start thermistor, which I just happen to have had in a box for a few years. Nice to put it to good use. I decided on your recommendation to buy the ARB-704. Like you say, better smile than a frown for the want of spending a couple of bucks. Nice show. Keep up the great videos. you might take a look at youtube from my video type g6ypk and you'd get an idea of the tower and setup. 73 de Tony
Really lost, just a dumb general here looking to add an amp to my station for DX. I am surely no electronics genius but you are talking way over my head but I do enjoy most of your videos.
Thanks jim nice video and information on setup an Amplifier, i am new to Amplifiers how to properly setting them up this information is very helpful to those Hams looking in to running Amplifier i like running just two hundred watts my self just use a good antenna system to make lots of contacts. it can be a big challenge for those that our running big linear Amplifiers to make the contact. i just make the best of it since a good Amateur Amplifier is very costly :-( well jim keep the good videos coming thanks ted Dean KD2ARD....
Hi Jim, great video! I just acquired an L4B and am very interested in wiring in the remote switch setup that you have. If you have time, can you give more detail on how to wire in the remote switch? Much appreciated! Ross AD6OE
Was just looking at amps. Man they have gotten pricey. Do you recommend a certain amp in the 800 watt range? Al80b maybe ? Thanks Jim. Running w an icom 7300
If you get a chance an explanation and hands on demonstration of the RF flow in and out of the amp would be helpful. Very helpful videos!! 73, Bill KO4NR
Jim, I hope this message finds you well. I Picked up a Drake L-4B from a local ham in town here a few months ago. I'm still learning it, but have used it a few times to great success. This is a great video! Thank you for doing this! I have one "newbie" question to ask and hope that you still monitor this after 6 years: When you key the radio, what mode is it in? I'm assuming not sideband as you need to send a carrier? I use my paddle in CW mode, then switch to SSB if I'm using it on SSB. Thank you again for making this and 73!! Joe KA9I
OH, this is Beautiful! i always was a bit mystified when it came to tuning a linear as opposed to a class C plate modulated rig like a Viking 2! my first experience was with a "Knight Kit" marketed for 10 meter ham, but really made for CB! that tuned up just about how you described here but in fewer steps. it was pretty clean actually! What caused the really distorted signals? Overdriven mobile amps or the fact that they were solid state?
Thanks for the extraordinary support. I've never ever driven my amplifier tl 922 with 100 watts. Always 50 watts. From my antenna to the amplifier i have 90 feet of 36 years old Rg8. I'm ordering from your website all the necessary materials to install new pl 239 on all new cables rg213 i am going to purchase. The other antennas as well are in same condition. Changing yagi 3 elements multi Fritzel. Very old. So my amplifier, 50 watts key down = a bit less than 600 watts.
Thank you. That is probably about right for 50 watts of drive. With 100 watts you should get about 1200 to 1500 watts out. Thirty six year old coax is really lossy. You are loosing probably 50% to 75% of your power in that old coax. You will see a huge difference in signal strength and the SWR will look a little higher. 73, Jim W6LG
This video helped Me rune tl922a With ts930 Preset cw 30 watts input Goto tune mode Tune 922a Goto ssb on ts930 Goto ssb amp Wa la very modest amount Of power 500 to 600watts Save wear and tear on amp And tubes My 922a has only 50 hours service on it It us like new
Thanks very much for your support. My immaculate, externally immaculate tl 922 is dated January 1980. It has been used not on every day base. I didn't have time. Now i finally have that time and i use it 3 to 4 hours a day, 5 days a week. Work almost cw. So when i tune it carefully it gives 550 watt continuous. According to your experience, in that situation, do you recommend changing tubes or wait. When comes the time and how you really see its time for a change? Bst 73 de i4oqa.
Hi, Jim. I'm in the UK, so 240V here. I've just picked up my first big HF Amp, the AL-811H (four tubes). In the UK we are restricted to 26dBw (400 watts), so my amp will be cantering along. How did that song go? "I got my Amp to keep me Warm" (grins). Anyway; I use Westflex 103 everywhere (even hook-ups) and never have a problem, but any thin coax, no matter what type, I've had problems (the operator?), so dumped them all. I bend my cable round a wheel so as not to mess up the impedance, where curves are concerned (pedantic, yes). My concern, before even turning on this amp is where to use an ARB-704 Interface. Radios in use FT-2000 / IC-7300 / IC-7100. I'd rather not damage expensive radios for the want of doing the job right first time. Your thoughts would be most welcome, Jim.
Hi, I had never heard of that coax, so I 'googled' it. Loss is half of RG213! Thanks for the heads up! The interface boxes like that go in the keying line between the transceiver and the amp. Typically that is a phono plug on both ends. I use the interface boxes (either homemade or assembled) just to be safe. I had a call yesterday from a friend who blew up the switching transistor in his Icom by not using an interface box. Also, I would engage the tuner in the transceiver to provide a little more circuity between the final transistors and the linear in case it coughs or burps. Things happen. Thanks Tony. 73 Jim W6LG
I keep a chart of where plate and load should be. Go to those settings and hit it with 50-60watts , quickly touch it up and I'm done. 50w in equals 1000w out on my amp. Thanks for the videos. VE3WF
So many nice videos but the simple thing as how to hook up the tuner and swr meters go in the Daisy chain to linear missing? I have ic 7300 antennas are restricted. I was able to get a all band vertical installed to my front door hand rails.. I have signals coming in ok .. bit on low side but working .. my swr about 3 the mfj came in handy and have flat swr. Now it's complicated I bought a amertron solid state 600 it's a beast. I plan to use only at 200 to 300 watts max.. I have no knowledge where the stuff get hooked up.right where tuner goes last my external meters for swr .. and if I use my internal tuner or not ... Very complicated .. I think I have some basic ideas but wish your videos if includes linears and how to tune them don't skip the simple stuff which is the most important .
Peelarat This should all be covered in your amplifier documentation. You do not use your radio's internal tuner (if so equipped -- I assume this is the internal tuner you mention) as there should be darn near 50-Ohms between your radio and the amplifier and you do not want to be altering this relationship dynamically or you complicate tuning things down the line. If you are using a solid state amplifier then you will absolutely want to insert a tuner after the amplifier (one rated in excess of the amplifier's maximum output power) so that the antenna load, as seen by the amplifier, is as close to a 1.0 SWR as possible as solid state amplifiers are very sensitive to the impedance mismatches created by high SWRs whereas traditional tube amplifiers are much more forgiving of the higher voltages encountered by SWR mismatches. If your solid state amplifier contains its own internal tuner then you would make use of that tuner (and thus do not need another tuner after it) since that will be inserted after the amplifier, matching your antenna and coax/ladder line to the amplifier.
Hi, Jim. I've always wanted a big valve PA. However, I'm only allowed 26dbw here, but would rather have 1kW and run run the full 400 Watts so that I would be ticking over and have an amplifier (tubes) that would last many years. In the past I have built 70cms and 23cms amps up to a few hundred Watts PEP with little problems. Would I be better off buying a ready built HF amp, or, should I build, knowing the transformers and capacitors are going to be a pain to obtain?
g6ypk Tony I have built a few VHF amplifiers, both solid state and thermionic. Building is more fun than operating for me, some parts you want for a multi and HF amplifier are not widely available cheaply. Sometimes it is an attractive solution to buy a used commercial amplifier that needs TLC.
Will I damage my amplifier (new to me) if I tune my amp, and use it, at less than full power? Because my antenna tuner will only handle 300 watts, I want to stay below that. Also, I see you always add a little extra load each time you tune. Is that what they call "dipping the load"?
It's dipping the plate. If you watch the video, the upper meter which displays plate amperes will dip as he tunes the lower power output meter for maximum.
Jim I was reviewing your video and saw at 15:10 you state your increasing your plate voltage. I didn't see you adjust the Plate Voltage Load knob ..???
James Hiney Efficient, yes. Clean, there is nothing remotely clean -- RFI wise at least -- about a PWM'd square wave. To turn a Class D amplifier into something clean enough for radio would require a tremendous amount of filtering in order to remove all the harmful harmonics rendering a clean analog output. You tend to see class D more so on the audio side than in amateur radio since spurious emissions are a serious matter when transmitting at power in radio since those harmonics and splatter tend to obliterate other licensed radio services -- that is why we do not use cheap (and illegal) CB "pill" amplifiers as they tend to cause tremendous interference. There is much greater tolerance for distortion and out of band harmonics in the audio realm, especially among those whom only care about the raw power of the "boom".
I just purchased a SDR 1 MHz to 6 GHz transmitter at about 5 watts. If I wanted to increase my signal to 50 or 100 watts do you have any recommendations for new equipment?
I have no idea about what to buy. And, what could possibly cover that huge range of frequencies and still meet FCC standards; especially IMD. Sorry that I can't help. I just don't know anything about SDR transmitters. I have several receivers. 73, Jim W6LG
Hallo. Have you ever tuned a kenwood tl 922 hf amplifier? There are a few videos. In Japanese and one in English. I'm not so sure if tuning as per the user manual is really correct. In that case you won't get all the hummus out of tl 922. Bst 73 de i4oqa.
Hi, I have tuned and used a TL922. I did tune that amplifier in the same way that I did the L4B in the video. That Kenwood is a very good amplifier and can run 1500 watts out. 73, Jim W6LG
That tuning is described in the operation manual. There are lethal voltages so you must be extraordinarily careful. Insulated tools are handy to have around the radio room. 73, Jim
@@ham-radio thanks for the info Jim I must have missed that in the manual and yes thay have very high voltage present in them I will take every precaution possible when working on it keep up the amazing work and content I really enjoy your videos 73 Kd9dle
I'm not sure if I'm set up correctly.. I have a general Lee ran into a 2 pill fat boy linear amplifier to 2 trucker 2000 antenna.. I have a huge power wire from the battery to a diffusion block with 8 guage to the amp 10 guage to the radio both ground to the chassis.. but radio only I max the guage on the radio with amp on only 3 quarter of it.. and lights on the radio dim.. can you give me some things to do to test or rate effectiveness
Besides being illegal, CB amps create too much distortion and unwanted harmonics on and out of the CB frequencies. For educational purposes, feed your amp to a dummy load. Make sure your radio is perfectly aligned so that it has the cleanest output signal a radio technician can adjust it for. No over modulation and no cranking your output power on your radio. Using a bird meter will give you a more accurate reading on your output power from the amp. If your lights are dimming right now, my guess is that you’re doing well over 200 Watts. Lowering your drive power with a clean (aligned) transmitter might give you less power on your meter but it will sound a lot better. Having said all of this....it’s still best not to go on the air with an illegal amp. Good luck.
I have been using 3-500Z/ZG tube Amps (Drake L-7, Kenwood TL-922, Heathkit SB-220 etc for 30 years now. First tune 40 watts, second tune 100/200 Watts drive, pending on Exciter rig. Never had to replace a set of Finals yet. Great video, but a very long winded process which is far from required.
Hallo Jim. Thanks. So it seem all right. Tubes to me look as 20 years ago in colour. I've to purchase all new coax next week. And pl and tools from you. I work only hf. What king of coax do you recommend? Thanks. Bst 73 de i4oqa. Yoky.
Hello Jim from Humboldt CA my name is Aaron they call me 707 I really like your web page with linear using Ldmos I havent yet figured out my combiner for using Ldmos instead of old "pill" type power transistor ive learned everything on my own only looking at pictures and had to look up each part to find values of them nobody shares info and its hard but after all i'am using citizen band and registered myself the very first two pill i built because of my dad is there a page that explains the way to use Ldmos padding or combine like old school simple pill ? by the way love your video's just found them
I don't have an answer for you. But it would be good if you studied a little for an amateur radio license. Drop the CB lingo and speak in plain language on the ham bands. You might want to find a local radio club for support and testing. 73, Jim W6LG
Nena Pike, go to KF8OD.s website, he built a few with the BLF188XR LDMOS and has full schematics. He is giving up on tube amps now that he has these new devices
Jim, I realize that this is an older video but yet the information was useful. I've been a hand for quite some time and I am an extra class. My setup is a Yaesu FT 2000 connect to a 811H followed by a LDG AT1000. I've switched the tubes to the 572 s so I do get a bit more than 800 out of it. There's enough headroom for the LDG to handle. But what I don't understand is there's 50 ohms coming out of the transceiver going into the amplifier that is showing a good SWR before I turn the amp on. That tells me that the antenna is resonant for the most part. I don't use the internal tuner at all. The confusing part is when I turn the amp on and tune it the SWR goes up to about 2.5:1 even though I have properly tuned the load and plate. What issue am I looking at? Your paragraph thank you in advance.
@@ham-radio :: good morning and thank you for your reply. I long ago corrected the word Entune to the proper *and tune*. I'm guessing you have a reader or email account that got the uncorrected version.
Okay, I have built many amplifiers over the decades. Some like you are using. Just to make things easier, disconnect the coax from the tuner. Get the tuner completely out of the circuit and test again. Likely, there is no change as a result of the above. You amplifier has several tuned circuits (tuners). capacitor----inductor----capacitor The 811H schematic has a switched tuner on the input that is adjustable. The input impedance of those 572B tubes may be different from the input impedance of 811a's. I know the literature says the impedances are about the same 215 to 220 ohms, but I suspect that is not the case here. Also, the input impedance of the amp is not the same as the impedance of the antenna system as seen by the plate tank circuit. That tank circuit might be matching a few thousand ohms down to 50 ohms. Does that sound about right to you? 73, Jim
@@ham-radio :: I appreciate your input. Pardon the unintentional pun. I understand what you're saying. But I have no way of knowing with the SWR is after the amplifier unless for example I put my Bird 43 inline with a 1kw HF element. Then I can see the reflected. I understand what you mean about tuned circuits but until about 10 years ago I didn't use amps. I used tuned antennas such as a SteppIR. Straight through with my measly 100 Watts I could get a good SWR. Unfortunately, it came down with my divorce and hasn't gone back up. So I run a Alpha Delta DXCC that gives me relatively good performance on all the bands. The LDG basically just put everything at a perceived 50 ohms. I know that it doesn't tune anything. Incidentally, it's already out of line because it failed. I was getting 0 output but measuring 100 watts output on the Bird 43 from the transceiver. That told me where to look. So I am out of line. But again, I can't see what the SWR is reporting unless I put the Bird 43 in. I know they're accurate to about 5%. I'm wondering if the ldg was it a pre failure mode and I'll have to put the Bird 43 in and explore a little bit further. I do recall at the time checking the reverse and seeing some reflected. I didn't translate that to SWR. I won't take your time and ramble on anymore. One reason I asked questions is that should other hams see this and have similar questions we can all learn at the same time from someone such as yourself with a vast knowledge of ham radio. Thank you for your response and thank you for what you do.
There is not much, I just plugged it into my Yaseu as instructed in the manual(I connected relay connection to a switch which is connected to an external power supply and connected the RF out to my 1/4 wl vertical, i connected the yaseu to the Rf in) and when I key the amplifier in AM mode with the rf out down to 0, the grid current is 0 and the plate is 75. When i turn the drive to 50 watts, nothing changes. Something is shorted or not working. 73, Ivan
Sorry, I can't help. You have not told us anything new. I don't know model numbers, bands, plate voltage, tubes, transistors, ALC connection, ptt connection, vox or mox, not even your callsign. Have you contacted the manufacturer or retailer? Have you enabled the phono jack? It is like saying my car won't start and asking what is wrong with no details. 73, Jim
Its an Ameritron-al811 811A new tubes 40 meters no ptt vox mox AM mode no ALC plugged in plate voltage is normal, 1.5 kv I have not contacted anybody. phone jack is enabled Here, I answered all your Questions. I just wanted to know if its a common issue with the al811.
Hi, You made no mention of the amplifier. So, if you wanted to know if this was common with the AL811, you should have asked that. It is not common. I would very carefully set the transceiver to 1 watt and put it into transmit in the AM mode. Then I would manually short the phone jack cable to key the amplifier. 73, Jim
i was looking to get a clearer guide, rather than " a little here and back off there and see what that shows and it might be less". better would have been what you are tuning why, what are the values, what am i changing, etc. maybe the next one hits the spot better. thanks for trying though
@@ralph9987 Okay Good Ralph. That is a nice amplifier. If you look at Page 7 in your instructions for that amp, it describes in much less detail, basically, the same procedure. With an RF amplifier, you want it to be linear! There are no presets that work. Why? Because it is an amplifier with a tank circuit. For example, if you go from let's say 7050 to 7200, you should touch up the tuning...retune it. When you change antennas, you should retune. If you don't do as I describe that amp will need to back for service and likely new tubes. I have about 56 years of tuning amp; 1964. Have fun with that amp when you get it back. It is a nice design. You are lucky to have it. 73, Jim
Total click bait title. I thought this would be hot babes riding motor cycles. Instead its some old guy talking about some old AM radio thing. BORING! Just kidding very informative.
I can't tell why you're moving each of the two tuning knobs or what you're looking for in your adjustments.. This isn't the explanation I am needing. I understand it's all so easy for you, but you have had many years experience.
No, it's 2000 Watts PEP power input max. from the power supply to the linear PA. For 1200 Watts PEP output max. RF signal power from the linear PA to the antenna load. Thus 60% peak plate power efficiency. Naturally the figures for PEP input power and efficiency drop considerably on average for ordinary voice service on SSB. But those are the specs. for maximum conditions at the crests of the SSB modulation envelope.
Jim - this video is a classic how-to. I've recommended it to numerous inexperienced hams. You are doing a great service to the amateur radio community - 73 & good health, Al W1VTP
Jim: This is a HUGE HELP to this new ham. Purchasing a rebuilt Yaesu FL-2100F from one of our local elmers, and I've never watched anyone tune up a tube amp. Many thanks for all your great videos, and 73. Sky - KO4DKI.
Always so informative, glad you survived your health crisis
I watched this video a few years ago and did not fully understand it. Watching it today, it all makes sense.
Great video Jim! Keep up the good work and best of DX to you de Cliff, KU4GW.
Many thanks for your time making these great videos especially for us newbies.
+hobbiehobb Thank you! That is very kind.
Hey Jim haven't heard you on of late good video. I have a AEA LA-30 and a Al80B and they have been good to me. Take care and thanks for the time you take making the videos.
Keep them coming. VE8AP
I am working on that now. Trying to get a new camera to work correctly for videos. Thanks Bill! 73, Jim
Very clear instructional video thanks for posting
Hi Jim, I also have the Drake
L-4B. Thanks for your videos.
Great Video, very informative (also I like the machine gun at 2:48)
Well I didn't entirely understand it but was glad you talked about the pronounced dip that was a test question in the General Element!
Great setup you have, id love to know more as i am a newby.
Can't wait to get one! Some day
Than you for your prompt reply, Jim. Westflex-103 is indeed darn good stuff. I've already got a small PCB etching to take the soft start thermistor, which I just happen to have had in a box for a few years. Nice to put it to good use.
I decided on your recommendation to buy the ARB-704. Like you say, better smile than a frown for the want of spending a couple of bucks. Nice show. Keep up the great videos. you might take a look at youtube from my video type g6ypk and you'd get an idea of the tower and setup.
73 de Tony
thanks for your video Jim, I just bought a L-4B today and I'm going to study lots before I try it, do you tune it every time you use it?
your video's are great to see Rob QLD AUSTRALIA 73
Really lost, just a dumb general here looking to add an amp to my station for DX. I am surely no electronics genius but you are talking way over my head but I do enjoy most of your videos.
Hi, Jim: I just got a Heathkit SB-200 amplifier in a July 4th auction on Ebay.
Thanks jim nice video and information on setup an Amplifier,
i am new to Amplifiers how to properly setting them up this information is very helpful to those Hams looking in to running Amplifier i like running just two hundred watts my self just use a good antenna system to make lots of contacts.
it can be a big challenge for those that our running big linear Amplifiers to make the contact.
i just make the best of it since a good Amateur Amplifier is very costly :-(
well jim keep the good videos coming thanks ted Dean KD2ARD....
Hi Jim, great video! I just acquired an L4B and am very interested in wiring in the remote switch setup that you have. If you have time, can you give more detail on how to wire in the remote switch? Much appreciated! Ross AD6OE
Jim, If you havenht already done one(?) You should do a walk thru of your home built amplifier...
Was just looking at amps. Man they have gotten pricey. Do you recommend a certain amp in the 800 watt range? Al80b maybe ? Thanks Jim. Running w an icom 7300
If you get a chance an explanation and hands on demonstration of the RF flow in and out of the amp would be helpful.
Very helpful videos!!
73,
Bill KO4NR
Jim, I hope this message finds you well. I Picked up a Drake L-4B from a local ham in town here a few months ago. I'm still learning it, but have used it a few times to great success. This is a great video! Thank you for doing this!
I have one "newbie" question to ask and hope that you still monitor this after 6 years: When you key the radio, what mode is it in? I'm assuming not sideband as you need to send a carrier? I use my paddle in CW mode, then switch to SSB if I'm using it on SSB.
Thank you again for making this and 73!!
Joe
KA9I
Sounds good. Tune for max output and then increase the load control about 1/8 to 1/4 inch. 73, Jim
OH, this is Beautiful! i always was a bit mystified when it came to tuning a linear as opposed to a class C plate modulated rig like a Viking 2! my first experience was with a "Knight Kit" marketed for 10 meter ham, but really made for CB! that tuned up just about how you described here but in fewer steps. it was pretty clean actually! What caused the really distorted signals? Overdriven mobile amps or the fact that they were solid state?
Thanks for the extraordinary support. I've never ever driven my amplifier tl 922 with 100 watts. Always 50 watts. From my antenna to the amplifier i have 90 feet of 36 years old Rg8. I'm ordering from your website all the necessary materials to install new pl 239 on all new cables rg213 i am going to purchase. The other antennas as well are in same condition. Changing yagi 3 elements multi Fritzel. Very old. So my amplifier, 50 watts key down = a bit less than 600 watts.
Thank you.
That is probably about right for 50 watts of drive. With 100 watts you should get about 1200 to 1500 watts out. Thirty six year old coax is really lossy. You are loosing probably 50% to 75% of your power in that old coax. You will see a huge difference in signal strength and the SWR will look a little higher.
73, Jim W6LG
This video helped
Me rune tl922a
With ts930
Preset cw 30 watts input
Goto tune mode
Tune 922a
Goto ssb on ts930
Goto ssb amp
Wa la very modest amount
Of power 500 to 600watts
Save wear and tear on amp
And tubes
My 922a has only 50 hours service on it
It us like new
For coax i switched to rfc400
My opionion best option
More cost
Bit will handle higjer power
Thanks very much for your support. My immaculate, externally immaculate tl 922 is dated January 1980. It has been used not on every day base. I didn't have time. Now i finally have that time and i use it 3 to 4 hours a day, 5 days a week. Work almost cw. So when i tune it carefully it gives 550 watt continuous. According to your experience, in that situation, do you recommend changing tubes or wait. When comes the time and how you really see its time for a change? Bst 73 de i4oqa.
You should have a lot more output. Are both tubes looking a little "red" when you send 100 watts into the amp?
73, Jim
Hi, Jim. I'm in the UK, so 240V here. I've just picked up my first big HF Amp, the AL-811H (four tubes). In the UK we are restricted to 26dBw (400 watts), so my amp will be cantering along. How did that song go? "I got my Amp to keep me Warm" (grins). Anyway; I use Westflex 103 everywhere (even hook-ups) and never have a problem, but any thin coax, no matter what type, I've had problems (the operator?), so dumped them all. I bend my cable round a wheel so as not to mess up the impedance, where curves are concerned (pedantic, yes).
My concern, before even turning on this amp is where to use an ARB-704 Interface. Radios in use FT-2000 / IC-7300 / IC-7100.
I'd rather not damage expensive radios for the want of doing the job right first time.
Your thoughts would be most welcome, Jim.
Hi,
I had never heard of that coax, so I 'googled' it. Loss is half of RG213! Thanks for the heads up!
The interface boxes like that go in the keying line between the transceiver and the amp. Typically that is a phono plug on both ends. I use the interface boxes (either homemade or assembled) just to be safe. I had a call yesterday from a friend who blew up the switching transistor in his Icom by not using an interface box. Also, I would engage the tuner in the transceiver to provide a little more circuity between the final transistors and the linear in case it coughs or burps. Things happen. Thanks Tony. 73 Jim W6LG
I keep a chart of where plate and load should be. Go to those settings and hit it with 50-60watts , quickly touch it up and I'm done. 50w in equals 1000w out on my amp. Thanks for the videos. VE3WF
what about Grounded Grid vs Cathode or conventional circuit?
So many nice videos but the simple thing as how to hook up the tuner and swr meters go in the Daisy chain to linear missing? I have ic 7300 antennas are restricted. I was able to get a all band vertical installed
to my front door hand rails.. I have signals coming in ok .. bit on low side but working .. my swr about 3 the mfj came in handy and have flat swr. Now it's complicated I bought a amertron solid state 600 it's a beast. I plan to use only at 200 to 300 watts max.. I have no knowledge where the stuff get hooked up.right where tuner goes last my external meters for swr .. and if I use my internal tuner or not ... Very complicated .. I think I have some basic ideas but wish your videos if includes linears and how to tune them don't skip the simple stuff which is the most important .
Peelarat This should all be covered in your amplifier documentation. You do not use your radio's internal tuner (if so equipped -- I assume this is the internal tuner you mention) as there should be darn near 50-Ohms between your radio and the amplifier and you do not want to be altering this relationship dynamically or you complicate tuning things down the line. If you are using a solid state amplifier then you will absolutely want to insert a tuner after the amplifier (one rated in excess of the amplifier's maximum output power) so that the antenna load, as seen by the amplifier, is as close to a 1.0 SWR as possible as solid state amplifiers are very sensitive to the impedance mismatches created by high SWRs whereas traditional tube amplifiers are much more forgiving of the higher voltages encountered by SWR mismatches. If your solid state amplifier contains its own internal tuner then you would make use of that tuner (and thus do not need another tuner after it) since that will be inserted after the amplifier, matching your antenna and coax/ladder line to the amplifier.
I miss the days of my C-Lines with a L-4B
Do these amplifiers cause any loss on RX? I would imagine so unless they have a relay that bypasses the circuit.
They have relays at input and output so that they have a fairly lossless path for receive or for direct transmit from the exciter.
Hi, Jim. I've always wanted a big valve PA. However, I'm only allowed 26dbw here, but would rather have 1kW and run run the full 400 Watts so that I would be ticking over and have an amplifier (tubes) that would last many years. In the past I have built 70cms and 23cms amps up to a few hundred Watts PEP with little problems. Would I be better off buying a ready built HF amp, or, should I build, knowing the transformers and capacitors are going to be a pain to obtain?
g6ypk Tony I have built a few VHF amplifiers, both solid state and thermionic. Building is more fun than operating for me, some parts you want for a multi and HF amplifier are not widely available cheaply. Sometimes it is an attractive solution to buy a used commercial amplifier that needs TLC.
Will I damage my amplifier (new to me) if I tune my amp, and use it, at less than full power? Because my antenna tuner will only handle 300 watts, I want to stay below that. Also, I see you always add a little extra load each time you tune. Is that what they call "dipping the load"?
It's dipping the plate. If you watch the video, the upper meter which displays plate amperes will dip as he tunes the lower power output meter for maximum.
Jim
I was reviewing your video and saw at 15:10 you state your increasing your plate voltage.
I didn't see you adjust the Plate Voltage Load knob ..???
I think I may have flip a rocker switch on the front panel of the amp. There are two voltage positions. Thanks for asking. 73, Jim W6LG
Now, we have Class D or H or where the drive controls the high voltage! but it's efficient and clean. ?
James Hiney Efficient, yes. Clean, there is nothing remotely clean -- RFI wise at least -- about a PWM'd square wave. To turn a Class D amplifier into something clean enough for radio would require a tremendous amount of filtering in order to remove all the harmful harmonics rendering a clean analog output. You tend to see class D more so on the audio side than in amateur radio since spurious emissions are a serious matter when transmitting at power in radio since those harmonics and splatter tend to obliterate other licensed radio services -- that is why we do not use cheap (and illegal) CB "pill" amplifiers as they tend to cause tremendous interference. There is much greater tolerance for distortion and out of band harmonics in the audio realm, especially among those whom only care about the raw power of the "boom".
I just purchased a SDR 1 MHz to 6 GHz transmitter at about 5 watts. If I wanted to increase my signal to 50 or 100 watts do you have any recommendations for new equipment?
I have no idea about what to buy. And, what could possibly cover that huge range of frequencies and still meet FCC standards; especially IMD. Sorry that I can't help. I just don't know anything about SDR transmitters. I have several receivers. 73, Jim W6LG
Hallo. Have you ever tuned a kenwood tl 922 hf amplifier? There are a few videos. In Japanese and one in English. I'm not so sure if tuning as per the user manual is really correct. In that case you won't get all the hummus out of tl 922. Bst 73 de i4oqa.
Hi,
I have tuned and used a TL922. I did tune that amplifier in the same way that I did the L4B in the video. That Kenwood is a very good amplifier and can run 1500 watts out.
73, Jim W6LG
Does it have one or two tubes?
So you’re on ssb? So you’re putting a modulation signal in here and tuning for maximum peak output?
I would assume it was an unmodulated CW signal coming from the radio for tuneup purposes.
As a newby My question is: If you change bands, you need to retune every time?
yes.
Jim I have a heathkit sb-200 how does one go about tuning the input circuit so the rig sees a good swr? Any specific equipment needed?
That tuning is described in the operation manual. There are lethal voltages so you must be extraordinarily careful. Insulated tools are handy to have around the radio room. 73, Jim
@@ham-radio thanks for the info Jim I must have missed that in the manual and yes thay have very high voltage present in them I will take every precaution possible when working on it keep up the amazing work and content I really enjoy your videos 73 Kd9dle
I'm not sure if I'm set up correctly.. I have a general Lee ran into a 2 pill fat boy linear amplifier to 2 trucker 2000 antenna.. I have a huge power wire from the battery to a diffusion block with 8 guage to the amp 10 guage to the radio both ground to the chassis.. but radio only I max the guage on the radio with amp on only 3 quarter of it.. and lights on the radio dim.. can you give me some things to do to test or rate effectiveness
You are asking a ham operator to offer help to run illegally on cb? LOL
Besides being illegal, CB amps create too much distortion and unwanted harmonics on and out of the CB frequencies. For educational purposes, feed your amp to a dummy load. Make sure your radio is perfectly aligned so that it has the cleanest output signal a radio technician can adjust it for. No over modulation and no cranking your output power on your radio. Using a bird meter will give you a more accurate reading on your output power from the amp. If your lights are dimming right now, my guess is that you’re doing well over 200 Watts. Lowering your drive power with a clean (aligned) transmitter might give you less power on your meter but it will sound a lot better. Having said all of this....it’s still best not to go on the air with an illegal amp. Good luck.
I have been using 3-500Z/ZG tube Amps (Drake L-7, Kenwood TL-922, Heathkit SB-220 etc for 30 years now.
First tune 40 watts, second tune 100/200 Watts drive, pending on Exciter rig.
Never had to replace a set of Finals yet.
Great video, but a very long winded process which is far from required.
Hallo Jim. Thanks. So it seem all right. Tubes to me look as 20 years ago in colour. I've to purchase all new coax next week. And pl and tools from you. I work only hf. What king of coax do you recommend? Thanks. Bst 73 de i4oqa. Yoky.
I like LMR400. If it needs to be flexible, I like RG213.
73, Jim
Jim W6LG
W6LG->7DAA , QTH philippines can you suggest a better amplifier for my cignus w80? 73!mabuhay!
Hello Jim from Humboldt CA my name is Aaron they call me 707 I really like your web page with linear using Ldmos I havent yet figured out my combiner for using Ldmos instead of old "pill" type power transistor ive learned everything on my own only looking at pictures and had to look up each part to find values of them nobody shares info and its hard but after all i'am using citizen band and registered myself the very first two pill i built because of my dad is there a page that explains the way to use Ldmos padding or combine like old school simple pill ? by the way love your video's just found them
I don't have an answer for you. But it would be good if you studied a little for an amateur radio license. Drop the CB lingo and speak in plain language on the ham bands. You might want to find a local radio club for support and testing. 73, Jim W6LG
Nena Pike, go to KF8OD.s website, he built a few with the BLF188XR LDMOS and has full schematics. He is giving up on tube amps now that he has these new devices
Jim. who taught you to tune an amp.
Jim, I realize that this is an older video but yet the information was useful. I've been a hand for quite some time and I am an extra class. My setup is a Yaesu FT 2000 connect to a 811H followed by a LDG AT1000. I've switched the tubes to the 572 s so I do get a bit more than 800 out of it. There's enough headroom for the LDG to handle.
But what I don't understand is there's 50 ohms coming out of the transceiver going into the amplifier that is showing a good SWR before I turn the amp on. That tells me that the antenna is resonant for the most part. I don't use the internal tuner at all.
The confusing part is when I turn the amp on and tune it the SWR goes up to about 2.5:1 even though I have properly tuned the load and plate.
What issue am I looking at? Your paragraph thank you in advance.
From my phone, what is Entune? I do have an idea about what might be wrong. 73 Jim w6lg
@@ham-radio :: good morning and thank you for your reply. I long ago corrected the word Entune to the proper *and tune*. I'm guessing you have a reader or email account that got the uncorrected version.
@@ham-radio :: I guess it would help to continue that. Too early in the morning for me to be typing. What's your idea? I'd appreciate knowing.
Okay, I have built many amplifiers over the decades. Some like you are using. Just to make things easier, disconnect the coax from the tuner. Get the tuner completely out of the circuit and test again.
Likely, there is no change as a result of the above. You amplifier has several tuned circuits (tuners).
capacitor----inductor----capacitor
The 811H schematic has a switched tuner on the input that is adjustable.
The input impedance of those 572B tubes may be different from the input impedance of 811a's. I know the literature says the impedances are about the same 215 to 220 ohms, but I suspect that is not the case here.
Also, the input impedance of the amp is not the same as the impedance of the antenna system as seen by the plate tank circuit. That tank circuit might be matching a few thousand ohms down to 50 ohms.
Does that sound about right to you?
73, Jim
@@ham-radio :: I appreciate your input. Pardon the unintentional pun. I understand what you're saying. But I have no way of knowing with the SWR is after the amplifier unless for example I put my Bird 43 inline with a 1kw HF element. Then I can see the reflected.
I understand what you mean about tuned circuits but until about 10 years ago I didn't use amps. I used tuned antennas such as a SteppIR. Straight through with my measly 100 Watts I could get a good SWR. Unfortunately, it came down with my divorce and hasn't gone back up. So I run a Alpha Delta DXCC that gives me relatively good performance on all the bands. The LDG basically just put everything at a perceived 50 ohms. I know that it doesn't tune anything. Incidentally, it's already out of line because it failed. I was getting 0 output but measuring 100 watts output on the Bird 43 from the transceiver. That told me where to look. So I am out of line. But again, I can't see what the SWR is reporting unless I put the Bird 43 in. I know they're accurate to about 5%. I'm wondering if the ldg was it a pre failure mode and I'll have to put the Bird 43 in and explore a little bit further. I do recall at the time checking the reverse and seeing some reflected. I didn't translate that to SWR.
I won't take your time and ramble on anymore. One reason I asked questions is that should other hams see this and have similar questions we can all learn at the same time from someone such as yourself with a vast knowledge of ham radio.
Thank you for your response and thank you for what you do.
How can I tune up my vacuum tuner on my CB linear
Ahhh, I don't understand the question. Regards, Jim
is a solid wire or a stranded wire better for a long wire antenna???
Stranded. It is less likely to break. 73, Jim
@@ham-radio thanx
tnxs Jim tune for maximum output
Yes indeed! Thanks Paul. Hope to hear you soon on 20 meters. 73, Jim
what am i doing wrong, my plate current is 75, my grid current is 0. 50 watts in, 50 watts out? I have no tuner hooked up.
You are not providing enough information for anyone to help you. What is the rest of the story? 73, Jim
There is not much, I just plugged it into my Yaseu as instructed in the manual(I connected relay connection to a switch which is connected to an external power supply and connected the RF out to my 1/4 wl vertical, i connected the yaseu to the Rf in) and when I key the amplifier in AM mode with the rf out down to 0, the grid current is 0 and the plate is 75. When i turn the drive to 50 watts, nothing changes. Something is shorted or not working.
73, Ivan
Sorry, I can't help. You have not told us anything new. I don't know model numbers, bands, plate voltage, tubes, transistors, ALC connection, ptt connection, vox or mox, not even your callsign. Have you contacted the manufacturer or retailer? Have you enabled the phono jack? It is like saying my car won't start and asking what is wrong with no details. 73, Jim
Its an Ameritron-al811
811A new tubes
40 meters
no ptt vox mox
AM mode
no ALC plugged in
plate voltage is normal, 1.5 kv
I have not contacted anybody.
phone jack is enabled
Here, I answered all your Questions.
I just wanted to know if its a common issue with the al811.
Hi, You made no mention of the amplifier. So, if you wanted to know if this was common with the AL811, you should have asked that. It is not common. I would very carefully set the transceiver to 1 watt and put it into transmit in the AM mode. Then I would manually short the phone jack cable to key the amplifier. 73, Jim
Time saver: Skip to 9:45
Very helpful. de WB5MET
Skip to the 10:00 mark if you want to see tuning up the amplifier. The first 10 minutes are just Jim talking about nothing related.
i was looking to get a clearer guide, rather than " a little here and back off there and see what that shows and it might be less". better would have been what you are tuning why, what are the values, what am i changing, etc. maybe the next one hits the spot better. thanks for trying though
Before I answer Ralph, what amplifier do you have?
@@ham-radio once I get it back from being checked and serviced, a FL2100B
@@ralph9987 Okay Good Ralph. That is a nice amplifier. If you look at Page 7 in your instructions for that amp, it describes in much less detail, basically, the same procedure. With an RF amplifier, you want it to be linear! There are no presets that work. Why? Because it is an amplifier with a tank circuit. For example, if you go from let's say 7050 to 7200, you should touch up the tuning...retune it. When you change antennas, you should retune. If you don't do as I describe that amp will need to back for service and likely new tubes. I have about 56 years of tuning amp; 1964. Have fun with that amp when you get it back. It is a nice design. You are lucky to have it. 73, Jim
@@ham-radio thanks Jim
Mmmmm....ham...🙂
Honey baked ham! 73, Jim
Total click bait title. I thought this would be hot babes riding motor cycles. Instead its some old guy talking about some old AM radio thing. BORING! Just kidding very informative.
Dave B DO it on a bike! Radio or whatever!??
I can't tell why you're moving each of the two tuning knobs or what you're looking for in your adjustments.. This isn't the explanation I am needing. I understand it's all so easy for you, but you have had many years experience.
I was tuning for maximum output power and keeping the grid current within limits as stated on the data sheet. 73, Jim
2,000 watts input for 1,200 out? That doesn’t make sense. Did you mis speak and mean 200 watts input?
No, it's 2000 Watts PEP power input max. from the power supply to the linear PA. For 1200 Watts PEP output max. RF signal power from the linear PA to the antenna load.
Thus 60% peak plate power efficiency.
Naturally the figures for PEP input power and efficiency drop considerably on average for ordinary voice service on SSB.
But those are the specs. for maximum conditions at the crests of the SSB modulation envelope.
dont tell about so much labor pains before you show them the baby!
Boring