On 27 Nov 00, at 8:08, Bob Marston wrote:
< snip >
> The 4CX-1600B with the exception of the Austrailian Emtron design has not
> seen it's way into commercial designs because Svetlana can not provide a
> reliable deliver schedule for the tube.
Ten-Tec and QRO now offer amps based on the 4cx1600b.
Svetlana has, indeed, had difficulty with delivery. Maybe that's
fixed now. I don't know.
> George Daughters has built a
> homebrew amp around this tube and his intial reports were good. He hasn't
> said anything about how the amp has held up in ongoing service.
Here's an update. The "Sunnyvale/St. Petersburg Kilowatt +" is
still going strong. It's been very reliable. I tend NOT to run it with
all controls fully clockwise. I probably average about 1300W out,
and it doesn't get more than warm. I like cooooool components.
I've fiddled a bit with electronic bias switching to minimize heat
generation during zero signal conditions. I don't use it, because
I've gotten comments like "It sounds like you're using heavy digital
processing on your audio" and "You're not splattering, but your
voice sounds unnatural." My decision not to use it is just an
individual preference, not a condemnation of the technique. (The
amp runs cool enough without it.)
The amp is used heavily in most SSB and CW contests, so it gets
more-than-average use. I've been using the same tube since I wrote
the article.
vy 73,
George T. Daughters, K6GT
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