Hi,

No real pitfall with a modern amp, as long as you get one
rated for continuous duty a.m. operation.
You need tubes with a lot of plate dissipation rating,
since a.m. linear is inefficent, maybe 25% carrier efficiency.
Look for a linear with ceramic tubes, a big blower
and a heavy-duty power supply.

You may need an rf power attenuator between the Ranger
and the linear. Most modern linear amps
produce 1500W peak output with only about 65w peak drive.
Your Ranger will produce 160W pep output in a.m. mode
(at 40W carrier). The linear will be producing 375W carrier,
at legal limit, so it will be almost 10dB more output
than the barefoot Ranger. With no modulation,
the linear's power input will be about 1,500 Watts
(assuming 25% efficiency).
A lot of heat will be dissipted from the linear's plates,
about 1,125 Watts.

A T-network made of 3 each 100W lightbulbs may be an OK
rf attenuator at the linear's input, so you don't overdrive it.

73,
Ed Knobloch






Lazy Senior wrote:
I recently acquired a Viking Ranger in nice working condx.

I am interested in using this on AM on 160, 80, and 40 mtrs. The Ranger
runs around 40 watts Am carrier output. I would like to get an amplifier
to use with this xmtr, maybe a vintage amp. What should I be looking
for? I would like to run legal Am Limit on these 3 bands. Should I
forget about Vintage Amps and get a modern Amp? Suggestions please. Any
pitfalls to using a modern Amp?

Thanx

Lazy Senior