Lazy Senior wrote:

William

Thanx for the info. It seems like most hams I work on AM that use amps
are using linear amps, but much to my surprise there are many here in
this group that are against using linears.

Lazy (yes) Senior (yes)


Well, you can go either way, but linears are simpler, self-contained,
easy to service, and they help keep the room warm.

High level plate modulation was "The way to go" before the FCC switched
to measuring output power instead of input, and I understand why some
hams would want to use Class C finals and high level modulation, since
that's the best way to get the most efficiency out of a 1 KW input rig.
Now that we measure output power, I don't feel that the added hardware
and maintenance of using high-level modulation is justified. Others may
disagree.

My attitude is "If it isn't fun, stop doing it" - this is a _hobby_, but
somehow a few hams never get the word. If having a "big iron" rig is
what turns you on, go for it. If you want to maximize efficiency and
homebrew a rig from scratch, there are Class E designs available using
computer components to good effect. If you're interested in a smaller
footprint and interoperability with SSB or other modes that need
linears, then a linear is a practical alternative.

FWIW.

William

--

William Warren

(Filter noise from my address for direct replies)