Phil Kane wrote:
On Wed, 16 Jul 2008 20:51:14 EDT, wrote:
There are, such as RF power amplifiers for HF and low VHF. While it is
certainly possible to build the solidstate equivalent of, say, a
single-3-500Z HF amplifier, the SS version costs more and is less
efficient.
Yet the broadcast industry is going to SS as fast as they can.
Modular in design, if one "final" module fails, the power gets reduced
but they stay on the air. If a "final" tube fails, it's February
2009 much sooner. Reduction in maintenance costs outweigh capital
investment. I don't think that you can buy a new AM broadcast
transmitter below 50 KW that isn't SS all the way, and there are
plenty of SS 50 rigs in service.
--
73 de K2ASP - Phil Kane
From a Clearing in the Silicon Forest
Beaverton (Washington County) Oregon
e-mail: k2asp [at] arrl [dot] net
The SS transmitters don't sound as good as their tube counterparts: I
worked at a station that had a SS transmitter in the 5K class, and
whenever we switched the "old" unit on so we could maintain the new one,
I heard a noticeable improvement in sound quality. It was subtle, and I
was in the business, but it was definitely there.
The management loved the SS unit because it took less power, but I was
disappointed with the sound.
My 2¢.
73,
Bill W1AC
--
Bill Horne
(Remove QRM from my address for direct replies.)