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.
--
We hams are starting to see some higher power amplifiers available but
at rather breathtaking prices. I've drooled over a couple of the Tokyo
Hi-Power offerings and I have a friend running the Yaesu Quadra. I
think the MFJ/Ameritron folks will need to get into the solid state amp
game before we see *affordable* solid state amps with outputs of 1 to
1.5 KW. Only when that happens will I make my move to a solid state amp.
Dave K8MN