So a question. I know some of the power boost suggestions like shorting out parts the were put there to provide stability in the amplifiers or overdriving the audio, do indeed increase power, but at the cost of vastly increasing unwanted emissions.
However, are we working too hard to optimize the RF chain, finding super transistors and such, just for the sake of being tied to 12 volts. I don't want to see my audio amp IC go up in flames or make the relays melt, but what if we selectively applied an increased voltage, say 18 volts to pull a possible voltage out of the air, and applied that to the finals, the infamous Q90, and Q92, 93, 96, 97, 911, 912, and possibility further back in the TX amplifier chain?
Would that result in a RF chain that has more useful gain to work with and allow more headroom for other power leveling efforts?
I have some new 150W boost converters coming from Amazon. They are around $4 each. It seems like for that low cost, freeing ourselves from the bonds of 12 volts may be worth it.
On a side note the boost converts have the worrisome name of "Gowoops". Sounds like if they live up to their name I should expect more smoke than volts to come out of them.
Tom, wb6b
