One or more of the readers herein have constructed linear amplifiers

capable of more than the two kilowatts input our tickets say is kosher

for the ham bands.

?

We do so in order to solve a problem with the math, (like the

160 meter issue in the Alpha 77-Sx), or with the power plant

design questions, (such as in the Henry 8K Ultra with the

resonant choke dilemma), etc.

?

One thing I discovered is that the fundamental hurdle for me

has always been The Budget. I’ve got most of the bits sitting

in the Parts shed to start in on a 4CPX5,000A amplifier, but

as I grew older I saw that sinking money into another big

Tetrode is not going to get me anywhere but poorer, and to

think about where Ham Radio has gone recently, spending

the Big Bucks on another amp build just doesn’t seem

to be as fruitful as it used to, in days gone by.

?

The bits and pieces to slam together another crusty amplifier

are not as plentiful, and when they are found, the prices for

them are not as cheap as they once were, even on the

surplus distribution channel.

?

Remember Fair Radio in Lima, Ohio? At one time a builder

could find some top-notch pieces, but as time went by,

the drawers and bins held less and less, until the sales

there didn’t keep the lights lit.

?

Even things like electrolytic or oil-filled filter capacitors

are hard to locate any more, and if you want to build

some big iron, you need to get that HV A.C. into the

D.C. world, and there are some budget hurdles

just in that little corner.

?

When the kids from the U/Mo radio club came out to pick

up most of everything from the “big station,” here, they

looked at the tons of components, and their “big” question

was “What do we do with all that?”? “All that,” is not enough,

any more. Ask most any one who continues to build.

?

Hal Mandel

W4HBM

?