Re: Digital modes and fast temperature rise
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With the duty cycle of digital, I treat it as AM and run at about 125W output.
I don't run FT8 that constantly runs, but I run keyboard chat modes and in long rag chews that can run an hour+.
Like others I found the temp to run about 65 at worst and the fans keep the temp stable for me with a very slow rise if at all at that temp range.
Scott - Don't recall ever meeting you, but we are not far apart.
My LA-1K went back for warranty service two years ago.? While there it was upgraded with quieter T/R relay and fans (at a reasonable cost), but they mentioned cooling with the new fans was not quite as good.? They even returned my originals, should I wish to change them back.? My amp runs on 120V and will occasionally peak above 1000w on SSB phone.? I generally drive it with 45 watts, and get about 850w out.? On phone, it will warm (worse on higher frequencies), but even in contest mode will be OK, temperature wise.
But it's another story on FT-8, where prolonged use on 10 meters is limited to about 175-200 watts, with temp stabilizing above 70+ deg C.? Lower band FT8 will be OK at 250w, with stable temp operation in 60 deg range - although I normally don't run that high.? I'm also careful to never hit 80 degrees.? Other that what I consider to be excess temperature rise, the Amp seems to work fine.? Someday I should phone Palstar and see if they have other comments.
Without your additional plenum, were your FT8 temperatures similar to mine?? 10 meters has been super recently, and seems to be where my amp runs the hottest.
73 .... Fred,? W9KEY
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