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Call Sign : 26-CT-5024 Posts : 8 Times Thanked : 1 Join date : 2023-11-11 QTH or Location : Bedford Equipment Used : 6900V Age : 60
Subject: 1980s set-up 1KW SSB 600W AM RIG Wed Nov 22, 2023 10:22 pm
My Setup around 1980 (Great times)
15A Homemade Linear PSU I think the rig was a Lafayette 1200 (I had a few different rigs and its a long time ago) Zetagi BV 2001 Valve RF Amplifier (1KW SSB, 600W AM) Hooked up to a 1/4 wave on the roof Not shown in this photo but I had a Leson DT251 desk Microphone (Such a clear load and distinctive sound in its day)
John123, Les-1, Victor and SangueG like this post
Victor CT Directors
Call Sign : 26-CT-3228 / M7VIC Posts : 6148 Times Thanked : 375 Join date : 2019-11-10 QTH or Location : Bedford Equipment Used : Various
Subject: Re: 1980s set-up 1KW SSB 600W AM RIG Thu Nov 23, 2023 4:48 am
Certainly looks like a Lafayette 1200 there Paul.
"CQ, CQ, CQ, Running One-KeeeeloWaaat" favoured by many an Italian running Zetagi's and Bremi's.
I don't know who was measuring power output back then but exaggeration was the key of the day. With 4 x PL/EL 509/519 Colour TV tubes you were lucky to get a true 350-400W PEP pushed hard with 20W input. Those that tried even harder often blew the input attenuation resistors and the 'modified' High Tension voltage guys might well have shown almost 1kW peak on a meter that couldn't distinguish frequency so measuring the terrible harmonics that could get kicked out.
TVI heaven.
Thanks for sharing with the group, look forward to more.
73, Victor
(Wasn't the Leson desk mic the same as the Ham International 'Big Puncher'? I think Altai used to manufacture them all.)
SangueG Major contributor
Call Sign : 26-CT-3971 / 2E0LMI Posts : 1281 Times Thanked : 83 Join date : 2021-01-30 QTH or Location : Cirencester, Gloucestershire Equipment Used : Little radios, home-made antennas
Subject: Re: 1980s set-up 1KW SSB 600W AM RIG Thu Nov 23, 2023 8:09 am
And I thought I was a bigboy for a while back in the day with my B550P, lol. You had a very nice setup, thanks for sharing the old photo.
John123 CT Directors
Call Sign : 26CT763 Posts : 4478 Times Thanked : 161 Join date : 2019-06-27 QTH or Location : Manchester Equipment Used : Optima, Superstar 360fm, Stalker 9fdx, President Jack Age : 50
Subject: Re: 1980s set-up 1KW SSB 600W AM RIG Sun Nov 26, 2023 12:49 pm