> I have heard from many AM ops that with the correct setup, a > linear amp works great.
A proper amp and low-level exciter is totally indistinguishable from a high-level plate modulated rig at the far end. Some of the best sounding AM on the air is done this way, with exciters as simple as a (modified) DX-60. Perhaps one could argue about efficiency, but if the amp has sufficient plate dissipation and is properly loaded, you'll have a good clean AM signal (given the exciter is also clean and properly adjusted). An AL-1200 or similar amp, for example, handles 375W or so carrier output without even noticing it, and can be loaded well beyond 1500 watts -- into a dummy load of course -- to allow plenty of headroom for low distortion on modulation peaks. It may not be as "romantic", have see-through glass to watch the tube plates turn orange, or generate as much ozone as a big-iron rig, but it get's the job done just as well, and it isn't rocket science to set up properly. And then there's Class E, but that's another story .... :-) Grant/NQ5T
