Kris -
Yeah, lots more filament power than anything else! :-)
If you _really_ want to go QRPp, try switching to USB on CW. I once called a friend in Ireland on
20M cw that I talked to all the time, and he was 30 over S9, so I just dumped in my call when he
signed with the station he was working. He came back with a 'QRZ?', and I thought wow, what's going
on here. So I called him again, and I noticed that the PLATE meter wasn't moving off of the BIAS 70
mA setting. So I'm looking around, what's wrong, and then noticed that the switch was set to USB.
I switched it to LSB, and he came back to say 'you almost blew my ears off'! :-)
After I signed with him, I started tuning around looking for strong CQs to see what I could work in
USB. I worked about five EU countries and got curious as to just how much power I WAS putting out.
The wattmeter wasn't registering anything, so I drug out my HP 431C Power Meter and connected it
through a step attenuator. Anyway, after much switching OUT of the attenuator, I measured right at
600 mW on 20M.
I worked another 5-10 EU stations and then was through. A couple of weeks later, I heard a friend
on 20, a VK6, and called him after his QSO. He came back, but didn't have all the call. Another 3
X 3 and he had it. Gave me a 229 report..........
The TR-7 works great for QRP. It has a CARRIER level control that lets you dial right down to zero
output, and the WH-7 measures 5W easily on it's lowest scale. No 'wasted' power here, aside from
the digital readout and PA BIAS current! :-)
73, Garey - K4OAH
Glen Allen, VA
Drake 2-B, 2-C/2-NT, 4-A, 4-B, C-Line
and TR-4/C Service Supplement CDs
<www.k4oah.com>
Kris Merschrod wrote:
Steve mentioned that the p[revious owner used his 4-line as a QRP rig. I thought that I was the
only one who had done that! It seems like a lot of radio idling, but it was the only one that I
had when the QRP-bug bit!
All I did was throatle back on the gain while keying until the watt meter on the MN-2000 showed 5
Watts. I am not sure how accurate that was, but, it was low power. For SSB it was probably less
accurate.
Kris KM2KM
----- Original Message ----- From: "Steve Wedge" <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Cc: "Drake List" <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, October 02, 2011 12:35 PM
Subject: Re: [Drakelist] What's normal 4-line output on 10m?
Based on what I can get out on 15, I'm suspecting that I'll need to re-do the 10 alignment. The
previous owner said he rarely used it on 10 and mostly QRP. The fact I can get 100W+ on 15
suggests I just need to realign based on what you've said here.
I'm loving a feature that not too many people mention as an advantage of the B over the T-4X: a
separate VOX delay control on the rear apron. This allows me to get nearly QSK CW - though I've
got it set for more of a delay to save the relay and finals. Still, the T/R changeover on CW
certainly is more like the C-Line.
Thanks for the as-always valuable info.
Steve Wedge, W1ES/4
To be is to do - Socrates
To do is to be - Plato
Do be do be do. - Sinatra
All my computers have my signature with various pearls of wisdom appended
thereto.
--------------------------------------------------
From: "Garey Barrell" <[email protected]>
Sent: Saturday, October 01, 2011 11:13 PM
To: "Steve Wedge" <[email protected]>
Cc: "Drake List" <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: [Drakelist] What's normal 4-line output on 10m?
Steve -
You should be able to get 100+ Watts output on 10M with the T-4X(any).
I was just explaining the other day to 'someone' the problem of the padder capacitors on the
side of the T-4X. The 10M, (and sometimes even 15M,) padders are at or near minimum capacity
for proper alignment. The result is that there is essentially no tension on the adjustment,
meaning that often just turning the transmitter right side up after alignment is enough
shock/vibration to move them off setting. This is why I always put a drop of fingernail polish
on the adjuster heads for 10 and 15M. The rest have plenty of tension and hold just fine. Also,
be sure the padder actually 'peaks'. IF the RF Drive is set wrong during alignment it's
possible to get to where even minimum is still too much capacitance. It's touchy to get power up
to 29.5 MHz before running out of RF TUNE range. Unless you NEED power up there, it's best to
'fudge' a bit on the RF TUNE setting to favor the lower part of the band. Yes, you will have to
increase the RF GAIN on 15 and 10M, but as long as you reach the ALC 'plateau' in TUNE you have
enough.
New sylvania 6JB6's should give you 130-135 W on 80, 130W on 40, 120W on 20 and 15, and 100-110W
on 10M, all in TUNE. More on CW. Obviously this expects a good 50 ohm load and "accurate"
wattmeter.
73, Garey - K4OAH
Glen Allen, VA
Drake 2-B, 2-C/2-NT, 4-A, 4-B, C-Line
and TR-4/C Service Supplement CDs
<www.k4oah.com>
Steve Wedge wrote:
I suspect I may have either soft driver or final. Just acquired a really nice T-4XB from a
colleague on this reflector and it't a real gem. ten opened today, and I couldn't really get
it over about 60W output. Somehow, I'm thinking this isn't too abnormal and I can get 100W out
on 15.
I seem to remember getting more out on my C-Lines in years gone by, but I may
be fantasizing.
Steve Wedge, W1ES/4
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