Thank you, Don. I have no experience with any kind of outboard amplifier since I've been QRP for nearly my entire ham life, but I do seem to recall that in 'the old days' of tube amps, there was always a minimum drive requirement and sometimes distortion problems occured at the lower drive levels. At least, this is what I've gathered from reading about it. No first hand experience.
I am asking this question because I've been thinking about which of my rigs -the K2 or the K3 - I want to equip with the 100 W PA option. The KPA-500 might give me another option, albeit much more expensive but perhaps a wiser economic choice in the longer term (and keep me on the path toward a "K-line" station). I would much prefer to leave both the K2 and K3 as 'virgin' QRP rigs as that is my true love. If the KPA-500 can give me about 75 to 100 watts output as a state-of-the-art outboard amplifier that both K2 and K3 could share, then it would be a very interesting prospect for me to consider. Especially since there will be no need to modify either K2 or K3. And ---not to push it --- could my K1 conceivably drive a KPA-500 with its 5 or 6 watts also?? What a great concept -- one all-purpose state-of-the-art amp sitting in the shack ready to shake hands with any and all of my Elecraft transceivers when called upon to do so. I am on technically solid ground here? 73, Stan WB2LQF KX1 #2411 K1#2994 K2# 6980 K3#5244 K9 #1 (Cocoa the Chihuahua) Everything is QRP, even the dog. May 11, 2011 at 1:16 PM, Don Wilhelm wrote: > Stan, > > Of course it can be driven by lower power. The KPA500 is a linear > amplifier. If 40 watts in produces 500 out, then 20 in will give 250 > out and 10 in will produce 125 watts. If the relationship is > otherwise, then it is not acting as a linear amplifier. The same > thing should be true for any linear amplifier - that is the definition > of linear operation. > > 73, > Don W3FPR > > On 5/11/2011 1:06 PM, stan levandowski wrote: >> The documentation on the Elecraft site says the KPA-500 requires 40 >> watts drive for full output. >> >> Nowhere (at least not that I could find) is the minimum drive >> requirement specified nor is there any schedule of "output for input" >> such as 40 watts = 500 watts; xx watts = 250 watts, etc. >> >> More to the point -- can a K3/10 or a K2/10 be connected to the >> KPA-500 >> and deliver something between 75 and 100 watts output? >> >> ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
