Re: OT small disaster in our community

Michael <micoder@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Nick Cramer wrote:
Michael <micoder@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
[ . . . ]
BTW my 75 meter loop antenna is still holding in there after all the
punishment this last month from wind and ice. I think after 5 years it
may be time to buy a new 3-500ZG for my AL-80B. I run the thing at
high voltage (240) and it is strapped for 220. It puts out plenty of
juice that way and I did get 5 years out of the tube.

Must be a good installation on the antenna. Is your 3-500ZG an Eimac? I
think they're the best. When I chiefed at an FM station, back in the
60's, we ran a pair of their 4CX5000's, push-pull, in the final at 15
kW. Pushed up the grid drive as they aged. Set 'em and forget 'em!

I don't have a rig. No $$$. ;-(

Sorry to hear you are off the air Nick. And yes, that tube is an Eimac.
They cost plenty. You can get Chinese for a lot less. I have heard from
some good sources that the Chinese tubes work well. Of course they are
not Eimac but it is the difference of 180 versus 319 bucks.

I had to get my rig on the cheap. I bought an old Icom 740 on ebay that
was advertised for parts only because it was broken. I bought it for 80
bucks and spent two weeks in the basement bringing it back to life. I am
retired so I had the huge amount of labour it took to make it work
perfectly again. I was also lucky in having still had my old test
equipment. The AL80B I did not get cheap. I bought it used for 700
bucks. I bit the bullet on that one. My antenna of course is just a
bunch of wire. The balun cost me a few bucks.

I would love to have more power but I live in the middle of a
residential area, and running any more power could make me very
unpopular with my neighbors. I do know hams who certainly break the
power limit rule. I am sure some even run as much as your FM station
did. Boy those 4CX5000s are not cheap. I think I will stick with
3-500ZG's. One of the guys running high power has 3, count them, three,
200 foot self supporting towers.

There are certainly some people out there who have a huge amount of
money to invest in ham gear. I am not one.

Me neither! Got my ticket in 1956, WA2EET. Ran 15 m CW with a homebrew 6L6
p-p, tune for maximum smoke, and a folded dipole. Let the license lap when
I came to LA in '61. When I win the Lottery, I'll get a rig! ;-D

--
Nick, KI6VAV. Support severely wounded and disabled Veterans and their
families: https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/ Thank a Veteran!
Support Our Troops: http://anymarine.com/ You are not forgotten.
Thanks ! ! ~Semper Fi~ USMC 1365061
.

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