Category: Transmitters

I recall the arrival of the Swan 500CX in Australia, it was regarded highly and talked up quite forcibly on air by the local agent.

At the time, I was still acquiring the knowledge and skills to analyse the PA design in the 500CX, but I recall lots of on air discussions that were disparaging, but were not convincing.

More recently, I have had occasion to perform a desk study of the 500CX PA.

The Swan 500CX used a pair of 6LQ6, low cost TV sweep valves. From the GE datasheet, the valves are rated at 30 W plate (anode) dissipation. No safe grid 1 current or dissipation is given, so the safe approach is to regard that they must be operated with zero grid current, Class AB1 in this case. Continue reading A desk study of the Swan 500CX PA

This article outlines a Simsmith model developed to explore / confirm behavior of some linear Class B push-pull HF broadband power amplifiers.

The design is for a system power output of about 80W on a 24V supply, it is a combination that should work with practical system components with good efficiency.

Above is a first step, an estimate of an initial load line for the PA. The calculator is written in valve terms, but is quite applicable to this scenario. Continue reading A simple generic Simsmith model of a linear push-pull Class B broadband HF power amplifier

One of the very important designs of HF broadband MOSFET power amplifiers was that of Helge Granberg in Motorola application note EB104.

This article offers an explanation of how the the alternative output circuit at Fig 5 of EB104 works.

Let’s look at the schematic diagram of the PA.

Above is the schematic from EB104, of interest for this article is the output circuit comprising T2 and T3 which are intended ideally to provide a drain to drain load of 50/9=5.55Ω. Continue reading EB104 alternative output circuit

This article is on in a series of a desk review, a pre-purchase study if you like, of the MiniPa100 kit widely sold on eBay and elsewhere online.

Previously…

The above pic from an eBay advertisement of the 2020 version of the PA would suggest very strongly that there are three turns on the secondary of the output transformer, and a half turn on each drain. Interestingly the 70W versions also appear to use three turns, alarm bells ring!

Here is a little table that shows the maximum power obtainable with a transformer of this type for various supply voltages and secondary turns. Continue reading A desk review of the MiniPa100 kit – #2: transformer T2 turns ratio

M0DGQ described a broadband HF PA in the Wythal Radio Club’s newsletter 2017-01, and rated it at 150W output. Note that this module does not include the necessary output filter which will probably lose 5-10% of the power from this module.

The PA uses a MRF9180 dual MOSFET operating on 26V supply.

Above is the prototype PA. The text states very clearly that the output transformer uses a secondary of two turns of PTFE insulated wire, and the pic above does not provide evidence to the contrary.

Hmmm, experience suggests that may be too few turns. Continue reading Desk study of M0DGQ’s 150W HF PA