Wait a minute.... STOP THE PRESSES!

[Spydrman]

First off this site is amazing
Second off let me get this straight, in this section you guys are basically talking about taking a CB (just for Sh*ts and giggles) 4 watts output---> into and Driver 4-7 in 250 out(low drive amp) taking the power from the driver ---> and driving a high drive amp 250-300in to get the final output ....... am I somewhat close

[NCMidnight]

Close but more like 1-3 watts input for a low drive amp..4watts in would shorten the life of the amp. Low deadkey and let it swing.. Welcome to the forum

[drdx]

The drive level all depends on the amplifier. To say that 2 watts is the rule is a little general. Much of it also depends on how much power the radio makes after you are talking too. 2 watts may be fine if the radio produces large forward power when talking, but if it is a mild setup 4 watts carrier, then maybe 15 swinging forward when modulating may be fine. As I said elsewhere, the 2 watt deal is somewhat new in concept. For years, folks all over the planet used stock 4 watt and more radios to drive their amplifiers. For a long time, operators with peaked radios keying 6-8 watts were driving with success for years amplifiers that were of the 2 pill variety, as bigger amps were not nearly as common.

Also, some amplifiers take WAY more than that to perform in an optimum manner. Some do only need a few watts. Some need hundreds, some need thousands to work properly.

-drdx

[Spydrman]

so it is possible......I posed the same question in the late 80's to a "cb mentor" of mine. About driving a high drive amp with a lowdrive's output. Impossible he said, RF is really dangerous don't mess with it

I believed him, and that was that.......but now It's always been in the back of my mind but i've never acted upon it. I just found a new area to explore. any good websites (besides this one) where someone can learn indepth.

I can hear the guys on 27.025 up here in Northern Ontario like they were sitting in the passenger seat beside me. If you wanna check out the map I'm the last dot closest to the top. So that's how they do it!

[Slowdraw]

I think you need a big amp in your truck to keep from freezing up there.. Do you have polar bear problems up there?

[ny221 8pill]

yes sir, my one amp has bilt in drivers that run the 6 pills. my radio is set to 2 1/2 watts swing to aroud 4, then i can turn on the drivers witch are vareable from a few watts to 250 watts that i can eather just use those or turn on the extra 6 pills that u can call high drives for a total of up to around 1400 watts. thats not a hole lot of power but it will do the job hehe..... ny221... ch 6 super bowl....