how much drive for a (new) sweet sixteen

51 · #390951

ok ok i know, this question gets asked alot but i want to get more opinions.this is for the long body straight 8 sweet sixteen dx1600, not the dx1600X with built in 2 pill driver. the old texas star sweet sixteens had the input drive sticker over the coax connectors. it said AM 30w max SSB 100w PEP. i have seen pictures of the middle generation sweet sixteens and the sticker said AM 30W max SSB 150W PEP. now the new ones with the DEI transistors and HG transistors dont have a sticker at all. soooo, what do you think the peak drive level is for the new ones? obviously 30W max am is way plenty but what about peak? 100w, 150w,. hmmm

#390969

A quick question for you,, what radio are you using in front of the DX1600?

3's

Greg

#390970

51 wrote: ↑November 5th, 2018, 10:17 am ok ok i know, this question gets asked alot but i want to get more opinions.this is for the long body straight 8 sweet sixteen dx1600, not the dx1600X with built in 2 pill driver. the old texas star sweet sixteens had the input drive sticker over the coax connectors. it said AM 30w max SSB 100w PEP. i have seen pictures of the middle generation sweet sixteens and the sticker said AM 30W max SSB 150W PEP. now the new ones with the DEI transistors and HG transistors dont have a sticker at all. soooo, what do you think the peak drive level is for the new ones? obviously 30W max am is way plenty but what about peak? 100w, 150w,. hmmm

CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR NEW SWEET 16!

I would suggest to use a TS Mod V, and have your radio have a dead key under 3 ways, and let it swing up. I had mine dead key at 2 and swing to 26 watts. Then I mostly had my TS Mod V running at 12 o'clock. Really great amp! Just do not volt it.

51 · #390971

my setup is a 2950dx into a texas star dx250HD into the sweet sixteen. on the 250 the variable keeps it at 100w pep. i use the 250 instead of the modv because i talk on ssb as well so i want the amp system all ab-1 biased and the relay switching/delay times the same. at 14.0 volts i get about 1350w pep and it is clean and sounds great. just for kicks i bumped 120w into the 8 pill and got the 1600w out. so thats why i posted about the drive levels just out of curiosity.

#390972

Great question! The most I ever put into mine was 110w, but most of the time I had swing in my thing going from 15w to about 90w. I never volted mine either, but then I never had to replace any pills for the 10 years I had that amp.

51 · #390973

yea im not into volting my communications gear. your drive level is pretty much the exact same as mine. about a 15w carrier from the driver swinging 100w gives me 300w carrier from the 8 pill swing 1300w. perfect 4:1 ratio for am.

#390974

Yeah, I have been running a Davemade 2x8 for years now. I do wish that I would have kept that Sweet 16 though.

#410245

So is it 13.8v or 14.5v for the sweet16? Can't seem to get 2 people to agree on the voltage.

#410247

Neither are incorrect answers. The Texas Star linear amplifier requires 13.8 to 14.5 volts DC to operate. If the voltage is too low, the amplifier will not work properly. If the voltage is too high, the amplifier could be damaged.

#410274

When I had a Sweet Sixteen, I ran it at the voltage output of my alternator, (14.2v @ 220A). I ran 4awg wire to a pair of batteries in my toolbox, the amp under the rear seat.
It was an older type like Bozo’s and ran a President Jackson radio that put out about 30+ watts SSB, didn’t overdrive it.
I would tape a 6ft florescent bulb to my 102” whip and it burned out after a couple sentences.

3’s

Greg

#410275

I feel better now. Have a Fatboy 150 amp fixed 14.5 coming soon. Was looking at the 200 amp ones. But then your talking about 220 line which I don't have. But I might actually, my old A/C looks like it might be 220. Larger gauge wire than the 110 in my house. And in the breaker box it has a dual 30 amp.

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