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Message |
    
Rotten_apple
New member
Username: Rotten_apple
Post Number: 1
Registered: 11-2005
| | Posted on Friday, December 16, 2005 - 2:44 pm: | 
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What does it mean when something is a one pill, a 2 pill, 3 pill etc..... is it a certain amount of watts that = 1 pill?
And
when saying a 2 pill driving this or that - is this because you need (x) amount of power to drive that size amp?
just learning...thanks |
Road_warrior
Senior Member
Username: Road_warrior
Post Number: 1064
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Friday, December 16, 2005 - 5:36 pm: |
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2 pill amp= 2 power transistors
3 pill amp= 3 power transistors
1 pill driving 3 pills= 1 power transistor
driving 3 other power transistors.
Most Amps require 1-4 deadkey watts from
radio to drive it.
Hope this helps |
Moonraker
Intermediate Member
Username: Moonraker
Post Number: 117
Registered: 3-2005
| | Posted on Friday, December 16, 2005 - 9:24 pm: |
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Pill = Transistor
I guess people started calling the larger transistors pills because they are round and kind of look like a pill.
When someone says 2 pills driving (x) ammount of pills, their amp has 2 driver transistors and (x) final transistors (having the drivers requires less power from the radio going into the amp) or they may have a 2 transistor amp driving a larger amp with (x) ammount of transistors. |
Rotten_apple
New member
Username: Rotten_apple
Post Number: 4
Registered: 11-2005
| | Posted on Saturday, December 17, 2005 - 9:18 am: |
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so different power transistor's would have different wattages? how many watts is a 1 pill or a 2 pill.
or can it not be explained that way.
Sorry if these are stupid questions but I am trying to figure this out. |
Road_warrior
Senior Member
Username: Road_warrior
Post Number: 1067
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Saturday, December 17, 2005 - 2:07 pm: |
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There is no such thing as a stupid question.
Example: A KL 300P mobile amp has 2 SD-1446
transistors.
KL-400 mobile amp has 2 MRF455 transistors.
Offhand i can't remember there wattage.
But, there's a chart you could probably look
up on the internet or search this forum.
I do know from personal experience that the KL-400 amp will dead-key 110watts or alittle better on its highest setting with a 3-4 dead key from the radio. SSB, i do NOT know. (2 MRF455 trans.)
The KL 500 amp will dead-key around 225 or
alittle better with 3-4 dead key from radio.
It has 4 SD-1446 transistors in it.
My knowledge is limited when talking amps.
So, i may learn something from this post.
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Moonraker
Intermediate Member
Username: Moonraker
Post Number: 119
Registered: 3-2005
| | Posted on Saturday, December 17, 2005 - 3:14 pm: |
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You can't tell how many watts an amp will do by only knowing the number of transistors (pills) it has.
Common transistors:
2SC2879 = 120 watts
2SC2290 = 80 watts
SD1446 = 90 watts
A Texas Star 500 has 4 2SC2879 transistors, this makes it a 4 pill amp, 120 watts x 4 pills = 480 watts. A palomar 450 has 4 SD1446 transistors, this also makes it a 4 pill amp, 90 watts x 4 pills = 360 watts.(They may call it a 450, but I have never seen 450 watts out of mine). Now a Texas Star 667 has 1 2SC2290 transistor driving 4 2SC2879 transistors. This 2SC2290 allows you to use lower power from your radio and still get the most out of the 4 2SC2879 transistors.
You will not be able to tell exactly how many watts an amp will do by knowing the value of each transistor and the number of transistors, but it will get you close.
If you need more info on more transistors, go to rfparts.com. Click on transistors, then specifications. Rfparts is where I got the specs for the transistors above.
I hope this helps. |
Patzerozero
Senior Member
Username: Patzerozero
Post Number: 2072
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Saturday, December 17, 2005 - 6:38 pm: |
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455's are 60 watters 
adding to moonrakers informative post, when you say 'an X pill amp', the big boys generally consider the pills to be 120 watt 2sc2879's. since the driver transistors don't add any wattage per se, if you said you had a '5 pill box', the assumption would be 1-2290 driving 4-2879's. a 2x4 pill would be assumed to be 2-2290's driving 4-2879's, and a 'straight 6 pill' would be 6-2879's, which would require more power in the form of a high watt radio, or additional driver box.
hope that didn't add any confusion, rotten apple.
a side note, moonraker, regarding sd1446 ratings. as per rf parts, the 1446 can be rated at either 70 watts or 90 watts, depending on frequency at which the device is being used. 27mHz falls into an overlap zone, and they consider it to be more satisfactorily rated at 70 watts for CB freqs, due to harmonics generated at higher outputs at lower frequencies. the tech also volunteered that there is no truth whatsoever to the myth of the 1446 having more audio then the 2290. i didn't ask, he just felt it was important that i know that, i guess. |
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