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Message |
    
Splbass17
Junior Member
Username: Splbass17
Post Number: 39
Registered: 9-2005
| | Posted on Monday, April 09, 2007 - 4:32 pm: | 
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Ok I've been thinking of all the possible ways to get huge power in my suv without buying additional alternators,batteries, etc...
Heres what I'm thinking:
1)Get a power inverter (Cobra 1500watts or bigger)to convert ac to dc.
2)Get an x-force base amp with 6 or 8 2SC2879's
3)Plug it in and hopefully nothing explodes!
Am I on to something here or what? |
Tech808
Moderator
Username: Tech808
Post Number: 13463
Registered: 8-2002
| | Posted on Monday, April 09, 2007 - 6:06 pm: |
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A BIG inverter also requires the same upgrades as you would need to run a BIG Mobile Amp.
I would suggest going with something like the Texas Star 500 or 667 as NO ONE will see barley 1 s-unit difference between one of them and a 2000 watt amp.
Remember if an amp puts out 500 watts you need an amp that puts out 2000 watts or more to make a single S-unit difference on the receiving end.
Power Transmitted Output x 4 = 1 S-unit improvement/difference on the Receiving end.
Having a properly tuned/setup ie: Radio/Mic/Amp/Coax/Antenna combination is what will give you the BIG radio sound not the amp no matter how big it is.
Hope this help's,
Lon ~ Tech808 ~ N9CEF
CEF#808 ~ CEF HAM#33 ~ CVC#002
10-10 #61493 ~ 10-10 VP#2688
Tech808@copperelectronics.com
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Patzerozero
Senior Member
Username: Patzerozero
Post Number: 3601
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Monday, April 09, 2007 - 6:26 pm: |
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no....
BIG power costs BIG dollars. no way around it.
your computer controlled MODERN SUV is also not very RF friendly. at what level? that partly can be answered by how well the install is done, & partly by the computer itself-and when it decides it's been fed too much RF. then, it's cost you $1500 or more to replace the computer & who knows what else-not counting what you spent on the radio install-just to tell you that you went too far.
you have a 'workable radio', so, to set up an 8 pill xforce, you have the cost of the amp & its mod to SSB-capabilities-$800, alternator-which could be $500-1000, plus accessories such as regulator, pullies, harnesses, etc-another $250, at least 2 new batteries-$350, misc wiring-$150, antenna, mount, coax, $200, quality watt/swr meter-$150, and whatever other incedentals may arise. you're talking $2500-3000 just to get you 1200-1600 watts-done THE RIGHT WAY. that is not counting the cost of the knowledge to do the install properly. i am assuming you took your dashboard apart & got it back together correctly, so i think you have the mechanical ability to get the job done. you need to make sure you have the technical abilty before you try. yes, it can be done, & yes it can be done cheaper, but incorrectly & you will have a very expensive hunk of charcoal. remember, all that effort is ONLY getting you 1 to 1 & 1/2 extra S-units of signal. if your friend is 10 miles away & you are giving him '5 pounds' with just the radio on, turning that 8 pill amplifier on is ONLY going to increase your signal to 6 to 6 & 1/2 'pounds'. if a guy 8 miles away from your friend is hitting him with '7 pounds', you still will NOT be able to 'get past him'.
not sounding so impressive now, is it? the next size amp is a '16 pill', & your radio alone will NOT drive it. highly unlikely your trucks computer will like it. and, the alternator requirements will need massive underhood re-design. and, double the earlier price. all that cost & work will probably get you 2 S-units.
forget talking from TN to NJ. easily & regularly. your 2970 WILL be able to do it-when conditions allow.
use your 2970 1st, see how it works, see what kind of problems you experience. ANY problem, even the slightest, such as a flashing idiot light, can be a warning that more troubles are approaching. |
Splbass17
Junior Member
Username: Splbass17
Post Number: 41
Registered: 9-2005
| | Posted on Monday, April 09, 2007 - 7:47 pm: |
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DARN! Well thanks for the insight guys thats definitly interesting. I'll take the advise and keep it simple with the DX500, I would have bought this amp originally but I was warned that my 2970dx might have to much power for it even with the RF gain turned all the way down. I'm gonna get a meter and see what it puts out all the way down so I'll know if it will be safe for the amp or not.
I guess I'll just have to wait till I graduate and get my nice job so I can mount a huge tower with a 6 element antenna and run a 32 pill dave made haha. I can't give up on the idea of insane Watts completly, I'll just put it on the back burner for now. |
Romstar
Member
Username: Romstar
Post Number: 79
Registered: 3-2007
| | Posted on Monday, April 09, 2007 - 9:06 pm: |
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Splbass,
Let me tell you something about these clowns with huge 16, 32 and 64 "pill" amps. They have a bad addiction that doesn't really do anything other than make a mess and annoy a lot of people.
It really is like drugs. Diminishing returns and all of that. Tech808 is right, you are looking at 4x the output to get 1 S unit, and that gets hard fast.
Can you do 20,000 watts mobile output? Of course you can. Will it cost lots of money and time and effort? You better believe it.
A lot of the amp boys miss the real issue, and that is a well tuned and regulated radio operating properly into a very well tuned antenna system. In mobile operation, length is king, and that is why the 102/108 inch whip is the best choice. Even when it is bumper mounted, it does better than almost any coil loaded antenna.
This is where to spend your time and money, in the antenna system. Figure out what you can mount on that truck, and spend the time to tune it until it's the best you can make it.
That one thing alone will improve your coverage and reception better than any amplifier.
Good luck,
Romstar |
Dale
Advanced Member
Username: Dale
Post Number: 742
Registered: 12-2002
| | Posted on Monday, April 09, 2007 - 9:42 pm: |
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yea spy get a power meter perfberly a good one and check power on all modes or at least ones u use check this out
am=dead key and swing with rf power down then all eway up
ssb=theres no dead key just modulation check it at with rfpower all way down then all way up
it should vary in ALL modes if prperly set up.
let me ask ya a question hows the current setup
doing so far for ya?are ya able to talk to whhom
you wish ,if yes why add more power?sometimes
more power more headaches
dale/a.k.a.hotrod
cef426
cvc#64
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Splbass17
Junior Member
Username: Splbass17
Post Number: 44
Registered: 9-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 10, 2007 - 10:56 am: |
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So far its been doing just ok. I make about 75% contacts with distant stations I hear in the Philadelphia area (20 miles) and the locals all say I sound good.I don't like my recieve that much, I hear alot of locals talking to people that dont even make any noise level on my recieve but those people all tell the locals to tell me I sound good so thats weird I can't hear them but they hear me well.Are they mud ducks?I'm thinking about doing bumper mount with a 102 and I can just the tuck the whip under my roof rack if I'm going in a parking garage, etc
I wish I would have know it would do better than a wilson even if I wount it on my bumper....oh well I'll see what I can do. Thanks for the info |
Patzerozero
Senior Member
Username: Patzerozero
Post Number: 3602
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 10, 2007 - 4:37 pm: |
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' I can't hear them but they hear me well'-that is because of your antenna. it is maybe 5 feet to the feedpoint, and a shortened 1/4 wave at that. EXTREMELY inefficient, at least compared to a 1/2 or 5/8 wave base antenna at 36 feet to the feedpoint.
hey frank, i resemble that remark 
what did i ever do to you??? guess you're just gonna hafta wait til the spring DX from LI NY hits nova scotia  |
Romstar
Member
Username: Romstar
Post Number: 82
Registered: 3-2007
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 10, 2007 - 8:11 pm: |
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I'm sorry Pat,
I wasn't directing anything at you. I like the little clown picture.
Have a good one.
Romstar |
Dale
Advanced Member
Username: Dale
Post Number: 748
Registered: 12-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 10, 2007 - 9:53 pm: |
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102 whips are good but only sitting still when
ya move the swrs vary.check your rf gain make sure its fully clockwise
dale/a.k.a.hotrod
cef426
cvc#64
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Patzerozero
Senior Member
Username: Patzerozero
Post Number: 3605
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 11, 2007 - 5:27 pm: |
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just messin' wit ya, frank. . wait for that short NS to LI NY skip....then watch out  |
Dale
Advanced Member
Username: Dale
Post Number: 753
Registered: 12-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 11, 2007 - 8:09 pm: |
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i agree with ya milkman about the radio knobs
and the swrs.spybas your antenna is actually more important than any radio ya install.if your
antenna not properly tuned then your performance
on any cb will suffer as a result both transmit and recieve.i talk 20 miles with my grant xl
on ssb at only 10 watts.its all in the antenna
dale/a.k.a.hotrod
cef426
cvc#64
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Mrclean
Member
Username: Mrclean
Post Number: 64
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 18, 2007 - 9:19 pm: |
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You can say what ya want about coil antennas. I love my 10k. Wilson makes a dandy also. |
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