Bearcat 980 and RM KL200p question

All I do with the radios used with my 203P is to lower the deadkey to about 1 or 1.5 Watts. That little amp is a workhorse.

 

If you look at the specs for that amp input power on Am is 1 to 4 watts and on SSB 2 to 10 watts and Im sure the stock carrier on the 980 is probably around 3 watts and SSB is no more that 10 watts, but as meteorgray suggested running 1 to 1.5 watts input is probably a better way to go, because those little amps do heat up in a hurry if you are long winded.

 

I’ve run mine (KL203P) for the better part of a year with untouched radios. 3-4W.

 

As Wolverine said, the wonderful little RM Italy amps are reputed to heat up during long talkin' sessions. I've seen at least one report where the user feels his amplifier failed too early when fed a diet of something like 4 Watts' input, even though it is within factory specs.

This isolated anecdote, of course, does not prove the fact, and I bet a very high proportion of users just plug in a factory radio and let 'er rip. Regardless, those little units have a great reputation for longevity with a performance well beyond what their size would otherwise seem to predict.

Nevertheless, I've read many times where experienced users encourage inputs of maybe a Watt or so for the longest life and the clearest performance. Of course, by reducing the input, it correspondingly reduces the amp's output a bit as well, because nothing's free. Fortunately, the difference between maybe 80-100 Watts output from the amplifier and maybe 40-60 Watts output is theoretical at best in terms of actual communicating benefits gained. Proportionally, the biggest gains are realized in the first levels of wattage increases after entering the illegal land of amplified CB, and the benefits of big wattage increases quickly fall victim to the Laws of Diminishing Returns.

I believe I'm managed to confuse myself, so I'll stop with that bit of gibberish.

 

Have the carrier measured, it may only be 3 watts or less, some of the 980 were set low by Uniden to make FCC happy.

 

I believe this likely. On an MFJ 945 Tuner I was showing 1W reflected and 70W forward.

It’s not bad advice to reduce power. But it’s best a trusted tech do the work.

IOW, don’t worry about it until it’s convenient. I’ve had the mike keyed for long minutes without noticeable heat.

But that’s also with a co-phase antenna setup and custom coax, etc. Spend the time and money on the antenna system.

 

Hey so i'm a kid and new to all of this and i was wondering is the modulation knob thingy inside the cb housing where i would turn down the watts?