Linears: Tell me what I need to know before I buy

It's not my bench.

 

There's a lot of back and forth in this thread, geesh. But from what I've gathered in my 20 years in the radio hobby is this.

-Antenna systems are most important
-A low power radio can and will talk very far under the right conditions
-Class a/b amplifiers are nice for producing a clean signal
-Class a/b amplifiers are less efficient than Class C and draw more amperage
-Installing an amplifier correctly is important(wire size/grounding/fusing)
-Coax length doesn't matter
-Using the same type of coax does matter so the velocity factor is the same
-Most truck drivers don't care about how "clean" their radio's/amps are
-Most truck drivers want as much power as they can so they can talk when they want to
-Having fun on the radio means different things to different people

There's my short list of things I've learned over the years.

 

It is possible for Class C amplifiers to be very clean on AM but it generally only occurs with people that I happen to know and if you're not one of those people that chances are pretty good your signal is not very clean or Efficient with a Class C amplifier.
There are a few RF engineers that know how to produce a clean signal using a class C amplifier but unfortunately they are not in the business of providing their services to the General Public.

 

That's fantastic that you know people who can produce a "clean" signal with a class C amplifier. However 98% of operators could care less about how clean their signal is as long as they are getting the desired results from the equipment they are using. I know I definitely fall into that category. My mobile setup consists of an old Uniden 68, an x-force 1x2 and a wilson 1000 and I have no problem talking wherever I want to. Would my signal look great on a scope, probably not but I get good reports from anyone I talk to so I'm happy.

 

But are you understood when you talk worldwide, you say you get good reports, most drivers dont know what a good, clean , clear radio sounds like , they have been conditioned to believe that loud, distorted, overmodulated audio is the desired result.

 

If I can carry on a conversation with people I'm willing to assume my audio is clean enough to be understood. I've also been in the hobby for a long time, I'm not a clueless truck driver like many of the active members in this section of the boards like to assume of people.

 

I wasnt necessarrily implying that your setup was dirty, just mentioning a fact, that you should add to your list, that majority of truck drivers wouldnt know what a nice radio sounded like if it bit them in the arse!

 

there are varying degrees of cluelessness though

 

I'm all for your expertise in the hobby, @rabbiporkchop , but even Helen Keller could see how ridiculous this assumption is. What does this have to offer to someone learning about class C amplifiers?

 

I would agree that there's a large number of people, not just truck drivers who seem to prefer an over modulated sound. I personally don't mind what someones radio sounds like as long as I can understand them. If I can't I just don't talk to them. The quality of someone's audio is very subjective so I don't try and bash people if they are proud of their audio even if I don't find it pleasing.

And I'm uploading a little video gate of the radio and amplifier that I have in my car from when I was running it on my old base station.