EB5AGV's FT-102 Power Amplifier tuning

Keep them glowing!

FT-102

As most tubed power amplifiers (one exception is the Central
Electronics CE-100V and CE-200V), the FT-102 PA should be tuned to work. Here
you have a brief guide to do this. I have extracted this information from the
User's Manual and has worked for me all right. I keep a copy of this information
just below the rig, for fast access when I switch from another transmitter (not
all are the same!)

Select defaul values for the controls:

MODE: TUNE

LOADING: 0

BAND: desired band

PLATE: pre-select depending on band

DRIVE: 0

METER SELECT: Ic

Connect POWER and HEATER and wait 1 minute

Turn the RF AMP ON and find a peak in background noise with PRESELECT

Activate PTT momentarily. Ic should be 75 to 80mA

Press PTT. Set DRIVE to about 9 o'clock position. Adjust PRESELECT for a
peak reading.

The following steps should be maximum 5 seconds each:

Activate PTT. Find an Ic DIP with PLATE control. Go back to reception.

Press the PTT. Get an ALC indication of '9' with the DRIVE control.
Return to reception.

Put LOADING to '1'. Press PTT. Get an Ic DIP with PLATE. Go back to
receiving mode.

Advance the LOADING control slightly and re-DIP with PLATE until the Ic
DIP is exactly at 300mA (350mA in 1.8MHz band). The final LOADING position
should be close to the table shown in manual (page 24).

Please, let me know if you have any doubt,
comment or correction about the information shown in this page.

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