SB-230

[K4KGW]

Steve, I bought one in 1993 to go with the two SB-104As I had also
bought that year to get back into the ham game after a 20 year period of
being virtually inactive.  Proved to be a wonderful combination.  The
array of SB-104s, SB-230, the matching remote VFOs and monitor scope not
only looks great on the operating table, but is easy to operate and is
still very competitive on the air, despite the SB-104's lack of modern
bells and whistles.

i have since sold the 104s and gone to a TS-930 and kept the monitor
scope and the SB-230, which works just as well with the 930 as it did
with the 104s. Easy to tune, and puts out a blockbuster signal.
CAUTION:  NEVER exceed 40 ma. of grid current or you will quickly fry
the 8873 tube.  The linear should load to full output at much less than
40 ma. of grid current and 500 ma. of plate current.  In my case, with
both the 104s and the TS-930, the amp gives full output with right at 50
watts of drive power.

I see two drawbacks to the SB-230.  The 8873 now costs something over
$500, and I only paid $350 for the entire amplifier, so if you lose the
tube, you're faced with the obvious decision of spending more than the
whole thing is worth to replace the tube, or buying another one or some
other amp with your $500. Replacing the tube is quite a chore, too,
complicated by the fact that its beryllium heatsink is extremely
poisonous should you chip off flecks of it and breath it in or otherwise
ingest it.

The other drawbacks are that it does not cover 160 meters or the WARC
bands.  It may be that it can be operated on some of the WARC bands,
perhaps at reduced output, although I have never tried this, and don't
recommend it.  Perhaps someone else has had experience with this, and
can comment on it.  I have another amp that does cover these bands, so
have no need to use the 230 on them.  BTW: the 230 DOES cover 10
meters.  It was made before the ban on 10-meter coverage.

In short, I love my SB-230.

73,

Keith



Steve Fitzgerald wrote:

> Greetings,I am thinking about buying a SB-230 to match my SB-104A
> station.  But I do not know very much about them.  Would any one like
> to share with me any experiences that they have had with this model of
> linear. Thanks,Steve N4KQR
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