Batboard

How do I find out how much power my syntor X puts out when I can't get the programming information or model # off of it?

wattmeter and a dummy load w/ some reliable antenna line, any moderately good radio shop should have this...beg, borrow, steal...

Where can I get a wattmeter myself?

not to thread jack but I also have a ? about the Syntor. Can a systems 9000 siren control DEK and amp be used with the Syntor radio? Are there pluses or minuses to the Spectra over the Syntor? Thanks!

the spectra can do 128ch with no modification and the spectra can do mdc with no option board but the spectra can only scan 16ch to the x9000 can scan all of it's channels. they were both offered in 100watt models and both have remote heads. and i'm shure there are more differences that i've missed.

The HLN1185 siren amp works with either the Syntor X9000 or Spectra Systems 9000 setup, if I remember correctly. I have 1185's marked with various logos through Astro so they should be the same.

Regarding the Syntor X question, the power out is shown by the model number. T7 prefix is 100W, T4 prefix is 45W, more or less. T8 is a rather rare VHF 125W unit. If you have a radio missing the serial and model plate, go to the Syntor X materials on Mike Blenderman's website and compare notes regarding the transmitter power amp board photo and part number reference.

Where to get a wattmeter...are you serious? How about eBay, your nearest ham radio store, Tucker Electronics, Tessco, and so forth...

jmr3865 wrote:How do I find out how much power my syntor X puts out when I can't get the programming information or model # off of it?

You can get an idea of its output range from the second character in the model number (Example: T73KEJ7D04AK). In this case, the first digit after the 'T' is what you're interested in.

3 = 25-30 watts
4 = 35-45 watts
5 = 50-60 watts
7 = 75-85 watts
8 = 110 watts

As others have pointed out, you can tell for sure by hooking the thing up to a wattmeter, dummy load, and heavy-duty DC power supply (allow 30 amps for a 110W radio), or to a service monitor.

Keep in mind that, with high-power radios, turning down the output power slightly will help to extend the life of the PA and reduce the TX current draw. When I get a 110W radio that I expect to use, I always turn it down to 75 watts. The difference at the receiving end is negligible (less than 3dB), and I know I won't have to be trying to find rare or expensive PA transistors over the years.

Along those lines, there is an additional caution. Reducing the output power below 50% of rated (for a 110W radio, that means no lower than 55 watts) is risky. The PA can become unstable, pick up destructive oscillation, and eat itself while splattering spurious emissions all over the place. If you do try taking it below 50% of rated, have a spectrum analyzer standing by as well as a service monitor (or just the SM if it has a SpecAn option) standing by to make sure the output doesn't look like a pincushion.

Happy tweaking.

Yep, my T73 draws 28A key down.