Amplifier Crutches

By N0AH

Two major events in my amateur radio career affected my hobby like no other. The day I went from a backyard multi-band vertical to a tribander, and the day I purchased my first HF amplifier for which this article turns its attention.

On August 14, 1996, a few months after I earned my extra ticket, I was using my first HF set ever with a stock TS-940 and a Cushcraft AP8A multi-band vertical. Inexperienced, I was tuning through 40 meters one night and heard my first split operation. It was a VK station on SSB working stateside. What was the big deal? So I called him and he came back to me in a huge pile up. I went to bed.

I got his card a couple of months later and took it the Mile High DX Club meeting. People thought I had beginners luck because unknown to me, that VK QSO was with Macquarie Island. A scientist, VK4NAR, was stationed there from 1995-1996. I got lucky with no-nothing antenna and no amplifier on the first call to VK0WH.

OK, chalk it up to beginners luck. As I matured as a DX'er, I began experimenting with amplifiers over peer pressure from DX'ers who called themselves my friends. Then, after breaking one pile up, I had to have the amp on to make every QSO. I could not go a day without using one. I didn't care about the antenna. It didn't matter. I started putting up Ameritron ads on my shack wall, and of course, my dream machine cover page of Alpha Power's Alpha 99.

But then, in my DX'peditions and over-sea travels, I realized that being able to hear was a lot more important than running power. What is the good of an amplifier if you can't hear any one? Try working CQWWSSB from a French club station in a factory garage. The amplifier had no value.

I was in the twilight zone when I just concluded that you can look at an amplifier in one of two ways. As a crutch knowing that you are improving your chances of being heard, or using it as a crunching device so you will be heard over other stations where the other station has a high noise level. Or maybe, just for a conversation?

If you are looking for ways to let go of the crutching grip an amplifier holds over you, here is a reality check for you to consider.

On Lord Howe in 1998 as VK9LZ, I worked hundreds of JA stations. Going 3-5KHz wide, I could hear the big gun stations. But you know what, I asked for QRP stations too. And I was always looking for the common man's signal. Did I work big signals? Yes as they were unavoidable. But my decision of who to work was not based on signal strength. It was just random based on my mood that hour.

In 2004 working as 3DA0AX, we had big antennas and one amplifier. Our rates were at QRP levels as propagation was as poor as I can remember ever hearing. Our amplifier was a nice paper weight.

So there you have it from both sides. As a DX'er, I didn't care if you had an amp and as a DX'er, having the amp didn't make the propagation work for us. So what good is the amp? I have two amps. So I'm not being one sided here. I enjoy having them. I just want to know how amateur radio operators feel about three things with an amp in their own shack:

My answers are simple. If all of us were able to low band DX where signals come and go in the static on a quiet morning grayline, I'd have one for everybody! For every day use, I'd put my money into the antenna. I believe many amateurs get away with what they can on amplifier outputs allowing them to use discretion as a better part of valor. And this bothers me because they use amps like a crutch in contests, chasing DX, and having the biggest guns on the street. Or am I just being difficult?

What do you think? Do you have a Crutch in your shack or an amplifier? Or is it someone you know who does? Or is everything that I am saying hogwash and having a power amplifier is a wise necessity of any proven amateur radio operator?