Talk:Common CB Amplifiers
Palomar
It was NEVER an Amateur Radio HF Amplifier. Let me cover some of the FAQ, pass the information around to your friends.
Let's start with Palomar Electronics Corporation. Palomar Electronics Corp. was a manufacturer of CB linear amplifiers in the 1960’s and 1970’s. Such manufacturing was illegal for Citizens Band class D (27 MHz) usage. The company WENT OUT OF BUSINESS at end of 1980, at the end of the CB craze, stricter FCC regulations, and Reagan administration (which introduced Family Radio Service and GMRS).
That long gone operation has NO connection whatever to Palomar Engineers, Inc. This is the BIG LIE told to the CB community -- they are still around, etc. PALOMAR ENGINEERS, is the legitimate trademark and brand name owner in business today. http://palomar-engineers.com/palomar
SO, your Palomar 3500A is an illegal CB amplifier. It was NEVER sold as a legal or FCC certified HF amplifier. You will not find advertisements for it in the amateur radio trade magazines (QST, CQ, Ham Radio).
Where are the Palomar CB amplifiers coming from? Florida, Texas, Mexico, SW USA, and other locations through the years used the old Palomar name (counterfeit) for quick sales to non-informed buyers. Just like the illegal drug, alcohol, and gun trade, there are individuals that will run garage production or distribution operations for money.
But it has a band switch Common ploy in 1970s in feeble attempt to avoid attention for illegal CB mfg.
D&A in Scottsbluff, NE was also well known for that stunt.
Do you realize that a LOW-BAND FILTER (Assembled) for Multi-Band operation is as expensive as the 140 Watt HF board ?? Good ferrite is not cheap, and someone has to wind those coils and wire a multi-position rotary switch. Why add costs -- when you don't need to, the buyer is electronics/technically ignorant.
Quote I am looking for factory schematics not hand drawn stuff that might be full of errors.
I have searched the web and found nothing of any real use. The CB TRICKS schematic was drawn by someone in 1999/2000. The schematic shows the PT9847 transistor, which was originally made by TRW. You do realize that TRW sold that business RF transistor in late 1980s. Last ones mfg. for military/government/space usage and then surplused in 1990s..
You are not going to find factory ... What factory? Customer Service or Support? Stop kidding yourself here.
These were earlier amps that were made by Messenger with the Palomar name on them. Decent amps overall, but didn't show "big numbers" on the meter.
The later models didn't have the bandswitching on them, but still had filtering on the output. They later became the same amps as the Magnum 4000's, 5000's and 6000's.
I don't know exactly what the 5200 should put out, as I have never seen this model before and also don't know what transistors it has in it or how many. I assume that it was a smaller model than the 5300 judging by the model number. Sean
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The amount of $$$ to build a clean multi-band HF amplifier from the parts you have is an economic hardship on many operators (unemployed, fixed income, retired). It requires fabrication skills and time to read/learn Helge Granberg's Motorola work (Application Notes).
HF Projects is a better entrance ramp, for what you desire, by a US Military Veteran. http://www.hfprojectsyahoo.com/about.html
HF Projects Low Pass Filter Module (Multi-band) http://www.hfprojectsyahoo.com/kitlplowpafi.html
