The AA8V Wingfoot 813 Amplifier High Technology Of The 1950's In The 2000's y !

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Wingfoot 813 Amplifier Pages
Main Page and Front and Side Views Interior and Ba k Views Tank Coil Information T!pi al "perating Conditions

%irc&it 'escription #n( )chem#tic Power S#ppl! P$otos 'i#gr#m 813 T#%e Information Power S#ppl! Cir #it &es ription and S $emati &iagram

Cir #it &es riptions and S#%'S $emati s

Inp#t Transformer Inp#t Cir #it Plate Feed Cir #it Plate Tank Cir #it (rid Metering Cir #it Mode Swit $ Cir #it 813 Beam Power Tetrode

Plate Metering Cir #it Bias Cir #it T) Swit $ing Cir #it

%lic* On A )ection of the )chem#tic +elo, for Inform#tion on Th#t -#rt of the %irc&it.

%lic* here for # high resol&tion schem#tic/ %lic* here for # rot#te( schem#tic more s&it# le for printing/
T$e Wingfoot 813 amplifier was designed and %#ilt %! me to mat $ t$e W8*+I Wingfoot VF" *, iter- At t$e time I re ei.ed t$e e, iter from /im Tr#tko0 W8*+I0 I also re ei.ed an amplifier t$at /im $ad %een working on !ears earlier- &esigned aro#nd t$e pop#lar 1in t$e 12345s6 813 %eam power tetrode0 t$e amplifier was #nfinis$ed and in omplete- T$ere was also a power s#ppl! for t$e amplifier on a separate $assis0 %#t t$e power s#ppl! $ad design pro%lems0 defe ti.e parts 1parti #larl! t$e filter apa itors60 and was not operationalSin e t$e amplifier wo#ld make a %ea#tif#l ompanion to t$e e, iter0 I de ided to repair and redesign t$e power s#ppl!0 and t$en to ompletel! disassem%le t$e amplifier into a pile of parts and start ompletel! o.er- T$e res#lt is an amplifier of e, eptional performan e and %ea#t!-

%irc&it 'esign %onsi(er#tions. T$e design of t$e amplifier was largel! determined %! t$e parts on $and7 it wo#ld %e designed aro#nd t$e 813 %eam power tetrode and wo#ld $opef#ll! #tili8e t$e tank omponents on $and- A gro#nded grid 1 at$ode dri.en6 onfig#ration was sele ted0 sin e plent! of dri.e was a.aila%le0 and t$e ir #it wo#ld %e simpler- It was de ided to r#n t$e 813 9triode onne ted90 wit$ t$e s reen in parallel wit$ t$e ontrol grid- T$is wo#ld eliminated t$e need for a s reen s#ppl!0 and d#ring operation t$e t#%e o#ld %e r#n wit$ 8ero %ias- A %ias s#ppl! wo#ld t$#s onl! %e needed to #t off t$e t#%e d#ring stand%!:re ei.e0 and a simple0 #nreg#lated %ias s#ppl! wo#ld s#ffi e- T$o#g$ in inp#t mat $ing ir #it wo#ld $a.e gi.en %etter linearit! and a %etter impedan e mat $ to some e, iters0 one was not #sed sin e t$e e, iter o#ld mat $ a wide range of impedan es and t$e amplifier wo#ld %e #sed for CW0 w$ere linearit! was not a ma;or on ern- Finall!0 sin e t$e amplifier mig$t %e #sed wit$ a trans ei.er0 a rela! transmit:re ei.e ir #it was in l#ded to %!pass t$e amplifier and appl! #toff %!pass to t$e 813 d#ring re ei.e%lic* here for pict&res #n( inform#tion on the m#tching Wingfoot V0O 2122 13citer Amplifier Inp&t Tr#nsformer. T$e inp#t impedan e of a gro#nded grid amplifier is t!pi all! se.eral $#ndred o$msT$o#g$ most .a ##m t#%e transmitters will $a.e no tro#%le dri.ing s# $ an impedan e0 solid state transmitters0 w$i $ are designed to dri.e loads t$at are .er! lose to 34 o$ms0 will #s#all! ref#se to dri.e s# $ a load- T$e %est 1and most ompli ated6 sol#tion is to #se a t#ned mat $ing network on t$e inp#t- <owe.er0 a simple 1 to = #n%alan ed to #n%alan ed transmission line transformer is .er! eas! to make and will lower t$e inp#t impedan e %! ro#g$l! a fa tor of fo#r0 #s#all! %ringing it wit$in range of most solid state transmittersIn t$is amplifier t$e inp#t transformer is made %! winding se.en t#rns of )('1>= oa, or similar small oa,ial a%le on an FT'34A'?1 toroidal ore- If t$e oa,ial a%le is not a.aila%le0 11 t#rns of @A= enameled magnet wire0 %ifilar wo#nd0 will also work- Cli k $ere for a pi t#re of t$e transformer-

Amplifier Inp&t #n( 0il#ment )&pply %irc&it. In a dire tl! $eated at$ode gro#nded'grid ir #it it is ne essar! to allow %ot$ t$e inp#t )F and t$e filament power to rea $ t$e filament: at$ode wit$o#t interfering wit$ ea $ ot$er- In t$e ir #it s$own at rig$t t$e two 4-41 #f apa itors permit t$e inp#t )F from t$e inp#t mat $ing ir #it to rea $ t$e filament0 w$ile pre.enting t$e m# $ lower freB#en ! filament AC from flowing %a k t$ro#g$ t$e inp#t ir #it- At t$e same time0 it is important to keep t$e inp#t )F from flowing into t$e filament power transformer- T$is is a omplis$ed wit$ a pair of $ea.! d#t! )F $okes t$at are a t#all! wo#nd on t$e same ore- T$ese allow t$e low freB#en ! $eater AC to pass t$ro#g$ w$ile %lo king t$e m# $ $ig$er freB#en ! )F- An! resid#al )F t$at mig$t $a.e passed t$ro#g$ t$e )F $okes is s$orted to gro#nd t$ro#g$ t$e two 4-4A #f apa itors- T$e filament transformer pro.ides 14 .olts AC at 3 amperes to $eat t$e 813 filamentAmplifier -l#te 0ee( %irc&it. In an )F amplifier it is ne essar! to s#ppl! &C plate .oltage to t$e t#%e 1a%o#t A444 .olts in t$is ase6 and at t$e same time e,tra t t$e amplified )F t$at appears at t$e plate of t$e t#%e- In t$e ir #it at rig$t0 t$e )'1>3 plate )F $oke allows t$e dire t #rrent from t$e plate s#ppl! 1BC6 to pass t$ro#g$ it0 w$ile pre.enting t$e )F on t$e plate of t$e t#%e from flowing %a k t$ro#g$ t$e plate s#ppl!- At t$e same time0 t$e 344 pf plate o#pling apa itor 1at t$e top in t$e s $emati 6 permits t$e )F on t$e plate to flow t$o#g$ to t$e o#tp#t tank ir #it w$ile %lo king t$e plate .oltage- T$e 344 pf apa itor at

%ottom s$ort ir #its an! resid#al )F t$at mig$t $a.e gotten t$ro#g$ t$e plate $oke and pre.ents it from rea $ing t$e plate s#ppl!- T$e small oil in series wit$ t$e plate lead is a parasiti s#ppressor0 w$i $ $elps pre.ent #nwanted os illationsAmplifier -l#te T#n* %irc&it. T$e plate tank ir #it is a pi'network t$at mat $es t$e $ig$ impedan e of t$e plate to t$e low impedan e of t$e antenna- At t$e same time t$e ir #it filters o#t #ndesired $armoni s from t$e o#tp#t signal- T$e signal from t$e plate enters t$ro#g$ t$e 344 pf plate o#pling apa itor at t$e #pper left in t$e s $emati - T$e two =4 pf apa itors and t$e AA4 pf .aria%le apa itor0 in om%ination wit$ t$e plate tank oil0 t#ne t$e plate to resonan e- T$e two =4 pf apa itors are pla ed in parallel to prod# e an 84 pf apa itor- T$is is t$en pla ed in series wit$ t$e AA4 pf .aria%le apa itor- T$e res#lt is effe ti.el! a .aria%le apa itor wit$ a ma,im#m apa itan e of a%o#t 32 pf- T$is slows t$e plate t#ning rate and makes t$e amplifier m# $ easier to t#neT$e %and swit $ .aries t$e ind# tan e of t$e tank oil0 and t$e 1344 pf load apa itor ad;#sts t$e network for t$e %est impedan e mat $- T$e A-3 m< )F $oke performs two important f#n tions7 If t$e plate o#pling apa itor s$o#ld fail and s$ort0 t$e )F $oke will s$ort ir #it t$e plate s#ppl!0 $opef#ll! %lowing t$e f#se- T$is will pre.ent t$e plate .oltage from appearing on t$e antenna0 a .er! dangero#s sit#ation- T$e $oke also pre.ents an! &C .oltage from appearing a ross t$e load apa itor0

lowering t$e .oltage it is reB#ired to $andleAmplifier !ri( 4etering %irc&its. Metering t$e &C grid #rrents of an )F amplifier is an important met$od of monitoring amplifier operation- In t$is amplifier0 t$e ontrol grid and s reen grid are onne ted in parallel for )F0 effe ti.el! reating a 9s#per9 ontrol grid- 1So alled 9triode onne tion9-6 T$o#g$ t$e! are in parallel for )F0 t$e &C #rrent of ea $ is meas#red separatel!- T$e s reen grid and ontrol grid metering ir #its are identi al and for larit! onl! t$e s reen grid metering ir #it is s$own $ere- *a $ meter is s$#nted wit$ a 144 o$m resistor- T$is permits t$e amplifier to operate wit$o#t t$e meter panel onne ted- T$e 4-1 #f apa itor gro#nds t$e grid for )F rig$t at t$e t#%e so ket0 and t$e A-3 m< )F $oke and 4-441 #f apa itor make s#re t$at no resid#al )F finds it wa! to t$e meter-

Amplifier -l#te 4etering %irc&it. Metering t$e plate #rrent of an )F amplifier is e.en more important t$an metering t$e grid #rrent- In t$is amplifier0 t$e plate #rrent meter is pla ed in t$e negati.e lead of t$e plate s#ppl!- T$is keeps t$e meter near gro#nd potential and keeps $ig$ .oltages off of t$e meter- T$e 144 o$m resistor gro#nds t$e negati.e lead of t$e plate s#ppl! 1B'6 if t$e meter is dis onne ted0 w$i $ is a safet! feat#re0 %#t t$e amplifier annot %e operated wit$o#t t$e plate meter onne ted0 as t$e resistor alone annot $andle t$e ne essar! #rrent and wo#ld %#rn o#t- It is also important for t$e grid ret#rn to %e onne ted to t$e amplifier $assis gro#nd and not t$e B' lead0 as onne ting t$e grid ret#rn to B' wo#ld a#se t$e plate meter to indi ate %ot$ plate and grid #rrentAmplifier Tr#nsmit56ecei7e ),itching %irc&it. W$en an )F amplifier is #sed wit$ a trans ei.er0 it is ne essar! to %!pass t$e amplifier d#ring re ei.e periods- In t$is amplifier se tions 9A9 and 9&9 of rela! D1 $andle t$e transmit:re ei.e swit $ing- 1Se tion 9B9 is #sed for %ias swit $ing-6 W$en t$e oil of D1 is not a ti.ated 1amplifier 9"ff9 or in 9Stand%!96 t$e normall! losed 1EC6 onta ts of rela! se tions 9A9 and 9&9 onne t t$e amplifier inp#t ;a k dire tl! to t$e o#tp#t ;a k0 %!passing t$e amplifier- W$en t$e rela! oil is a ti.ated 1amplifier in 9"perate96 t$e inp#t ;a k is onne ted to t$e inp#t of t$e amplifier 9I9 .ia t$e normall! open 1E"6 onta t of se tion 9A9 and t$e o#tp#t ;a k is onne ted to t$e o#tp#t of t$e amplifier 9"9 .ia t$e normall! open onta t of se tion 9&9-

Amplifier 4o(e ),itch #n( 6el#y Acti7#tion %irc&it . "ne side of t$e 11> .olt AC line 1from power ;a k P1 on t$e rear of t$e amplifier6 is ro#ted t$ro#g$ a A Amp f#se to t$e rotors of se tions 9A9 and 9B9 of mode swit $ S1T$e ot$er side of t$e AC line is ro#ted to one side of t$e filament transformer and rela! D1- W$en mode swit $ S1 is in t$e 9"ff9 position0 t$e AC is dis onne ted from t$e filament transformer and rela! and t$e amplifier is t#rned off- W$en S1 is set to t$e 9Stand%!9 position0 t$e filament transformer and green stand%! lig$t are t#rned on and t$e amplifier is in 9Stand%!9 mode- W$en t$e mode swit $ is pla ed in t$e 9"perate9 position0 rela! D1 is also a ti.ated0 pla ing t$e amplifier in 9"perate9 modeT$e amplifier an also %e remotel! swit $ed from 9Stand%!9 to 9"perate9 %! s$orting pins 9C9 and 9&9 of %ias and ontrol ;a k P3 on t$e %a k of t$e amplifierAmplifier +i#s %irc&it. T$e amplifier %ias ir #it applies ad;#sta%le %ias to t$e 813 ontrol and s reen grids0 w$i $ are r#n in parallel- 1So alled 9triode onne tion9-6 In 9Stand%!9 mode t$e oil of rela! D1 is not a ti.ated0 and one end of t$e 34k potentiometer is left #n onne ted- T$is

applies t$e f#ll o#tp#t of t$e %ias s#ppl! to t$e 813 grids to #t t$e t#%e off&#ring 9"perate9 mode0 t$e oil of rela! D1 is a ti.ated0 and t$e end of t$e 34k potentiometer is gro#nded0 red# ing t$e %ias to t$e .al#e sele ted %! t$e %ias ad;#st potentiometer- In a t#al operation t$e t#%e is operated wit$ 8ero %ias so t$e wiper is set at t$e %ottom end of t$e potentiometer-