Fast Carrier Tuning the 811H Amplifier

The single most important thing to watch when tuning a grounded-grid AB2 linear amplifier is grid current. Be wary of instructions or videos telling you to "dip the plate".

"Dipping the plate" came from years ago when stages were grid-driven and the only output metering was plate current. As a matter of fact, until 1983 Spring the FCC required Hams to know the plate power input. This required we watch the plate current constantly.

Also, grid-driven stages cannot be loaded and tuned by watching the control grid current. Grid-driven tetrodes or pentodes can be tuned by watching the screen grid current, but almost no Ham equipment manufacturer provided screen current meters.

As a consequence, Hams were conditioned, trained, or predisposed to tune by "dipping the plate". Old habits being hard to break, older Elmers passed on "dipping the plate" to generations beyond the grid-driven stage era. I'm not saying plate current is not valid for many things, but this video shows how much faster tuning can be by watching grid current in AB2 grounded-grid amplifiers. Faster tuning means less wear and tear, and less interference.

I still think the best way is to use a TOF and a tuning pulser to set the grid current.

This video shows the fastest way to tune with a carrier!