Friday, June 16, 2023

Thunderbolt 305 Amp Build

 This is an Amp I built in the carcass of an old Thunderbolt 305. It originally had 1ea 6LQ6 driving 3ea 6LQ6 tubes. When I got it, it was just a dirty, corroded hull with a bad TV transformer transplanted in it. 


I converted it to 6P45C Russian tubes, installed some serious iron, built a new adjustable bias supply, etc. I modified the cabinet to raise the top for more clearance for the tubes, polished out all of the corrosion, and made it look better than new. The end result is a brute, and easily runs 600 watts out on 10 meters with low drive. Here's a few photos of the process, from a dirty junker to the finished piece...