Hi Joe:
IMO, the Henry 5K was quite a piece of gear for its time. While it does not
have the high tech baubles of today's Alphas and Emtrons, it is a classy
looking amp which adds a commanding presence to any hamshack.
It is also commonly notes that "fit and finish" is/was not what it should have
been for an amp priced at $3900 back then.
Early on, there were issues with high surges in the power supplies upon turn
on, so later models had a step start included. Folks who have older units
should add one if they have not already as the plate xformer is usually what
dies. Last quotes I had on those were around $1k a piece.
Other than being expensive to replace, the 3CX1200A7 ($1100) is a tough tube
that will last for years. 8877's on the other hand are a bit more fragile
especially in the grid/grid current area. On a positive note though, you can
find medical pull 8877s all day long for $200-400 each. The factory 8877 models
made were less than 15 if I recall correctly.
I would not think of the Henry consoles as a quick band change unit, but more
likely a very sturdy rag chew amp that will keep the shack warm and put out
power without strain.
Back in the late 80's, I watched in our shop as a tech loaded a brand new one
up on 14mhz with 150 watts drive to 4000 watts out. It did not appear to be
under any strain, although there was a bit of line drop on the 240 line which
was not the best.
It does take two good men and a strong boy to move them around at 225 pounds.
If you can tuck one of these under your arm and run down the road, you won't
get any argument from me. :0)
Don N8ECH
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