>From a casual SSB op who owns/has owned the following:
High power:
Definitely the AL-1500. Best lots of bang for the buck, easy to operate and
forgiving.
ALS-1300. Troublesome at first but after the growing pains were taken care of
this amplifier worked as advertised. I believe the 1306 is much like it +6.
Lower power:
Ameritron AL-80B. Old school glass tube. Best bang for the buck KW amp. I
had one and shouldn't have sold it. I still have its older brother the A
model. Still running strong with a 1990 Eimac 3-500. I'll keep it until no
longer economically viable.
Acom 600s. No nonsense continuous all mode 600 watt amplifier. So easy to use
it's boring. Built like a Cadillac. Looking forward to the Acom 1200s some
day.
Again, this is from a casual SBB operator's point of view.
Have owned a bunch of others that are no longer on the market today.
73, k0cwo
> On Dec 15, 2016, at 19:11, Charles H <k4vud@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
> An Idiosyncratic opinion
>
> The choice a ham makes in getting an amplifier is as unique as the ham and
> needs and tastes make differences. Here is what I would say to any ham who
> asked, "What amplifiers on the market should I consider":
>
> "2 KW"-- meaning above 1.5w usually:
>
> -Ameritron AL-1500F...$3400 w. imported 7788, best tube for availability.
> Buy three amps for 3 bands and spend $10,200 and save Dishtronic money even
> then. All manual tune, old-school and a bargain.
>
> -OM and ACOM, dont know nuttin. Op should study.
>
> -SPE Expert...$5046 FOB Rome, feature rich w. SWR+watt meter (antenna tuner,
> mine will tune 3.9 down to abt 2.1 and go), six auto switched outputs, two
> inputs (with SO2R that I dont understand, dont use) built in and real antenna
> tuner that you tune once for band segments and not agn unless changing
> antennas (fast retune for ants swinging in the wind). Meter reads 2200w and
> auto cut back to about 800 on high heat CAD, continuous amateur duty like
> RTTY, reads temperature, fast auto accept of AC line voltage changes, hook
> to computer and never touch its front panel.
>
>
>
> -Note, SPE offers a "combiner" device to hook up two SPE amps and get double
> output.
>
>
>
> -Dishtronix 2400L 1/A, $10850... using factory internet info only. Appears a
> new beast on the block, my subjective reactions. Suggests that if ur SWR is
> high, just turn it up to compensate for lost power (wow), no antenna tuner (I
> need one, ant swings in wind, changes as rotated, etc.), limited outputs.
>
>
>
> -Yaesu Quadra, 1 KW rating, do not push it. Matches Yaesu and has built in
> ant tuner and two inputs, multiple outputs. SS but has been around a long
> time. Check evaluations for notes about potential line voltage problem.
>
>
>
> -ICOM IC-PW1, 1KW rating. Evaluations very mixed and over a long time which
> make me doubtful.
>
> -ICOM IC-4KL, used. 1.5 KW, extensively automatic, ant tuner built in.
> Old model few reviews.
>
>
>
> -Avoid Alpha 9500 due to slow band change re-tuning, good tube. Mine went
> very sour three times, long story. Some units change ant outputs by itself,
> defying ur programming.
>
> -Avoid Alpha 87a, used, for slow band changes and as it ages, little plugs
> and sockets inside get tarnish and stop working, quirky fault detection
> system.
>
>
>
> Lower power
>
>
>
> -SPE Expert Model 1.3K-FA, $3400, light weight, ant tuner, 4 outputs, 2
> inputs, the GoTo amp for DXpeditions. Some say it will do 1.5 but rated at
> ICAS 1.3 KW. Price without built in tuner is $2460. All FOB Rome.
>
>
>
> -Elecraft KPA500, 500 watts, underpowered but small and matches K3, external
> antenna tuner, now outclassed by 1.3K-FA for portable ops. Amp with ext.
> tuner $3000. FOB factory.
>
>
>
> -ICOM IC-2KL, 500watts used. Highly sought amp. for small size w. separate
> p.s. and IC-500 matching automatic antenna tuner. Package of three boxes
> give flexibility in portable op. Old and thus beware of failures. (I had
> three complete sets for DXpedition use, sold.)
>
>
>
> -SPE Expert 1K-FA, $2800 FOB Rome, 1 KW but very mixed reviews, some
> negative may be result from running amp at over power. Caution.
>
>
>
> -Ameritron has a large choice for SS automatic or manual, as well as
> tube-type amps, some oldie-but-goodies widely used around the world.
>
>
>
> Add your favorite.
>
> 73, Charly
>
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