On Jun 26, 2006, at 1:30 PM, W2RU - Bud Hippisley wrote:
> Tom W8JI wrote:
>> One of the best engineered amps on the market was the
>> SB220. It was amazingly cheap for the results, and they had
>> a very good service life when operated according to
>> manufacturing specs. That amp is a prime example of good
>> engineering for the market place.
>>
>> By the way, when all the patches and fixes that are touted
>> as life-improving mods are added to an amp in amateur
>> service the primary failure mechanisms will still be
>> uncontrollable. All those cost adding mods wouldn't do a
>> thing in the big picture.
>
> With respect to Tom's first paragraph above: I still have the
> SB-220 I
> built more than a quarter of a century ago. I think I've replaced a
> grand total of one tube in all that time, despite pounding it to death
> in contests, DXing, and general operating over the years. During that
> period, I have transmitted into the wrong antenna or no antenna more
> times than I care to remember. it still has the original cooling fan
> and it's the quietest legal limit amplifier I've ever owned, used,
> or heard.
>
> With respect to Tom's second paragraph above: Once upon a time I
> owned
> an ETO PA-76. I didn't keep it because it kept "breaking" despite the
> (excessive) control circuitry in it. I currently also own an
> AmpSupply
> LK-550 (to operate 160) and its unnecessarily complex interlock
> circuitry frequently keeps the Operate / Bypass relays from energizing
> when requested. One of my pending shack projects is to "gut" the
> control section of this amplifier so it approaches my SB-220 in
> simplicity and reliability.
>
> For *me* (and I emphasize "me"), 3-500Z amplifiers represent the best
> available combination of reliability, resilience to dumb operator
> errors, tube (valve) replacement cost, TVI minimization, and required
> drive levels (relative to my favorite transceivers) for amateur MF/HF
> amplifiers. After my first PL-172 failure, I used to cringe every
> time I turned on my old HT-33A, and I developed similar reactions to
> firing up the PA-76. By contrast, I don't live in fear of
> energizing
> my SB-220, and it is, consistent with remarks by both Tom and Rich at
> one time or another, one of the best values I've ever found in any
> of my
> hobbies.
>
Amen, Bud, and the few needed mods to the SB-220 are minor.
>
>
>
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>
R L MEASURES, AG6K. 805-386-3734
r@somis.org
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