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Re: [Amps] Amps Digest, Vol 178, Issue 10

To: amps@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [Amps] Amps Digest, Vol 178, Issue 10
From: James Malone <wa3lbi@me.com>
Date: Wed, 04 Oct 2017 22:44:58 -0400
List-post: <mailto:amps@contesting.com>
I love this blog! And the stories of amateur amplifier lore.👍

Soon I will report about a Alpha 87a I bought years ago with an Alarm code 
related to the RF switch .

I got nostalgic as I grew up when the 77 was "The" amplifier of a poor teenager 
dreams.
And always wanted an Alpha( ETO) amplifier .. 

I could use some help in fixing my 87a or sending it to a place where the parts 
will get good use .
Might even inspire me to operate below 50 MHz !


Jim WA3LBI 

Sent from my iPhone

> On Oct 4, 2017, at 10:32 PM, amps-request@contesting.com wrote:
> 
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> 
> Today's Topics:
> 
>   1. Re: Amplifier lifetime (Manfred Mornhinweg)
>   2. Re: Amplifier lifetime (RCM)
>   3. Re: Amplifier lifetime (Lee Bahr)
>   4. Re: Amplifier lifetime (Steve Wright)
>   5. Re: Amplifier lifetime (Mark Schoonover)
>   6. Re: Amplifier lifetime (Bill Turner)
> 
> 
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> Message: 1
> Date: Wed, 04 Oct 2017 19:44:43 +0000
> From: Manfred Mornhinweg <manfred@ludens.cl>
> To: amps@contesting.com
> Subject: Re: [Amps] Amplifier lifetime
> Message-ID: <59D53A2B.3090903@ludens.cl>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
> 
> _Good_ equipment and machinery should be designed and built well enough 
> to work all the way until becoming obsolete, which is when the owner 
> decides to replace it because new-technology equipment simply performs 
> better, is more efficient, more portable, etc.
> 
> Anything that needs to be replaced because it wore out before something 
> better became available to replace it, was inadequately built or 
> designed, unless it was abused instead of used.
> 
> However we should not extend these rules to parts and things that by 
> their nature are wear items. Then again, even wear items might in many 
> cases be designed and built to last long enough. For example, consider 
> brake pads for cars: They are certainly wear items, but it should be 
> possible to make them thick enough so that they will last until the car 
> is totally obsolete. And a better car wouldn't have brake pads, relying 
> instead on purely regenerative, wear-free brakes. Some wear items are 
> unavoidable, though.
> 
> We can apply all of this to ham gear. That's for example where PIN diode 
> switching comes in, and solid state instead of tubes.
> 
> Unfortunately even the best design can't totally rule out premature 
> equipment failure due to freak failure of components, let alone 
> accidents or mis-use. That's why good equipment should also be designed 
> to be repair-friendly, and adequate service manuals should be made 
> available.
> 
> I fully realize that what I just wrote clashes against the business 
> practices of many modern companies, which operate under the principle of 
> making desirable-looking products that are designed to fail soon after 
> the guarantee expires, and making them as hard as possible to repair, in 
> order to force people to throw them away and buy new ones. But I don't 
> consider those to be good products, and whenever I have any choice, I 
> buy those that are designed to work without failures until naturally 
> becoming obsolete. And sometimes I build my own instead of buying 
> something ready-made.
> 
> Manfred
> 
> 
> ========================
> Visit my hobby homepage!
> http://ludens.cl
> ========================
> 
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
> Message: 2
> Date: Wed, 4 Oct 2017 18:30:22 -0400
> From: RCM <robrk@nidhog.net>
> Cc: AMPS submit <amps@contesting.com>
> Subject: Re: [Amps] Amplifier lifetime
> Message-ID: <90B9F680-623D-4913-AC23-95EA4CEBBFD3@nidhog.net>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8
> 
> 
>> On Oct 4, 2017, at 11:05, Catherine James <catherine.james@att.net> wrote:
>> 
>> I expect my SB-220 will be operating for my entire ham radio lifetime.  And 
>> I'm
>> not retired, so that will be decades. I fire it up at least once a month to 
>> keep it gettered.
>> 
> 
> 
> Age check? Maybe someone will come out with a 3-500 Nuvistor.
> 
> 
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
> Message: 3
> Date: Wed, 4 Oct 2017 17:33:10 -0500
> From: Lee Bahr <L@w0vt.us>
> To: amps@contesting.com
> Subject: Re: [Amps] Amplifier lifetime
> Message-ID: <8f7af682-dd33-ec1d-fe6d-d82aa7d5f4de@w0vt.us>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8; format=flowed
> 
> I'm 79.? Anyone got any suggestions as to how long an amplifier should 
> last for me?
> 
> Lee, w0vt
> 
> 
> On 10/4/2017 5:30 PM, RCM wrote:
>>> On Oct 4, 2017, at 11:05, Catherine James <catherine.james@att.net> wrote:
>>> 
>>> I expect my SB-220 will be operating for my entire ham radio lifetime.  And 
>>> I'm
>>> not retired, so that will be decades. I fire it up at least once a month to 
>>> keep it gettered.
>>> 
> 
> 
> ---
> This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.
> https://www.avast.com/antivirus
> 
> 
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
> Message: 4
> Date: Thu, 5 Oct 2017 12:00:18 +1300
> From: Steve Wright <stevewrightnz@gmail.com>
> To: amps@contesting.com
> Subject: Re: [Amps] Amplifier lifetime
> Message-ID: <96ec69d8-f3b2-a4d4-bc73-5cf9282ec996@gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8
> 
>> On 05/10/17 11:33, Lee Bahr wrote:
>> I'm 79.? Anyone got any suggestions as to how long an amplifier should
>> last for me?
> 
> I doubt you mind either way!? ;)
> 
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
> Message: 5
> Date: Wed, 4 Oct 2017 18:26:47 -0700
> From: Mark Schoonover <mark@ka6wke.net>
> To: Steve Wright <stevewrightnz@gmail.com>
> Cc: amps@contesting.com
> Subject: Re: [Amps] Amplifier lifetime
> Message-ID:
>    <CAC++DEbODE_tu2hR7djXFhCYfsPj_rj5mVLU8tHMPqj-ivW-_g@mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8"
> 
> It should last at least one day after you become a SK. :)
> 
>> On Oct 4, 2017 16:02, "Steve Wright" <stevewrightnz@gmail.com> wrote:
>> 
>>> On 05/10/17 11:33, Lee Bahr wrote:
>>> I'm 79.  Anyone got any suggestions as to how long an amplifier should
>>> last for me?
>> 
>> I doubt you mind either way!  ;)
>> _______________________________________________
>> Amps mailing list
>> Amps@contesting.com
>> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/amps
>> 
> 
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
> Message: 6
> Date: Thu, 5 Oct 2017 02:32:30 +0000
> From: Bill Turner <dezrat@outlook.com>
> To: Amps group <amps@contesting.com>
> Subject: Re: [Amps] Amplifier lifetime
> Message-ID:
>    
> <DM2PR03MB560B3FE0A770981021B3C55C0700@DM2PR03MB560.namprd03.prod.outlook.com>
>    
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
> 
> ------------ ORIGINAL MESSAGE ------------(may be snipped)
> 
> On Wed, 4 Oct 2017 18:26:47 -0700, you wrote:
> 
>>>> I'm 79.  Anyone got any suggestions as to how long an amplifier should
>>>> last for me?
> 
> REPLY:
> 
> Baby your amp, run it below its ratings, don't hot switch it and watch
> your SWR and it should last nearly forever.
> 
> Electronic parts do fail, just don't help them.  :-)
> 
> 73, Bill W6WRT
> 
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
> Subject: Digest Footer
> 
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> ------------------------------
> 
> End of Amps Digest, Vol 178, Issue 10
> *************************************
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