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[AMPS] Amp Choices

To: <amps@contesting.com>
Subject: [AMPS] Amp Choices
From: W8JI@contesting.com (Tom Rauch)
Date: Sat, 15 Jul 2000 22:13:53 -0400
> I'm no expert when it comes to amps, but a friend of mine
> bought the AL 572B and didn't care for it at all.  I think they
> finally took it back, and he bought an AL 80B that he was
> much happier with. If I remember right, the concensus on 
> www.eham.net  was the same.
> 
> 73 - Mike K9MI

The initial AL-572's came with tubes that had chronic problems, 
even though they were from what was considered a "good" 
manufacturer.

Somewhere around half of brand new tubes failed a hi-pot test at 
6,000 volts (peak anode voltage in normal operation is about 5000 
volts).

The tubes that did pass seemed to have a chronic failure problem 
in the field.

Ameritron tried RF testing the tubes, and thought that would weed 
through the tubes. Things got better, but the flash-over rate was 
still high.

Adding to the problem, most replacement tubes on the market 
come from the same problematic source.

After changing tube vendors, tube failures and tube arcing problems 
are almost completely gone. That might have happened too late to 
save the product. It's sad, but that happens at times.

73 Tom
73, Tom W8JI
w8ji@contesting.com

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