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[AMPS] Which Came First?

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Subject: [AMPS] Which Came First?
From: W8JI@contesting.com (Tom Rauch)
Date: Sat, 22 Sep 2001 21:52:15 -0400
> Can anyone answer off the top of his or her head?  Which series of
> amplifiers came first at Ameritron -- the AL-1200/1500/82 or the
> AL-800H/80B/etc.?

The original Ameritron inventory was taken over by the owner of 
Prime Instruments, W8IOB as a "loan adjustment". Prime already 
owned all the parts and tooling, but had nothing to do with the 
designs. 

The original parts included the AL80, AL82, RCS-8 and ATR-8. The 
original AL82 (never produce) was deemed "unbuildable" and 
unsafe by Prime Instruments.

The original AL82 specific to the AL82 was scrapped, and the other 
products Prime inherited were totally reworked as soon as 
possible. All old AL80's were rebuilt at Prime Instruments expense, 
because the design was so poor. Prime spent over $30,000 
rebuilding units that we received no money for, and scrapped 
thousands of parts that were bought surplus or used.

The AL80A was a replacement for the AL80, and was the first total 
re-design priority. The AL1200 was next, and the AL1500 followed. 
A pair of 3-500's was never released, because the 3CX1200 ran 
more power and was less expensive to build. The 3-500Z's were 
eventually released under the model AL82, although it was a totally 
different animal than the scrapped AL82 that used the 1200/1500 
platform.

The AL80B was a total revision of the AL80A developed around 
1990. That platform was expanded into the AL-800 series and 
eventually the AL-572.
73, Tom W8JI
W8JI@contesting.com 

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