OK,
I will email my buddy Don and ask him if he wants to re-gurgitate the
specifics on his AL-1200 woes. It has been a while since I've emailed him
anyways. I'll ask him if I can cut and paste his story with the technical
details. He did spend quite a bit of time trying to convince Ameritron to
change the capacitor bank around on the phone.
I'm not a hater of Ameritron as I do presently own one. I like to think I
have a little more technical savy than the average "joe". If I was a so called
appliance operator, I would be pretty dis-appointed if my Ameritron broke and I
couldn't get the factory to fix it properly. When I get around to upgrading
the t/r relay to a "gigavac" vacuum relay, I will feel it is my duty to post on
the eham.net reviews reflector so others can improve/hotrod their linear as
well and be a better tech for doing it.
Best 73,
Mike
R L Measures <r@somis.org> wrote:
On Jul 28, 2006, at 11:46 PM, mike kendall wrote:
> I don't want to bash Ameritron but I have a friend who bought an
> AL-1200 and did have considerable problems with the electrolytic
> capacitor bank on the HV power supply. They did not have a good
> safety margin on their ratings when compared to the output voltage.
Indeed, Mike. When he was still working for Ameritron/MFJ, W8JI told
us that Ameritron amps don't have a glitch-R because their filters
caps have so much ESR built-in that they don't need one. Shocking.
> My friend recommended a good US source for an electrolytic that
> would allow a safety margin. I seem to remember he blew out the
> caps a couple of times before he got rid of it. A great looking
> amp with a problem that needed to be fixed and Amertron unwilling
> to fix it properly.
Martin F. Jue seems to think that price is more important than good
engineering practice. I used to own a VW bus, and as I eventually
found out, VW has the same stinkin' policy when it comes to engine
design. The engine was kaput (swallowed a valve) at 65,000 miles.
Adding c. $200 to the cost (heat-resistant valves & seats + external
oil cooler) would have fixed the problems with the engine and
resulted in happier customers.
> I own an ALS-600 solid state linear and have experienced problems
> with the open frame relay. I read on Eham.net that others have
> also had this problem. I am currently looking into replacing it
> with a Gigavac device but once again, think Ameritron should either
> offer a QSK vacuum relay as an option, standard, or some other type
> of fix. I have had two Ameritron linears, the AL-80A was OK (also
> blew a HV electrolytic but plenty of space to
> fix it easy). Overall, my opinion is Ameritron is good but they
> need to listen to their customers a little better and fix problems
> a little quicker.
Corporate ethics is an oxymoron, and a pretty damn good example is
Exxon.
> 73,
> Mike
>
> Scott Manthe wrote:
> If you hate your fellow hams so much, maybe you're the one who
> should
> find another hobby.
>
> My experience with Ameritron amps has been positive, so I'm having
> difficulty understanding your bilious comments.
>
> I'd be interested in an accounting of the "almost daily occurrence" of
> Ameritron owners asking for help on this reflector. I've been on this
> list for years and have never seem this phenomenon.
>
> Scott, N9AA
>
> Bob Maser wrote:
>> My, I seem to have tweaked a sensitive spot with all you ameritron
>> lovers(not capitalized on purpose). I can see where appliance
>> operators
>> would love them, just buy it, bring it home and plug it in. What
>> could be
>> easier?
>> And when it goes belly up, just get on the Amps reflector and ask for
>> help(an almost daily occurrence). Life is good. Of course, you
>> could take
>> the same money that you spent on the MFJ amp and build your own
>> and have
>> some pride about it and money left over, but this is too much to
>> ask from
>> most of our current amateur radio fraternity. BTW, the next time
>> you're at
>> a hamfest that has an ameritron booth, compare their product with
>> any other
>> amp maker an if can't see the differences, maybe you're in the
>> wrong hobby.
>> Price can't be the reason that so many hams buy them, since you
>> can either
>> homebrew your own or buy some of the fine used amps on the market,
>> example,
>> why would one spend $850 on a AL-811H when you can find a 30L-1 for
>> considerably less? An AL82 for $1300 instead of a L4B? Come on
>> guys, you're
>> smoking that cheap stuff.
>>
>> I love this reflector.
>>
>> Bob Maser W6TR
>>
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R L MEASURES, AG6K. 805-386-3734
r@somis.org
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