[Amps] buying MRF-150's

[Will Matney]

Dan,

I wouldn't put much faith in Richardsons claims of lab testing everything as I used the be an OEM that bought from them and CECO. Bernie Guss, who was in sales with CECO told me they matched them by lot numbers the same as the rest. CECO was the division at one time that sold parts into the gray area, and who Richardsons sent everyone to. In order to receive lab testing and a certificate the parts cost about X5 what they do if they're actually doing it as they have to be placed in a jig and all the parameters matched. You also get a guarantee along with the certificate. About the only one who they actually do this for is the government. If I hadn't dealt with them as much as I did over the years, I wouldn't say it. I had an enginner at Motorola tell me at one time too that lot number matching was almost as good as they all should be the same off the same die or run. I imagine they told this to Merit at RF Parts as that's who Merit had make the SRF line. All they were, were re-marked MRF transistors like MRF-454, etc.. 

If it were me, and wanting to buy these parts, I'd look at Westgate Laboratories. They have some of the better prices and can order in any part you want. They specialize in these type parts and if I recall are the successors to Elmira Electronics who were the Westinghouse vacuum tube folks from years back.

http://westgateparts.com/

Best,

Will

*********** REPLY SEPARATOR  ***********

On 6/6/06 at 7:33 PM Dan Levin wrote:

>Well, I'm wouldn't say that RF Parts is as good a place as any if you care
>about price, and I don't know if they really match parts or just match lot
>numbers like CCI does.
>
>Richardson Electronics (www.rell.com) is cheaper than RF Parts, maintains
>stock, and has "real" (i.e. they will actually measure stuff in a lab, not
>just match up lot numbers) matching capability.  They also carry very nifty
>high wattage resistors for those attenuator and terminator needs.
>
>RFMW (www.rfmw.com) is cheaper than Richardson, and also has real matching

>capability.  They likely have a pair in stock, but don't seem to keep as
>much inventory as RELL does (RELL buys something like 25,000 at a time).
>
>                          ***dan, K6IF
>
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