[Amps] More information for "What NOT to buy"..

[bob finger]

I hesitated to reply because one negative comment can cause quite a 
stir.  However I'll offer my suggestions as to what to buy, rather than 
what not to buy...and will be just as controversial.

One of the best commercial amps ever made for the ham market is the 
original ten tec Titan 425.  Separate power supply, compact but 
powerful, quiet, runs a pair of 3cx800's so you have to be very careful 
with drive level, has a grid overdrive led and if you keep it dark the 
tubes should last a long time, full qsk with vacuum relay, quiet 
operation and TT will still support it to a point.  Great buy and will 
last a careful ham a lifetime but probably not a good "learning"amp.

Drake L4B, built like a brick outhouse, works forever, needs transfer 
relay rework and won't do 160 but a heck of a buy in the used market.  
pair of 3-500's, as is a well constructed SB220.

Ten Tec 422 an old design that keeps right on making suds.  An excellent 
buy and TT still supports, and continues to make it for sale.  pair of 
3-500's, good metering, qsk after a fashion.

Ameritron AL80A, and its sister the Heath SB1000.  Single 3-500, well 
designed and easy to work on, a really good learning amp.  Put in a 
Triode board and do all kind of fancy things with it. 

Alpha 78 bandpass amp.  I think this is the absolute best design ever 
for a ham amp.  full qsk, easily full output, nice looking, easy to tune 
and bandpass tuning on 80-15.  Geet one with good tubes and run it 
within the tube limits and they will last a very long time.  I have had 
three of them and regretted selling each of  them when gone.  I am NOT 
selling the one I have now.  They made less than 1000 of them so not all 
that easy to find.  3 8874's and can be replaced with a pair of 3cx800's 
if  they pop.  Not cheap but again, one heck of an amp.

The current TenTec Titan III with a pair of 4cx800's is a solid qsk 
amp.  It does generate quite a bit of heat tho so be prepared to cool 
the shack, even in the winter.  Very easy to tune and will do much more 
than legal output so has headroom.



There are several more I can think of, but enough for now.  73 bob de w9ge


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