[Amps] How about a Solid State MARS amp

[schuetzen]

kg7hf at comcast.net wrote:
> Hi Chas,
> 
> Even removing the 160 meter requirement, it would make the ss easier, but still the $1/w unattainable in either ss or tube.  Like Tom said, the filter board is really going to add up in price.  Not only are the caps expensive (especially for one off construction), you have to have pretty beefy relays to switch in/out each desired filter.  I've been referenceing the TL-2.5k, and part of the reason is that I am somewhat familiar with what is inside it.  Nobuki Wakabayashi was very kind and helpful towards me when I embarked on a legal limit ss amp.  My amp is not complete, and I am into it well over $2000.  While it is operational, there are many necessary things that I have not put in which the commercial version has.  Thermal protection, high/short swr protection, automatic band switching, the list goes on.  On the converse side, I am running a bit better power supply than thp, I'm using a switching power supply that has a bit more voltage/current capability.   
> 
> 73's
> Paul

I understand that but my point is that there simply is not anything out 
there betwee 3.2 and 29 mhz portable for a kw+  for any price reasonale 
  to a volunteer and I think that includes both tube and SS.

Almost all are less than 800W.  Tom's ALS600 is still that, NOT 800W+
This MARS amp to be really popular is goiong to have to be a 1kw to make 
it interesting enough for the affiliate to be willing to buy it.  He is 
going to want to use it for MARS at a max of 500W but also to be able to 
go to Ham bands and work Dx with at least 800W.

Really, this is so reminiscent of the discussions of the perfect 
rifle... what it should be to be able hunt anything from prairie dogs to 
Elk or moose.  simply stated, there is no such thing as a single rifle 
for all that different game anymore than I am going to find a single amp 
for a reasonable price for continous tuning and 1kw.

$2/W is more reasonable a price but that is a lot of months of 
discretionary money being saved and being hit here and there for 
repairing the plumbing, or the car, etc.  Also, it is one thing to save 
a thousand dollars but a multiple starts getting into shoulder shrugging 
and trying to find something barely fits any requirement.

We just may have to find some way to subsidize the purchase but first, 
we are going to have to find what we want, being manufactured now.
Lets face it, we do not want to take a Quadra or an ICOM version of same 
in the back of your mobile cross country while trying to operate it on 
the road.  And I doubt that any of those meet the band requirements 
anyway.  Have looked at so  many specs in the last couple of months, 
that they are confused in my mind.  wish now that i had made up a 
comparison chart before i started looking at models.

Still, I really do appreciate your reply and time, kind consideration as 
well as that of Tom and others on this reflector.  I am not giving up 
yet hihi

73/chas/k5dam