[Amps] GRIPE!

[Jim Thomson]

Date: Fri, 8 Oct 2010 12:03:43 +0100
From: jonathan white <jonathan.white20 at btinternet.com>
Subject: [Amps] GRIPE!

I wont look anymore,at least you see things like this stateside,they
are like hens teeth and mega bucks here.
And we all hear the stories of "picked one up at a rally" for like
cheap.
Regards
Jon

##  I bought an L4B, new, back in 1977..for abt $1250.00... used it
for 2 yrs then sold it... dumbest thing I ever did.   Bought it back from the
friend I sold it to..in 1995...for $900.00.   He had beat on it 7 days a week,but 
at least had installed new tubes.   Bought a 2nd one for $800.00  that had less
than 20 hrs on it, still in the original box's.   The owner had bought 2 x 30S-1 's
and never used the drake amp again.   Bought a 3rd one for $750.00  which I don't
think was ever turned on.  A collector had bought it new, and stored it for 25 yrs.
 I get a phone call telling me of a 4th one...and let my buddy buy it instead.   Buddy  had
 had it with flames spitting out of his AL-80BX, and  wanted something better.  Drake site
a few yrs back announced they had 'found' a cabinet full of L4B parts... so bought 2 x new
 bandswitch's, meter switch's, bezels, and some other stuff.  I have enough parts to keep 
all  4 x running  for a long time...and have modified 3 of the 4 amps. 

## It used solid 8 ga tinned wire for the 80+40m  tank coil....and  1/4"  tubing for
20-15-10m.  It's an easy amp to do mods on.  I don't operate much CW, but when
I do, I use the lower B+ position.   The one I bought  back from my buddy had a 
jillion hrs of use on it.  Other than the bias contact on the t/r relay fried, it was in 
good shape.    I would love to get my hands on a  L7. 

later... Jim   VE7RF