[Amps] Tubes vs. Solid State (was) Expert Amps 2K-FA: Any Opinions ?

[W2XJ]

It is all about size and weight. A modern SS amp could dispense with the
power transformer, though, a reduce both those limitations.

On 4/30/12 2:08 PM, Carl wrote:
>  There were plenty of old amps run on CW at "2000W PEP" at 1200-1300W out and
>  many never broke into a sweat either and were capable of more. It was the
>  SB-200 and 220 that brought the wimpy PS and everything else into the
>  forefront.
>
>  Carl
>  KM1H
>
>
>  ----- Original Message -----
>  From: "W2XJ"<w2xj at nyc.rr.com>
>  To:<amps at contesting.com>
>  Sent: Monday, April 30, 2012 1:04 PM
>  Subject: Re: [Amps] Tubes vs. Solid State (was) Expert Amps 2K-FA: Any
>  Opinions ?
>
>
>>  Depending on modes used, amps today need to do more than older amps.
>>  Back when the power limit was 1 KW input amps had to produce nearly half
>>  the power that modern amps do. 1500 W out with RTTY, Cw or PSK31
>>  requires a lot more guts as well as low IMD. Modern tube amps that can
>>  really do this also cost around $6K so that seems to be the market price
>>  point for a good gutsy amp regardless of the technology.
>>
>>  On 4/30/12 5:17 AM, Pete Smith N4ZR wrote:
>>>  Bravo, Jim.  Interestingly, Elecraft showed a PA-1500 at Dayton for
>>>  several years, and I know they had at least one out for field test.  It
>>>  had a flock of super features, including very fast band-changing, QSK,
>>>  etc.  Sounds a lot like the KPA-500 X3
>>>
>>>  Recently, someone commented authoritatively (well, it sounded like it)
>>>  on the Elecraft reflector that Wayne and Eric had decided against
>>>  marketing the amp because it would have to be priced at $6000, and they
>>>  thought that price point was too high.  Recent discussion about SS amps,
>>>  however, seems to indicate that this pricing would now be reasonable,
>>>  and I, for one, would seriously consider making it my first new amp,
>>>  even though $6K is more than I have spent on ham equipment in the last
>>>  decade.
>>>
>>>  73, Pete N4ZR
>>>  The World Contest Station Database, updated daily at
>>>  www.conteststations.com
>>>  The Reverse Beacon Network at http://reversebeacon.net, blog at
>>>  reversebeacon.blogspot.com,
>>>  spots at telnet.reversebeacon.net, port 7000 and
>>>  arcluster.reversebeacon.net, port 7000
>>>
>>>
>>>  On 4/29/2012 11:02 PM, Jim Brown wrote:
>>>>  On 4/29/2012 5:24 PM, Roger (K8RI) wrote:
>>>>>>  Most of the tube designs have been significantly "over engineered".
>>>>>>>      That is, the tubes have excess plate dissipation for the power
>>>>>>>  output
>>>>>>>      and grids that will take a significant beating.
>>>>>  Which is a plus for tubes.
>>>>  Naw, it's a plus for conservative design.
>>>>
>>>>  One thing that seems to be missed in this discussion about home brewing
>>>>  amps was clearly pointed in a comment in this thread -- the key to solid
>>>>  state amp design is THERMAL design and protection.  Those are very
>>>>  different skills than most amp designers of our generation learned, so
>>>>  at least in part, it's an "old dog new tricks" problem, not a limitation
>>>>  of the technology.
>>>>
>>>>  73, Jim K9YC
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