[Amps] Flex Power Genius XL 2KW amplifier

Mon Oct 8 21:51:58 EDT 2018

Ditto what Jim said about the B26 2K+.

I'll add that the heat sink has serrated fins to maximize contact area with moving air.
The never exceed temp, the temp at which the amp shuts off, is 72C.
NG7M has a YouTube video posted showing the amp running in the CQ WW RTTY for an hour of running and SP. The temp stabilized at 65C. You can’t even hear the amp and he has a camera/mic set right next to it. Now, expecting mausoleum sound levels from ANY amp is not realistic, but keep jousting with that windmill.

My personal level is the AL-1500 running full tilt boogey. If it's quieter than that great deal. If it'll do 1500W without burning a hole in the world even better. This one seems to be quieter than either of the Elecraft amps and may be the quietest SSPA in production.

I think I read that the tuner will do 5:1. IMHO if you can't hit that mark with your antennas...you need to fix your antennas. 5:1 is better than the Expert 2K-FA @3:1 and not as good as the Elecraft tuners. The KPA1500 will do 10:1 but it's derated at that level as is the KAT-500 used most by KPA500 users.

The main difference between the BLF188XR and the BLF189XR is bias current. The 188 is set for 3.5 amps per device and the 189 is set for 6 amps per device. NG7M showed during his configuration videos that the software is configured to drop bias current as temp goes up. No thermal runaway.

More points.

It uses Ethernet for computer control. You remote into the amp using VNC and have full control. If the quiet amp still frazzles your delicate hearing move it to the other room and plug in an Ethernet cable from your switch. Thank God they didn't do Wi-Fi! NG7M has Win4K3Suite, DX Labs Commander, N1MM+,the amp, and his SteppIR all talking amongst themselves using Com0Com.

The QSK thing is an easy fix. One gentleman, G3YYD, on the forums, designed one using inexpensive Omron relays with 10A capacity. Use 5V relays with an appropriate dropping resistance. Output gets a speed up cap across the coil, input doesn't get a speed up cap. No hot switching possible. Jim's idea of ripping fast reed relay for input and Vacuum relay for output has some merit. Coming up with 26.5V will be an issue. The control system runs on 12V. Might be able to get it from the 50V supply. Firmware changes would have to be made for Bias control.

Two $3 dollar relays and couple resistors and caps vs. what do PIN diodes that'll do 1500W continuous cost?

The amp is a little more expensive than the Ameritron ALS-1306 shipped to your door. 1500W from a pair of loafing LDMOS vs 1200W from 8 MRF-150's running flat out.

R. Kevin Stover    AC0H

ARRL, FISTS, SKCC, NAQCC.
“If it doesn’t work the first time you push the button it won’t work the 20th…Just stop.”

-----Original Message-----
From: Amps <amps-bounces at contesting.com> On Behalf Of Jim Thomson
Sent: Saturday, October 6, 2018 6:27 PM
To: amps at contesting.com
Subject: [Amps] Flex Power Genius XL 2KW amplifier

Date: Fri, 5 Oct 2018 18:23:50 -0600
From: Jim Garland <4cx250b at miamioh.edu>
To: Amps group <amps at contesting.com>
Subject: [Amps] Flex Power Genius XL 2KW amplifier

##  The acom 600  and also  acom  1000  wont run qsk,and neither have a built in 2 kw rated auto tuner.
They will  kick offline asap, as soon as  swr reaches  1.5:1

##  The german made  B26 RF2K+   does  not have  QSK either, but does have an option for a built in auto tuner. 
The german amp  only has one xcvr input.... but does have  4 x ant outputs.   Apparently  they no longer use  NFB.
Amp has  33 db gain, and can be ordered with a choice of input pad, like  3-13-16 db...all  100 watt rated. They tried the diplexer approach, like the Power genious,  but did not see any improvement in IMD, etc. Power genious comes
with an internal  400 watt dummy load for the HP  filter portion of their diplexers.   Power genius does not mention IMD,
I still dont know what it is.   IMD on the german amp is –44 db pep..at  1.5 kw out..and the amp covers  160-6m..including
warc bands.and also mars freqs. 

##  The noise on the power genius  on their u tube demo.... I can hear the fans screaming away, as soon as they start up on cw. 

##  german amp uses  one  fan for the  3 kw switching supply.... amp runs > 72 % eff in linear mode..and now comes with the
just released and newer  BLF-189XR... a pair of em. Old version was the  BLF-188XR.   One small  80mm fan used  for the
myriad of LP  filters..and also the auto tuner.
Two  120mm fans used in a push pull setup..pulling air in through the rear.   Tests  show at 1.5 kw out, the noise level is  30 dba. 
And  ambient shack noise was 20 dba.... with the 1.5 kw amp shut off.   Tester  compared that to his noisy  KPA-500   which 
measured  a whopping 50 dba  when run at  500 watts out cw. 

##  On the german amp, the 80mm fan..and the pair of  120mm fans are not included.  End user selects his own fans, depending on
selected end use... mode,  etc, and also ambient shack temp.    Regardless of which fan is used, they all speed up as heat sink hits 50 deg C. 
No where near the price tag of the other SS  offerings..and a huge bang for the buck..... but tr relays also require the aprx  15-20 20 msec operate
time..so no real qsk... not yet anyway.  They could be modified with a vac relay output and reed relay etc on the input side.     

##  Some fellow ran the german amp through a rtty  contest..with zero issues.  Others have tested on 10M  FM..and others  have tested with  AM.
The heat sink design, and decavitation  chamber and fin setup is superb..and well thought out.  They use an internal raspberry pi  processor to operate the amp.  The raspberry pi is not included, along with the fans..since it can be procured cheaper locally..vs  shipping from germany.  Its  a no solder kit,
which requires plugging n the myriad of internal cables, installing processor board, and the 3 x fans of ur choice.   Fans are  12 vdc.   Folks have experimented 
and found which fans  provide for min noise....and max airflow.  They also installed  a spacer between the rear cab and rear fan... which further increases 
air flow.   

##  Depending on budget, and application, the german amp is one more option to consider.  It also has the SMA connector on the back apron to provide for the now standardized.... pure signal output.... fed back to anan xcvrs... and probably other xcvrs..as  PS gets implemented with new xcvr offerings. 

Pricing:

-             RF2K+ Kit without Tuner                              2550,-€ 

-             RF2K+ Kit with Tuner                                   2850,-€ 

-             13dB;16dB or 3dB attenuator                        22,-€ 

-             Shipment to Canada                                      190,-€                

Above is the   quote I got for pricing.   1  euro is now  $1.15  US funds.   Aprx  $3500.00 US funds  with all options, and shipping. A bargain

for what u get.  The add in the 3 x fans + raspberry PI..which is dirt cheap . 

I believe a gigavac  GH1  spdt vac relay would easily fit in there.    U can get em In either  12  or  26.5 vdc.   GH-1  is the same as a RJ-1A ,  HC-1, etc. 

https://rf-kit.de/en/2k_Kit.php

Jim   VE7RF

_______________________________________________
Amps mailing list
Amps at contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/amps