[Amps] SS Amps are expensive...why?

[George Fremin III]

> On Jan 25, 2019, at 12:21 AM, Bob Wilson, N6TV <n6tv at arrl.net> wrote:
> 
> On Sun, Jan 20, 2019 at 1:05 PM Lee Buller <k0wa at swbell.net> wrote:
> 
>> Why are solid state amps so expensive?  Even the kits are lots of
>> dollars.   What makes them so?
>> Lee
>> 
> 
> Well, one must also consider the effects of inflation.


I will contend that they are not much different in price than tube amps.

Lets take inflation out of it.

You can compare prices with current amps.


Elecraft KPA-1500 - Amp and Auto Antenna tuner 1500 watts  $6000
Full auto no tune amp

Acom 2002A - full auto tune amp 1500 watts   $6500


RF-Kit - Solid State amp with or with out tuner   Last I looked it was in the $3000 - $3500 range
This amp is a kit. But not that much of a kit   1500 watts
This has a computer and a microprocessor in it to do all sorts to 
monitoring and control

Ameritron AL-1500 1500 watts     $3500  or more if you get the Eimac tube
Simple amp - manual tune
no microprocessers

Ameritron ALS-1300 - 1200 watt amp   $2500
Simple solid state amp
No tuner not micro processor


Ameritron ALS-1306 - 1200 watt amp   $3150
Simple solid state amp
No tuner not micro processor
Has 6 meters


I think that there is a market for a LDMOS amp that is dead simple.
Thank AL-1500 but with LDMOS.
No built in tuner
No microprocessor
Control and protection circuits that are like the W6PQL amp control board. 
http://w6pql.com/amplifier_control_board.htm <http://w6pql.com/amplifier_control_board.htm>
And it would sale for the same or maybe even less than an AL-1500 amp.
I was thinking of building an amp like this for my own use.
And I did for 432.
But in the end - used tube amps are showing up at good enough prices that it made sense for me to buy some 
used auto tune tube amps.   Tube amps are getting harder and harder to sell.
They will keep working - tubes last a long time. 
At some point I might move to solid state. Maybe by then I will be buying some used
Solid state version of an AL-1500 or a used Elecraft or whatever other cool solid state amp shows up
on the market in the coming years.  There will be many more of these showing up in the years to come.

—
George 
K5TR