[CQ-Contest] KPA 1500

[Jim Brown]

On 8/28/2017 11:15 AM, Ria Jairam wrote:
> JMO

I buy equipment based on REAL specs that I can trust from mfrs I trust 
for support, quality, and reliability.  I want my signal to be very 
clean. With the amps I own, the output signal is as clean as what I 
drive it with. SPE amps have the reputation of not being very clean, and 
in my experience, not very reliable.

I buy the best quality I can afford. That's why I bought my Ten Tec and 
Alpha amps used. I did the same thing years ago, when looking for a rig 
after being off the air for a while. Rather than a cheap rig, I bought a 
good used TS850.

I tried a used SPE 1K from a friend, who had had it repaired (at SPE) at 
least twice. It's performance was flaky (controls were flaky), and it 
fried the second time I tried to use it on 6M. Returned for repair, all 
the output devices and some drivers were blown. I'd call that not well 
protected.

Most Elecraft owners have good things to say about Elecraft reliability, 
quality, and service. I've often recommended a used K3 to hams wanting 
to upgrade from a cheapie.

73, Jim