[SCCC] Alpha service will no longer support older amps

[Craig Gullickson]

In case you didn't see the latest Alpha newsletter.
 
73, Craig N6ED
 
 
 
 
The Times They Are A-Changin'
 
 
 
As many of you know, we are a very small company. The Operations department has responsibility for a number of activities, with the same staff manning the different sections. They rarely get bored. The activity areas are: technical customer service, new amplifier turn-up, amplifier repair, purchasing, small parts assembly and repair, and shipping. The staffing for all of these activities is composed of 6 people, who do what has to be done for the continued operations of the company.
Alpha amplifiers first appeared in 1970. Since then, the availability of new amplifiers and service for legacy units has continued unbroken. We have, up until now, been able to service any amplifier that was sent to us, even ones that are now 40 years old. Not even the other "classic" manufacturers who have been around as long as we have can make that claim- not Collins, not Yaesu - you name it. We are justifiably proud of this unbroken record of service to our loyal customers. We have now reached a point in time where we will have to make some adjustments to this policy, due in many cases to circumstances beyond our control.
Parts for many of the very old products are hard to find, if not impossible.  We have been lucky to maintain a decent inventory of original parts in stock, throughout the various changes in management and ownership.  None-the-less, the volume of parts we have in stock for legacy amplifiers is dwindling. Sadly, despite the loving care of many owners, the hard truth is that every year fewer of the older Alpha products are still in service.  RF Concepts will no longer be able to inventory parts for some of these products.  Once our stock has been depleted, we will regretfully not be able to provide further replacements.  All products under warranty continue to be supported. Additionally, we continue to stock parts for the 9500, 8410, 4510, 4520, 8406, 2000, 2100, along with 87A and 99's manufactured since 2000. 
 
We have realized that we can no longer guarantee our service, support and parts for some of our legacy amplifiers.  This applies to all amplifiers manufactured more than 15 years ago.  This list includes the 77 series, 374, 76, 78, most Alpha 89 and 91ß amps.
 
We are in the process of putting our legacy inventory on our web site. Should you be in the process of restoring an older amplifier, you might want to consider procuring a few spares while the supplies are available. 
 
73,
Kathy,KB2HDT