It would be useful to know more about the circumstances of these final
transistor failures. I have been running my KPA-1500 for almost three
years, contesting, almost always at 1400+ watts, and, fingers crossed,
so far it continues to run with my K3 like a 1500-watt transceiver. I
often (more frequently than I would like) trigger SWR faults due to
having the wrong antenna connected, but it always recovers easily.
73, Pete N4ZR
Check out the new Reverse Beacon Network
web server at <https://reversebeacon.net>.
For spots, please use your favorite
"retail" DX cluster.
On 8/9/2022 1:51 PM, wa3...@nycap.rr.com wrote:
I have lost the finals twice in my KPA1500....
The first was under warrenty (about 6 months) with PA FET, T/R diodes and input
attenuator
damaged
The second was just before the two year mark (finals + LPF PCB assy).
In addition, the power supply failed once at about 1.5 years due to a
manufacturing defect.
A bit of my operation is NOT at the most efficient power levels (200-700 watts)
for the
KPA1500 and I have been reassured (a couple of times) by Elecraft that the
KPA1500 is
designed to operate at ANY power level and that is not the reason for the
failures. I would go
higher in power if a P5 and/or BS7 would ever appear.
I bought the KPA1500 knowing that I would not be operating at super high power.
I wanted a
reliable amplifier and having units that I could lift as I have been licensed
for 58 years. My
previous amplifier was 58 pounds and the shipping cost (69 pounds) to replace a
blown T/R
switch was heart breaking!
Yes, it took a long time sitting on the Elecraft shelf waiting for repair (each
time), but all
repairs were done properly.
I do have a variety of antennas (12 coaxial inverted Ls in various phasing
configurations),
steppir beam, inverted Vee and keeping them all operating (get some high winds
here) is a
bit. Hopefully, the SWR faults should protect the amplifier if something
happens while
operating.
73
Bruce, WA3AFS
______________________________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net
This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Message delivered to pete.n...@gmail.com
______________________________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net
This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
