Re: [Elecraft] OT Amptec LA2000 Linear Amp

[W0FK]

David Ahrendts wrote
> I am 100% totally, absolutely in love with my KPA500 linear amp. It is
> incredible. Fail safe. Loyal. Attractive. Beautiful. —— There are times,
> however, that I dream of a little more horse power. Would any of you trust
> the Amptec LA2000:

To echo the advice of others, unless you're a skilled tech or know someone
close by, I wouldn't touch this amp. The "name brand" amps sold in the US
through distributors are well engineered and supported by organizations that
will honor warranties and deal with problems. The amp you linked doesn't
even have a manual in English (instead referring you to "other amps"
manuals). If you need service under or post warranty, you may be on your
own, or hit with a big shipping bill. The listing also doesn't say it's been
registered with the FCC or meets US spectral purity and gain regs.

If there's one place in your station to get a solid piece of equipment and
not "cheap out",  it's the high power amp. High power needs well designed
circuits and robust components to function at its highest potential. It also
needs well designed and built safety lockouts  - with the high voltage
involved you can die if you get inside for any reason (not just installing
the transformer).

If you don't want to pay the price of a new amp, look at the used market.
There are lots of well designed and robust tube  amps of recent vintage
worth looking at that won't break your bank account. There are also a number
of techs around that can work on these amps if not under warranty. Solid
amps made by Alpha, command, Acom, and QRO come to mind. Some solid state
amps might be ok but full legal limit ones are fewer in number and higher in
cost. 

73, Lou, W0FK





-
St. Louis, MO


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Re: [Elecraft] OT Amptec LA2000 Linear Amp

[Don Wilhelm]

Mike,

I suspect you posted with HTML enabled - the reflector strips HTML and 
results in a blank post.


Normal service for the KPA500 requests that you remove the transformer.  
That not only reduces weight (and shipping cost) but also reduces the 
probability of damage to the KPA500 enclosure if the shipping package 
encounters a downward impact which could cause the weight of the 
transformer to deform the KPA500 bottom panel.


73,
Don W3FPR

On 5/27/2016 8:41 PM, Mike Rhodes wrote:

...did I get it yet?

On 5/27/2016 8:38 PM, Mike Rhodes wrote:
...sorry about the resend but hopefully it will arrive with content 
this time.


On 5/27/2016 8:05 PM, Mike Rhodes wrote:

...a trip back for service or updates is going to cost a fortune!!



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Re: [Elecraft] OT Amptec LA2000 Linear Amp

[Mike Rhodes]

...did I get it yet?

On 5/27/2016 8:38 PM, Mike Rhodes wrote:
...sorry about the resend but hopefully it will arrive with content 
this time.


On 5/27/2016 8:05 PM, Mike Rhodes wrote:

...a trip back for service or updates is going to cost a fortune!!

Mike / W8DN

On 5/27/2016 7:25 PM, David Ahrendts wrote:

I am 100% totally, absolutely in love with my KPA500 linear amp. It is 
incredible. Fail safe. Loyal. Attractive. Beautiful. —— There are times, 
however, that I dream of a little more horse power. Would any of you trust the 
Amptec LA2000:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/AMPTEC-LA2000-2000W-HF-tube-linear-amplifier/272234339459?_trksid=p2060778.c100276.m3476&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20140725133649%26meid%3Da46bc7a1c1274120a571252811a8f6bb%26pid%3D100276%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D4%26sd%3D121996613826
  


David Ahrendts, KK6DA, Los Angeles




David ahrendtsdavidahren...@me.com





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Re: [Elecraft] OT Amptec LA2000 Linear Amp

[Don Wilhelm]

My mistake - 1 S-unit increase is 6 dB, not 1 dB.

73,
Don W3FPR

If you are QRP oriented, then the first 5 watts counts.  To get a 1 dB 
increase (6 dB), one needs to quadruple the power - 20 watts.


73,
Don W3FPR

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Re: [Elecraft] OT Amptec LA2000 Linear Amp

[Mike Rhodes]

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Re: [Elecraft] OT Amptec LA2000 Linear Amp

[Don Wilhelm]

If you are QRP oriented, then the first 5 watts counts.  To get a 1 dB 
increase (6 dB), one needs to quadruple the power - 20 watts.


73,
Don W3FPR

On 5/27/2016 8:13 PM, Michael Walker wrote:

You know it is only 1 S unit more... 6db.

It is the first 500 watts that count.




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Re: [Elecraft] OT Amptec LA2000 Linear Amp

[Guy Olinger K2AV]

I have a KPA500, and an Alpha 8410. The 8410, running a pair of 4cx1000A
tetrodes in conventional AB1, can deal with rather high SWR directly
without grid current that can destroy a tube. However, if any of the
complex supporting monitoring circuitry or protection circuity goes blewwy,
one needs the nearby manufacturer who will actually have the parts to fix
it.

Elecraft is all there for you and easy to get to. With higher freight
charges for all the extra weight and size, so is Alpha.

The crucial element is whether it can be serviced in the US by someone who
will have the parts and can honor a warranty. For me it was a good thing
that the Alpha boys were around because mine suffered a very weird blowup
in the screen circuitry that took a lot of stuff with it. Alpha fixed it,
and it's back on line.

Who's the servicing in the US for Amptec and what kind of a reputation do
they have?

Funny you would come on the Elecraft reflector to ask about Amptec. Time to
go Google and chase leads.

Then there's the other thing, that you only need the extra S unit for QSO's
that are at the edge of serviceable propagation. I had a friend that sold
his Acom 2000 after he had his KPA500 for a while. Breaking a pileup is way
more between the ears than between the conductors on the power cord.

Good luck in any event.

73, Guy K2AV

On Fri, May 27, 2016 at 8:05 PM, Mike Rhodes  wrote:

>
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Re: [Elecraft] OT Amptec LA2000 Linear Amp

[Michael Walker]

You know it is only 1 S unit more... 6db.

It is the first 500 watts that count.

Mike va3mw


On Fri, May 27, 2016 at 8:05 PM, Mike Rhodes  wrote:

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Re: [Elecraft] OT Amptec LA2000 Linear Amp

[Mike Rhodes]

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[Elecraft] OT Amptec LA2000 Linear Amp

[David Ahrendts]

I am 100% totally, absolutely in love with my KPA500 linear amp. It is 
incredible. Fail safe. Loyal. Attractive. Beautiful. —— There are times, 
however, that I dream of a little more horse power. Would any of you trust the 
Amptec LA2000:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/AMPTEC-LA2000-2000W-HF-tube-linear-amplifier/272234339459?_trksid=p2060778.c100276.m3476&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20140725133649%26meid%3Da46bc7a1c1274120a571252811a8f6bb%26pid%3D100276%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D4%26sd%3D121996613826
 


David Ahrendts, KK6DA, Los Angeles




David Ahrendts   davidahren...@me.com   




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