Re: [Elecraft] KPA800 @ $2.8k: count me in/out
$2800 (if that's a true figure) is quite inexpensive when you compare the KPA800 (if that's the correct model designator) with the closest competition on the market: the Icom PW-1 and the Yaesu Quadra. Don't forget the Tokyo HyPower HL-2KFX (Solid-State 1kW Linear Amp for All HF Bands including 50MHz). It costs about $2,500 ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
RE: [Elecraft] KPA800 @ $2.8k: count me in/out
Well let's see. My first rig was a Collins S-line in the 1960s. It cost about $1700 then. What would that money buy me now as far as radios go? Oh yes, the Piper Comanche B was less than $50,000 and a car was around $2500. As I recall not seeing, it hasn't been announced yet. Isn't everyone (including me) jumping the gun a little? NRE/COLE Test Center OH-3 pcarteratgcfn.org or wd8qwratarrl.net Philip L. Carter, WD8QWR [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] KPA800 @ $2.8k: count me in/out
Philip, WD8QWR wrote: As I recall not seeing, it hasn't been announced yet. Isn't everyone (including me) jumping the gun a little? == No one is jumping the gun (except for price speculation). It was announced and shown by Eric at the Elecraft booth in Visalia during the weekend of the DX convention there April 15-17, 2005. 73, de Earl, K6SE ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] KPA800 @ $2.8k: count me in/out
N6XI added: I don't think the Elecraft amp is targetting the budget end of the market. You can't do that with a solid state amp - tubes are still a decidedly cheaper way to go high power. This amp is really two separate products - a very light, yet high quality expedition amp and a state-of-the-art, full power, fully automated home station amp capable of SO2R1A. (That's running two transceivers with a single, time-shared amp.) I believe it will be competing initially in a field of one in both categories. Perhaps out-of-the-box field-of-one. A transfer relay a little band switching logic can make any solid-state amp suitable for SO2R1A - just watch the duty cycle. Full power, of course, is somewhat relative - for much of the world market, many existing solid-state amps are already somewhat like Alphas - capable of a number of dB more than one is allowed not break a sweat. Amplifiers are products where I have felt the multiplier from BOM to MSRP is hard to justify, as there is little room for adding apparent value. One of these is output matching - after years of driving my Ten-Tec 420E (export Hercules II) into ugly loads, I'm tempted to say I wish Elecraft current-limited the transistors too not add cost to the product for something not exactly necessary. Or, since the K2 is like this, could it be that any fancy output matching is an option one could leave out? Wish we knew more. Between now Dayton the design will not change if the product is to go into production soon. A frustrating little tease for those who are right now in the process of, or could be induced into making a purchase decision. ;^) 73, VR2BrettGraham ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] KPA800 @ $2.8k: count me in/out
On Mon, 25 Apr 2005 [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Anything over $1500/US and I'm afraid I will have to count myself out. Wonder what others think? I've priced the transistors and I've priced power supplies. I don't think this amp will be cheap, which is why I keep looking for a used SB220. -- Hisashi T Fujinaka - [EMAIL PROTECTED] BSEE(6/86) + BSChem(3/95) + BAEnglish(8/95) + MSCS(8/03) + $2.50 = latte ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] KPA800 @ $2.8k: count me in/out
I thought this amp was going to be spendy. You are near the range where my estimates begin. I figured on $3k+ if not more. The legal limit linear may be over $5k so I would have to mortgage the house! Kevin. KD5ONS On Mon, 25 Apr 2005 11:50:12 -0700 (PDT), Hisashi T Fujinaka [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: On Mon, 25 Apr 2005 [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Anything over $1500/US and I'm afraid I will have to count myself out. Wonder what others think? I've priced the transistors and I've priced power supplies. I don't think this amp will be cheap, which is why I keep looking for a used SB220. -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. Version: 7.0.308 / Virus Database: 266.10.2 - Release Date: 4/21/2005 ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
RE: [Elecraft] KPA800 @ $2.8k: count me in/out
Well, it all depends what you get. Without seeing it and/or seeing the specs it is somewhat difficult to make a statement about the amp. If it's auto everything in a tiny lightweight package with 1500W out on SSB and CW I might start drooling even before I get to Dayton. Does it cover 160-10 or 160-6M? Will it keep my coffee hot if I put the cup on the heat sink? Does it have a remote control head so I can put the amp in the basement and not have the heat and noise of an amp in the shack (One nice advantage of my 2000A)? How is the QSK in it? What power out with continuous modes? Does it switch bands automatically when changing bands with your transceiver, whether a K2 or other brand without having to send a dit? What kind of SWR will it handle? So, it sure seems premature to make a decision on the amp. That's what I think. N2TK, Tony -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Monday, April 25, 2005 2:41 PM To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: [Elecraft] KPA800 @ $2.8k: count me in/out Anything over $1500/US and I'm afraid I will have to count myself out. Wonder what others think? Bill K3UJ ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] KPA800 @ $2.8k: count me in/out
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Anything over $1500/US and I'm afraid I will have to count myself out. Wonder what others think? You need to consider what it is competing with. Sure you can get an SB220 for about $450 -- but this amp: 1) Is fully automatically tuned and bandswitched. It's able to get band info from Yaesu, Kenwood, Icom, and Elecraft (K2) exciters as well as determine frequency with an internal counter; 2) Has silent full QSK; 3) Weighs only 16 lb; 4) Includes an autotuner with memories; 5) Is instant-on; 6) Is overdesigned and Elecraft quality; 7) May include the 6 meter band. 8) Is all solid-state with appropriate protective circuitry. Yaesu has an amplifier which almost meets these specs and lists for $3995. -- 73, Vic, K2VCO Fresno CA http://www.qsl.net/k2vco ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] KPA800 @ $2.8k: count me in/out
Vic Rosenthal wrote: 3) Weighs only 16 lb; Typo, that should be 36 lbs. Sorry, too good to be true! -- 73, Vic, K2VCO Fresno CA http://www.qsl.net/k2vco ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
RE: [Elecraft] KPA800 @ $2.8k: count me in/out
Anything over $1500/US and I'm afraid I will have to count myself out. Wonder what others think? My other hobby is flying my Beech Baron light twin airplane. The numbers you guys are tossing around sound like cheap entertainment by comparison. :-) Craig ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] KPA800 @ $2.8k: count me in/out
I don't think the Elecraft amp is targetting the budget end of the market. You can't do that with a solid state amp - tubes are still a decidedly cheaper way to go high power. This amp is really two separate products - a very light, yet high quality expedition amp and a state-of-the-art, full power, fully automated home station amp capable of SO2R1A. (That's running two transceivers with a single, time-shared amp.) I believe it will be competing initially in a field of one in both categories. There are some lightweight amps out htere but they have awful reputations for reliability. And I know of nothing yet that has the bandswitching speed and flexibility to support SO2R with one amp. I don't know what the price will be, but you will have to divide it by two to figure the impact on a contester building an SO2R station. /Rick N6XI On 4/25/05, [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Anything over $1500/US and I'm afraid I will have to count myself out. Wonder what others think? ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] KPA800 @ $2.8k: count me in/out
Whatever the price makes me glad I'm QRP I couldn't afford it at half or quarter the price! Hi! But for those in the need of such an item; I would suggest that if you have or need to buy one - Elecraft is definitely the way to go. That all said, I am saving to purchase the KPA100 someday. 73 de Larry W2LJ ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
RE: [Elecraft] KPA800 @ $2.8k: count me in/out
That's just about the ceiling I had in mind as well. And I would think that, for a kit, it should be considerably less. For the legal limit???maybe a little more, but not much more. Stan Rife W5EWA Houston, TX K2 S/N 4216 -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Monday, April 25, 2005 1:41 PM To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: [Elecraft] KPA800 @ $2.8k: count me in/out Anything over $1500/US and I'm afraid I will have to count myself out. Wonder what others think? Bill K3UJ ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
RE: [Elecraft] KPA800 @ $2.8k: count me in/out
My idea of spendy IS 1500 bucks. 10,500 bucks for a radio is pure H S... I think the whole amateur market is getting out of hand. But that is just my opinion. Stan Rife W5EWA Houston, TX K2 S/N 4216 -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Kevin Rock Sent: Monday, April 25, 2005 2:13 PM To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KPA800 @ $2.8k: count me in/out I thought this amp was going to be spendy. You are near the range where my estimates begin. I figured on $3k+ if not more. The legal limit linear may be over $5k so I would have to mortgage the house! Kevin. KD5ONS ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] KPA800 @ $2.8k: count me in/out
Agreed. I would like to see a complete tech spec not just a sales spec, and have a look inside the amp, before smiling at the bank -and you know who. Geoff, GM4ESD - Original Message - From: N2TK, Tony [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Elecraft (E-mail) elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: Monday, April 25, 2005 9:03 PM Subject: RE: [Elecraft] KPA800 @ $2.8k: count me in/out Well, it all depends what you get. Without seeing it and/or seeing the specs it is somewhat difficult to make a statement about the amp. If it's auto everything in a tiny lightweight package with 1500W out on SSB and CW I might start drooling even before I get to Dayton. Does it cover 160-10 or 160-6M? Will it keep my coffee hot if I put the cup on the heat sink? Does it have a remote control head so I can put the amp in the basement and not have the heat and noise of an amp in the shack (One nice advantage of my 2000A)? How is the QSK in it? What power out with continuous modes? Does it switch bands automatically when changing bands with your transceiver, whether a K2 or other brand without having to send a dit? What kind of SWR will it handle? So, it sure seems premature to make a decision on the amp. That's what I think. N2TK, Tony ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] KPA800 @ $2.8k: count me in/out
In a message dated 4/25/05 7:29:57 PM Eastern Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: I think the whole amateur market is getting out of hand. But that is just my opinion. Well, take a look at what ham gear used to cost...and what the average person made an hour/week/month/year. IIRC, a Collins 75A-4 cost about $700 back 45 years ago - when a $5000/yr income meant a solid middle class life for a family of four. (And the 75A-4 is just a *receiver*!) 73 de Jim, N2EY ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
RE: [Elecraft] KPA800 @ $2.8k: count me in/out
Larry W2LJ wrote: That all said, I am saving to purchase the KPA100 someday. Cost is one of the biggest problems of going up in scale, and why, historically, legal limit powers were run only by a relatively small percentage of the Hams. The difference between 100 watts and 800 watts is virtually identical to the difference between 15 watts and 100 watts. More power = more flexibility under various conditions. But, like all else, it's a trade-off between what is practical and what fits the budget. Ron AC7AC ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] KPA800 @ $2.8k: count me in/out
$2800 (if that's a true figure) is quite inexpensive when you compare the KPA800 (if that's the correct model designator) with the closest competition on the market: the Icom PW-1 and the Yaesu Quadra. Both of those amps are solid state auto-tune and are rated at 1000 watts out on HF and 500 watts out on 6m. Both weigh in excess of 55 lbs including the built-in power supply. The KPA800 weighs 16 kg (35.5 lbs -- not 16 lbs as reported earlier on the list). The street price of a new PW-1 is $4600 and a new Quadra is $4000. The legal limit KPA1500 (if that's the correct model designator) would be in direct competition with the Alpha 87 and the Acom 2000 amps, which are both legal limit tube amps with auto-tune features and prices approaching $7000. To my knowledge, the KPA1500 would be the first legal limit solid state auto-tune HF amplifier to hit the market. IF YOU'RE IN THE MARKET FOR A QUALITY SOLID-STATE (or tube) HF AMP, you'll probably get more for less if you go with Elecraft. If you're not in the market for such an amplifier, don't flame the speculated price. What we have to do now is wait until Eric and/or Wayne gives further details about the amp on this reflector. 73, de Earl, K6SE ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] KPA800 @ $2.8k: count me in/out
In a message dated 4/25/2005 18:06:57 PM Pacific Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: The difference between 100 watts and 800 watts is virtually identical to the difference between 15 watts and 100 watts. No quite, but almost. It's 9 dB. That would make the difference between 15 watts and 120 watts. Geoff, K6TFZ ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
RE: [Elecraft] KPA800 @ $2.8k: count me in/out
-Original Message- AC7AC writes: The difference between 100 watts and 800 watts is virtually identical to the difference between 15 watts and 100 watts. No quite, but almost. It's 9 dB. That would make the difference between 15 watts and 120 watts. Geoff, K6TFZ My apologies if my rough dB numbers caused confusion, Geoff. I was trying to say that the difference in signal strength between a K2/100 and an 800 watt amp is, for all practical purposes, identical to the difference between a QRP K2 and a K2/100. Ron AC7AC ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
