[Elecraft] What's with the new amplifier?

[Rich McCabe]

Thanks Vic. Thats all good and very interesting info.

I may wait out the legal limit amp to see what the $$$ comes in at but I can 
say for certain I wont be spending over $2,500 for a 800 watt amp. I would 
rather have power over convenience. I have a stack of tuners here that will 
do the job just fine. No bashing intended because my Elecraft KAT100 will 
out tune everything I have in the shack and a amp tuner combo sounds nice :)

Now if elecraft comes up with a full size (K3) radio for the shack with lots 
of knobs and features for big $$ I might be writing a check because I really 
enjoyed the two K2/100s I have built

73,

Rich
kd0zv

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Vic K2VCO" <vic at rakefet.com>
To: <recarter at adelphia.net>
Cc: <Elecraft at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2006 10:05 AM
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] What's with the new amplifier?


> recarter at adelphia.net wrote:
>> I'm almost finshed building my basic K2 kit and I'm looking at the
>> purchase of the power amplifier kit.  I keep hearing rumors of a new
>> amplifier/tuner kit.  I would be disappointed if just after
>> purchasing the amp, elecraft came out with a better amplifier.  Does
>> anyone know what the scoop really is?
>
> I know a few facts about it which I will relate, since Elecraft isn't 
> (aren't) talking.  None of this is official, since I don't work for 
> Elecraft and things may have changed since I saw the prototype last April. 
> If so, they'll correct me!  One thing I do *not* know is when it will be 
> ready, although I'm convinced that it will be produced.
>
> The initial version of the amplifier, the KPA800 will be rated at 800 
> watts SSB and capable of 1000 watts CW (the SSB limitation ia due to IMD). 
> At some point in the future there will be a KPA1500 capable of full legal 
> power.  The KPA800 has a built-in power supply; the KPA1500 will have an 
> external box.  The prototype used 60-volt FET devices made by Advanced 
> Power Technology.
>
> The KPA800 prototype weighed about 36 lbs (16.3 kg).  The amplifiers are 
> designed to be driven by a "100-watt class" transceiver such as (but not 
> only) the K2/100.  The amplifiers can accept band data from a K2, or from 
> Kenwood, Icom, or Yaesu radios, as well as detecting frequency directly 
> from the RF input.  There is a built-in antenna tuner.  The prototype 
> covered 160-6 meters; at the time, Elecraft had not decided whether the 
> final version would cover 6 -- if they can do it and meet specs then it 
> will.
>
> The price that was discussed at the time was somewhere between $2500-$3000 
> for the KPA800.  The KPA1500 of course will be somewhat more.  Although 
> this seems like a lot, keep in mind that it's a fully automatic amplifier, 
> including power supply and automatic antenna tuner. Consider that the 
> competition for the KPA1500 is the likes of the Alpha 87A ($7K and no 
> built-in antenna tuner).
> -- 
> 73,
> Vic, K2VCO
> Fresno CA
> http://www.qsl.net/k2vco
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