[Elecraft] Acom Amps

[Brendan Minish]

On Wed, 2006-05-10 at 20:10 -0400, Mike Harris wrote:
> G'day,
> 
> Anyone out there driving an Acom 1000 or 1010 with a K2/100.  Particularly 
> interested in QSK performance, relay noise etc.  I run CW at training 
> wheel speeds!

I Use the Acom1k and have been really happy with it. the K2 is my
primary rig for HF. I also use an Icom pro2 for 6m and HF digital
modes. 

The Acom has no problems with QSK on either rig, although there is one
caveat for some icom rigs.
the 756pro series (& probably others) have 2 PTT outputs, one is via a
relay and as a few msec slower than the solid state out. I had issues
with the relay driven out on my pro so I use the solid state out.
this is an icom issue not an Acom issue 

It's a quiet amp and the fan is quiet too. It will take high duty cycle
modes in it's stride, I have done lots of pactor2&3 on mine as well as
some 6m EME using WSJT

it's a synch to tune, well protected in every regard from operator
stupidity.
It loads just fine into imperfectly matched antennas, the cut off here
is 500W of reflected power 

Over the years I have had 2 issues with my Acom 1k 
when new (this is an early serial # bought in 2001 ) 
I was the unlucky user who discovered a stray resonance near 12m in the
Plate choke. 
After first ascertaining that I was capable to carry out a repair
without killing myself Acom had replacement parts to me in 3 Days and
also changed the design of the amp slightly in future serial # as well
as telling me how to incorporate this design change whilst carrying out
the repair. 

last year (several years out of guarantee cover) I had a suspected CPU
board partial failure. Acom were once again very helpful by e-mail in
diagnosing the problem and swapped my dead CPU board (They wanted to see
why it died) for a new one at no charge.
All in all fantastic After sales service from Acom. 
 
I bought mine though Ron Stone (Vine antennas) Tell him I said Hi when
you are ordering ;-) 

Why all the pactor ?
See 
http://www.northabout.com/index.htm (North west passage)
http://www.northabout.com/ (North east Passage / northern Sea route ) 
The first boat of any size to make a westward polar Circumnavigation. HF
radio and pactor was the primary means of communications with almost all
traffic going direct to/from Ireland to the boat.

73
Brendan EI6IZ