[Elecraft] Considering a KPA-500

Fri Apr 24 03:18:47 EDT 2015

My experience: on 80/160 m it makes a difference. On the higher bands, the ability to instantly jump on a station before the zoo opens up is worth more than the 5 dB.

Vic 4X6GP/K2VCO
Sent from my phone

> On Apr 24, 2015, at 8:35 AM, David Cole <dave at nk7z.net> wrote:
> 
> Hi Jack,
> Thank you for that input!  If the amp were a 1 KW amp this would be a
> shoe in, but 500 watts as the most power possible worries me for
> contests, and DX...  However having everything run from the K3 would be
> really nice, I am just not sure it is worth the loss of 1000 watts for
> ease of operation.  That is where the feedback is helping me.
> 
> I will do a redux of what everyone has sent in a few days, sanitizing
> the names off of the redux of course.  
> 
> I have gotten a fair amount of private responses from folks, and for
> those responses I am grateful.  The amount of input is good, and is
> helping me make a decision...
> 
> I have not looked for an amp for the last 10 or so years, and things
> have changed substantially over that time.
> -- 
> Thanks and 73's,
> For equipment, and software setups and reviews see:
> www.nk7z.net
> for MixW support see;
> http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/mixw/info
> for Dopplergram information see:
> http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/dopplergram/info
> for MM-SSTV see:
> http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/MM-SSTV/info
> 
> 
>> On Thu, 2015-04-23 at 22:25 -0700, Jack Brindle wrote:
>> Sound like my cue, Fred. David, I think you will enjoy using the KPA500, although I’m a bit biased.
>> The KPA will run just fine from 1.6 to 54 MHz, with the exception of the CB Lockout area from 26 to 28 MHz, which is FCC-mandated for amplifiers in the US.
>> I can’t answer your question about going from 1500 to 500 watts (Like Fred, I run mine at 600). I can tell you that with the amplifier I am definitely heard in contests, which is where I do most of my operating. It makes a huge difference. My station is on a city lot in San Jose, which means small antennas. As I
>> said the difference between 100 and 600 watts is that at 600 I feel like I am heard.
>> 
>> I am sure you will hear from others on the power comparison and the KPA500 operation as well.
>> 
>> - Jack Brindle, W6FB
>> Elecraft Engineering (like I said, I’m a bit biased…)
>> 
>>> On Apr 23, 2015, at 9:42 PM, Fred Jensen <k6dgw at foothill.net> wrote:
>>> 
>>> On 4/23/2015 7:34 PM, David Cole wrote:
>>> 
>>>> My only real issue with the KPA-500 is the output power of only 500
>>>> watts.  Just how much of a hit will I take by going from 1500 watts to
>>>> 500 watts...  I chase DX, via RTTY and CW mostly, and some SSB.
>>> 
>>> 90+% CW, some RTTY in contests, a few % SSB in NAQP's and SS.  I ran a 1200 W amp at 500 W for almost a year before springing for the KPA500. From my end [obviously not the same as "the other end"], I couldn't really tell any difference.  Clearly, I don't know about the ones I couldn't get, but I really don't think working him or not working him depends on one S-Unit.  I think it depends a whole lot more on conditions, size of the antenna, size of the pile, and especially operator skills.  Mine are mediocre.
>>> 
>>> I have no idea how many dB the P3 is worth, but it wouldn't surprise me if it was in double digits. :-))
>>> 
>>>> Will the KPA-500 take key down for 10 or more minutes at full power??
>>> 
>>> On CW, I run mine at around 600W continuously.  I stick to 500W on RTTY in contests, although that isn't going to make any difference.  The power LED's top out at 700, I've been told by more than one field tester that they were told to run "full bars" all the time.
>>> 
>>> The integration with the K3 is perfect, I truly love the "no-tune", and I use the KPA500 to switch bands with one push.
>>>> 
>>>> Is there anyone on here that has gone from 1500 to 500 watts, and if so,
>>>> can you tell me a bit about it?  How does the LPA-500 operate on MARS
>>>> frequencies?  They are all over the place, not in ham bands...
>>> 
>>> Don't know about MARS and other out-of-ham band performance.  Ask Jack, W6FB.
>>> 
>>> 73,
>>> 
>>> Fred K6DGW
>>> - Northern California Contest Club
>>> - CU in the 50th Running of the Cal QSO Party 3-4 Oct 2015
>>> - www.cqp.org
>>> 
>>> K3/KPA500/KAT500
>>> Triband+Wires
>>> 
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>> 
> 
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