[Elecraft] KPA1500

[Greg]

Everything you say about Elecraft is speculation, Ken.  You don't know what
it would cost them to produce the amp.  My speculation is that they could do
a better job than SPE -- if they chose to do it.  How many would they sell?
Who knows?  The ham population is growing older fast and a lot of us old
codgers can "afford" a new amp of that caliber.  I have nothing against
Ameritron amps...happen to own one myself...in addition to three Alphas and
the KPA500 -- so no I don't "need" a KPA1500.  But I would buy one just
because I know the integration with the K3 and quality that would go into it
would be fantastic -- not to mention that it would be from an American
manufacturer with the best service in the industry.  Furthermore, Elecraft
is competing quite successfully against competition so I disagree that they
would be "killed" by the amp competition.  Alpha used to be the "Cadillac"
but the company has deteriorated significantly.  Acom and OM Power represent
competition but neither one has a full bore solid state 1500 watt amp with
headroom...Ameritron is OK but not the same craftsmanship or quality of
Elecraft.

My original question to Wayne or Eric was how many people putting money down
would it take for Elecraft to produce such an amp.  It's strictly a business
decision that only they can make.  All the speculation in the world on this
reflector is not worth the email it is printed on...

73, Greg-N4CC

Date: Sat, 20 Feb 2016 08:59:35 -0600
From: Kevin Stover <kevin.stover at mediacombb.net>
To: elecraft at mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Elecraft Digest, Vol 142, Issue 38
Message-ID: <56C87F57.6020503 at mediacombb.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=windows-1252; format=flowed

Apparently the principals at Elecraft have decided, quite some time ago, 
not to offer a 1500W amp.
If you want an SSPA that will do 1.5K spend the $8K for the SPE 2KFA.
If you think Elecraft can produce an amp of that caliber for less than 
$8K I've got some lakefront property for sale.

There simply aren't enough hams ready, willing and able to spend that 
kind of money to make it economically viable.

They'll get killed by the amp competition. As soon as all the fan boys 
with money are exhausted the market will dry up.
$8K+ for an Elecraft SSPA or less than half that for an Ameritron 
AL-1500...and before you go down the "Ameritron is  crap" road... a 
bunch of real famous contesters use the AL-1500 and win with it.