[Elecraft] The 1500 watt amp

[Edward R Cole]

I was going to say something like what Kevin has.

I have a HB 300w linear sspa built from Comm Concepts kit which 
sitting on the dusty shelf and a 140w amp from them.  BTW both are for sale.

I bought the KXPA-100* which work nicely with either my KX3 or K3/10 
driving at about 4w.  If I did more HF I guess I would want more RF 
power but cannot justify several $K for that.  For what I would spend 
on a KPA-500 I could build a 1200w LDMOS amp using the kit board from 
Jim Klitzing - W6PQL.  Of course I like building.  That would not 
have all the nice features or integrating ATU.

If I had the disposable cash the KPA-500 would be just fine.  Stack 
more aluminum for more ERP!!

I am more likely to spend ham dollars on my VHF+ "stuff".  Current 
project is converting a Harris KW ch2 TV linear to 6m.  It will drive 
with 8-10w.

Yesterday, we held a celebration of life at Rich Strand's KL7RA (sk) 
Nikiski QTH and admiring the multi-multi contest station he built - 
Lots of the amps that have been mentioned in that room.

I feel that Wayne and Eric are very smart businessman and they 
consider the market very carefully when looking at a new product 
line.  Probably why they are staying out of the QRO market or VHF amp 
market (which I dipped my toe into).

73, Ed - KL7UW
*Nice opening from Alaska to PacNW on 6m last two days (my 80w worked well)

From: Kevin <kstover at ac0h.net>
To: elecraft at mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] The 1500 watt amp
Message-ID: <c95dcfc3-73f1-6434-4306-bab2b1c25c1d at ac0h.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8; format=flowed

"Some People" does not a market make.

The 1KW and up amplifier market is awash with suppliers. Yaesu, Icom,
SPE, Ameritron, Alpha, OM Power, Emtron or whoever owns them now,
Dishtronics. To be competitive they'd have to design an amp that works
with anybody's transceiver just like the KPA500 does with the K3(s) and
be as rugged as an AL1500, the contest crowds favorite amp. Add solid
state to that and your market shrinks because fewer people will drop
$8K+ on an amp. I'd bet they'd sell less than 1,000...ever.

Smart move is to let the legal limit amplifier folks do what they do
best and Elecraft do what it does best, make radios.


73, Ed - KL7UW
http://www.kl7uw.com
     "Kits made by KL7UW"
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