[Elecraft] The 1500 watt amp

[Kevin]

On 7/31/2016 3:20 PM, Greg wrote:

"I own a KPA500 and it is very nice; the integration with the K3 makes 
it a pleasure to use...but I want the capability to run full legal 
limit. I own several full legal limit amps but would gladly get rid of 
one or more for an Elecraft amp. At my age and being retired, I care 
more about value,engineering design, and service than I do about price. 
There are lots of people who spend $6 - $14K on a radio...why not an 
amplifier?"

You assume because they have spent that kind of money on a radio they 
will turn right around and spend that on an amp. I'm saying they won't, 
not even an Elecraft amp.

"The majority of serious contesters and DX'ers own a K3."

No argument there, The exception I know of is K3LR who runs Icom 7851's

And a majority of those multi-multi and dedicated DX chasing stations 
are running tube amps of one flavor or another, most likely an AL-1500 
on each band. They aren't looking for fancy shmancy doodads. They want 
simple brute force power. There is a reason why more Ameritron amps are 
sold than Alpha's and it's not price. It's simplicity. The RF section of 
an Alpha amp is pretty much bomb proof as is the AL1500. It's all the 
microprocessor controlled "stuff" that breaks. If an Ameritron breaks 
during the contest there's a better than even chance of fixing it before 
the contest is over. Not so with an Alpha.

"Contesters especially would appreciate convenience with the instant 
band switching with no need to touch drive controls or worry about 
antenna selection."

Nope, SO2R's and multi-multi class stations are running dedicated amps 
per band or radio with integrated automatic antenna switching running 
off band data from the radio. The only time the Op raises a finger is to 
hit another function key in N1MM+. If you're running stations in a 
contest you won't touch the amp no need to. If your chasing P5 on twenty 
meters you won't move far enough in the pile to have to re tune the amp.

"I'll offer my opinion that a lot of people who already own a 1500 watt 
amplifier would go ahead and purchase an Elecraft amplifier for all the 
reasons mentioned".

For those folks it's obviously a pissing contest...boys and their toys. 
To make it profitable for Elecraft they'd probably have to sell as many 
1500W amps as Ameritron does. A tall order at twice the price. Then 
there's SPE who make a legal limit SSPA right now that does almost 
everything the KPA500 does with a K3. It'll even do kinda sorta SO2R in 
one box. It's $8K+ and I wouldn't contest with one. The "I can't fix it" 
rule kicks in.

The tube is still king of the brute force crowd.
-- 

R. Kevin Stover
AC0H
ARRL
FISTS #11993
SKCC #215
NAQCC #3441


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