[Elecraft] KPA1500 Fan Noise - Not An Issue

[Richard Thorne]

Don,

Thanks for the updated information.  It's quite helpful.

For those of you that don't think that fan noise is a potential problem, 
you need to understand my point of view on this.

I've tried very hard to get a good clean noise free signal to my speaker 
or head phones..  This starts with a good antenna system followed by a 
good ground system and chokes as needed to reduce any induced noise into 
the system.  i still have work do in this area.

It doesn't make much sense to get the above done, only to have the audio 
portion of the signal interfered with.

So before I lay down significant $ for another device, I want to find 
out all the pro's and con's for that device so I don't later regret the 
decision.

In my case I'm not interested in getting a set of headphones (that 
includes a boom mic) that clamps on to my head that causes discomfort.  
If I'm going to use a set of headphones it will continue to be the 
Yamaha CM-500.  The mic is outstanding and it's the most comfortable 
headset I've ever used.  I use the headset for cw and ssb, but I prefer 
to use my external speakers for RTTY with the volume low.

While I'm not all that interested in remoting the amp, I may end up 
going this direction.  I have the room to build a sound proofing wall 
that can be located between my operating desk and external wall to the 
shack where my entrance panel is.  This may be a good option, if needed, 
in order to have a quality piece of equipment in my shack.
I've spent time on my antenna system to mitigate noise, I may have to do 
the same thing on the audio side.

So the folks who don't mind the extra fan noise (if in deed it exists) 
fine, but understand where some of us are coming from that don't want to 
deal with the noise (if in deed it exists).

At this time I'm still looking forward to taking delivery of the 
KPA-1500 in the very near future.

Rich - N5ZC

On 6/3/2018 6:33 PM, Don Butler wrote:
> A post this afternoon refered to KPA1500 fan noise as an "issue" that might
> need to be addressed.   I personally think that is an unfair suggestion.
> Fan noise with this amplifier is NOT an issue to me.   I have made previous
> comments and have also posted a video on this thread, and if I have given
> the impression that fan noise is a problem in my shack I apologize, because
> that is simply not the case.
>    
> Quite frankly, I think all the hubbub about KPA1500 fan noise is a huge
> overreaction.  The reality is that the fans will NEVER be required in most
> operating situations.   I've had my amplifier for three months now, and it
> has gotten many hours of use.   Typically, with the amp idling in standby as
> I tune and complete occasional short CW QSOs, the fans NEVER do kick on.
> And if they do they will rarely rise above Level  2.   Levels 3, 4 and 5 may
> be required during very heavy duty only, and, at least at my station, I
> cannot foresee that happening more than 1 or 2 percent of the time.   I have
> manually selected level 3 on just two occasions, and have never had to use
> levels  4 or 5.   I personally believe that folks out there are fretting
> over fan noise that may never occur.
>   
> IMHO the KPA1500 is a great amp.   Amps are going to get hot.  The more an
> amp is put into transmit mode the hotter it's going to get.   So it has to
> be cooled.  There's no free lunch.   When my amp does get hot enough to
> require speed level 3 or above I will simply put on my earphones and
> continue to operate (I use earphones most of the time anyhow).  As I
> mentioned above, in the three months that I have owned this amplifier, I
> have manually switched to level 3 just two times (once while CQing for hours
> while running in a CW contest and once when I spent about 30 minutes chasing
> a DX station in a major CW pileup).
>   
> To me, increased fan cooling capability is one of the KPA1500's uniquely
> great features.  Yes, the fans create noise, but they also rapidly cool the
> heat sink (probably better than any other amplifier out there).   But folks
> seem to be more concerned about this noise thing when (I think) they should
> really be appreciating the KPA1500's superior cooling capabilities.
>   
> I think we should get over this fixation on noise and just enjoy our
> amplifiers.
>
> As far as I'm concerned fan noise is NOT as issue with the KPA1500.
>
> Don, N5LZ
> KPA1500 S/N 45
>
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