[Elecraft] KPA-1500 failing on 160...AGAIN!

[Jeff Blaine]

I don't doubt the AMP connector is great but doubt this issue is due to 
a connector.

One thing I can say from personal experience is that if you have a tall 
or long antenna, you definitely need a static bleed on that bad boy.  
Never really gave those stories much credence but a number of years back 
I was doing some work on an 80m full size vert one summer.  Managed at 
one point to to reach up and touch a wire that was hanging off the 
vertical - and landed up on my butt from the jolt.  So that static build 
up thing is real.  Been using high value high power wire wound resistors 
for bleeding since. And a polyphaser to provide the discharge path in 
the event the voltage builds up too high from a nearby strike or whatever.

The 1500 has PIN diodes for switching.  Generically speaking running a 
PIN diode switched amp without a spark gap on the coax to clamp spikes 
from whatever cause seems like tempting fate one step too close.  Maybe 
the 1500 has some internal protection - don't hear much about a lot of 
switching failure on the amp.  But a GDT pass through like a polyphaser 
is cheap insurance.

PS:  CQ WW RTTY starts tonight!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

73/jeff/ac0c
alpha-charlie-zero-charlie
www.ac0c.com


On 9/27/19 1:48 PM, Jim Brown wrote:
> On 9/27/2019 11:01 AM, john at kk9a.com wrote:
>> If PL-259s are failing they are either poor quality connectors or 
>> there are serious antenna issues causing excessive voltage.
>
> YES! Only first quality connectors and adapters should be used.
>
> I run legal limit to resonant antennas fed with 50 ohm and 75 ohm coax 
> and hard line. Amphenol 83-1SP connectors are the standard throughout 
> my station. I use type N only on hard line for which UHF connectors 
> are not available. I've NEVER experienced any symptoms of arcing in 
> connectors.
>
> I HAVE seen lots problems caused by poor quality connectors and 
> adapters, and by poorly soldered coax connectors when putting stations 
> together for Field Day and similar operations.
>
> My rule: In North America, if the connector doesn't say Amphenol 
> 83-1SP or have a MIL spec number stamped on it, it is JUNK. The same 
> holds true for adapters.
>
> 73, Jim K9YC
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