[Elecraft] KPA1500 Power Level

[Bill Frantz]

My wife won $1000 off an Expert amplifier at Visalia maybe 5 
years ago. I ended up getting a 1.3K because I had noticed many 
DXpeditions using it. Mine is still working well, knock on wood. 
I run in on 120V at theMedium power setting. I get 700-800 watts 
out. I'm always thinking of selling it and getting an Elecraft 
Amp, but so far no action.

My latest station dream has the antennas 150-200 feet from the 
operating area. I could put the amp in the barn to shorten the 
feed lines.

73 Bill AE6JV

On 9/18/21 at 9:46 PM, jkbaum at usa.net (Jerry Kirshenbaum) wrote:

>re: it'd pay to review the SPE
>
>In May 2021 I bought a SPE 1.5K-FA 2nd generator new from the 
>distributor in Texas. I’ve been using a SunSDR2 DX 100W 
>transceiver while I wait to receive my K4D. The 1st time the 
>finals blew may have been operator error. Subsequently, I 
>discovered that the software allows one to limit the power on 
>each band. So I set the SPE to mid power (it has low, mid, high 
>settings) and determined the correct output for 700-800W. That 
>left at least 20% head room.  Despite this seem lying failsafe 
>procedure, the finals blew again. The distributor would not 
>cover this under warranty on the grounds that my radio has 
>spurious spikes which blew the finals. In fact, if you run the 
>“wrong” radio with this amp, you don’t have any warranty 
>because the radio is indicted as the cause of failure sight unseen.
>
>The amp when it works is wonderful. One case, 24 lbs, very 
>quiet. I had everything linked together with my SteppIR DB18E 
>through DxLab.
>Two times back to the distributor for repair in 3 months was 
>enough. I sold it and now have a KPA1500 which is working great.
>
>BTW, the distributor also says the IC-7300 (my backup) has 
>spurious spikes as well and presumably is another transceiver 
>not covered under their warranty.

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Bill Frantz        | "I wish there was a knob on the TV to turn 
up the
408-348-7900       | intelligence.  There's a knob called 
"brightness", but
www.pwpconsult.com | it doesn't work. -- Gallagher