[Icom] PW1 ?

Thu, 26 Jun 2003 14:14:52 -0400

Andy,
The Acom is not based on the Alpha.  It's really the other way around.
Acom was producing a stripped down version of their amp and putting
Alpha's name on it.  Since Alpha is not really in the business like they
were, Acom moved on to build their own amp as they see fit to make it,
and hence the Acom's of today.  They are not Alpha's, they are better
than Alpha's, at least that's what I keep hearing.
As far as service is concerned, you send the amp to Acom in Boston, MA
for service.  That's where I picked up my new amp and had the pleasure
of spending most of a Saturday with Krassy himself, who fully
demonstrated the amp and all of it's internal workings to me in person.
Not to mention we set up the 10/12 meter operation while the amp was
open.  The amp is fully computer controlled, can be diagnosed remotely
via an internet link from the amp if you ever have any troubles, and can
be upgraded as such.  

As far as distortion goes, the solid state devices appear to just make
the grade in passing FCC minimum requirements, so there is no danger of
running illegally, but the tubes run much beyond the minimum
requirements, hence much cleaner and I like to have things run without
heavy breathing myself.
Just like the output levels.  I can run the Acom with about 40 watts of
drive and do an easy 1500 watts.  The tubes aren't even hot.  The amp
can do well over 2kw with less than normal full output from an exciter,
say about 70 watts.  I usually run my amp with about 12 watts of drive
or so, this gives me about 500+ watts out and everything is very cool.
Now the question is what is the distortion from the exciter (solid state
781), with 12 watts of output.  I have been told they lower output
levels from the ratings lead to higher distortion in solid state
devices??

Bruce

-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On
Behalf Of [email protected]
Sent: Thursday, June 26, 2003 1:52 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [Icom] PW1 ?

Hal-

With all due respect, Bruce's answer and your answer are not responsive.
Is
it your contention that all solid state amps produce audible distortion
on
SSB and all tube amps do not?

How do you get warranty service on the Acom 2000A amp? Ship it to
Bulgaria
where it is built? What is the cost? I've heard about $6,000. If so, how
is
it superior to the Alpha on which it seems to be based?

Thanks, Andy K5VM

----- Original Message -----
From: "K4HW" <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Thursday, June 26, 2003 12:29 PM
Subject: Re: [Icom] PW1 ?

| I have to echo Bruce's observations about the Acom 2000A. Except I
have
| found the tubes a good bit cheaper but have never needed any. I have
had
the
| amp about 2 years and it has been great. A nice feature to me is the
remote
| control unit. The amp doesn't even have to be in the shack.  There is
a
| review in May 2000 QST that may help some with the specs etc. Also
about
30
| reviews on eHam. Of the reviews, all but I think two were 5/5. Of
those
two
| the 4/5 found something he perceived as less than perfect about the
antenna
| switch which is a separate item. and the 1/5 is what we call an
outlier in
| statistical analysis and is usually thrown out.
|
| 73, Hal -K4HW
|
|
|
| ----- Original Message -----
| From: "Bruce Marton" <[email protected]>
| To: <[email protected]>
| Sent: Thursday, June 26, 2003 1:23 PM
| Subject: RE: [Icom] PW1 ?
|
|
| > You can read the specs on the sights of the manufacturers, or better
| > yet, read the ARRL reviews.  You will see the tube amp has much less
| > distortion.
| > Bruce

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