[K3PZN-List] Elecraft 1500W amp

Fri Apr 21 18:47:43 EDT 2017

Hi Curt:  Your are dead on.  At 76, I guess I'm one of the Geezers who claimed "we walked to school uphill both ways, thru 20 foot snow drifts and we liked it!!!!"  Back in the day, we ran 833 tubes that required huge numbers of amps and 220 volt inputs, spinning the power meter to the house and costing about $20.00 for an evening's worth of European DX.  What I lost sight of here is the fact that there is even a solid state amp that produces that kind of output.  Technology comes with a cost....  The old saying that if you throw enough money at a problem, it will go away.  As you so well phrased it..." The Cost per Db of signal strength is where the rubber meets the road.  Could not agree with you more on this end.  Kinda Toothy, but a demonstration of the dynamics of this wonderful hobby we all share.  At this point, you got to double the power to gain an "S" unit.  Therein lies the sticker shock. 73....Joe 

    On Friday, April 21, 2017 5:52 PM, Curt Milton via K3PZN-List <k3pzn-list at mailman.qth.net> wrote:

 I wasn't even thinking about the cost, but 3X the cost of the 500 watt amp sounds about 'right.'
The net worth of the entire ham population may be near its all time max.  How folk choose to spend, well its up to them - hence the opportunities.  

Me - I just enjoy having a rig in front of me (okay don't ask how many rigs are here of various power levels - I really have more than I have time for).  

A solid state PA like that tends to require an antenna tuner for many of our antenna farms - so more opportunity.  Occasionally I think about a modest amp to boost my signal on 160 and 80 meters.  Maybe sometime - but it may use a tube as I don't expect to wear it out with activity.  Interestingly, a friend with a big station moved from a solid state amp back to a tube - but I didn't ask why.  I remember that Yaesu PA having an ATU inside that took forever to tune - maybe that was it.  The 100 watt Elecraft ATUs are quite nice and fast - so maybe the big guys are similar.  Still - I agree its a lot of dollars for just a few dB !  

Meanwhile I will gladly use the rig in front of me, whether here or somebody else's QTH.  Fun to do this RF stuff, still, at ANY power level.
Curt
PS - tomorrow - QRP to the field.  I may set up on my patio for a few hours - its one of that communities annual FD style events.  

    On Friday, April 21, 2017 5:41 PM, Benjamin Horton <k3fpe at verizon.net> wrote:

 I saw that and said to myself.  "myself"  There's some things that are just wrong that you can fix.....but stupid is not one of them.  Pardon me gents but this is just RF Amplification Right?  In my opinion, and mine only, any amp, of any age, size or type that would punch out 2  KW P.E.P. would serve the purpose and with a bit of common sense and some hunting around, I do believe I could acquire a amplifier that would accomplish the task for under a grand.  It's just RF.  But some folks have more money than good sense and Good on them if they want one.  I guess you can justify anything.  Folks passing away with the most toys does come to mind....  Six Grand, you say..........  Regards to all!!  Joe  K3FPE 

    On Friday, April 21, 2017 1:50 PM, Curt Milton via K3PZN-List <k3pzn-list at mailman.qth.net> wrote:

 Wow!  These guys once upon a time designed QRP rigs.  Of course the SST comes to mind, slong with the Sierra.  The K2 was meant to be a modern day HW9, then they made a 100 watt amp for it.  Now 1500 watts!  
While I confess I was tempted by the 500 watt amp, well I had just built the 100 watt ATU (after using N3SBs at FD) so I stopped at 100 watts.  a lot of money for a few extra dB.
cuagn
curt

Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android 

  On Fri, Apr 21, 2017 at 12:28 pm, Peter Morton<mortonph at comcast.net> wrote:  Check out:  http://www.elecraft.com/KPA1500/KPA1500.htm

-Pete, W3GVX

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