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Rick Reynolds

Amp comparisons

I'm looking at upgrading my amp. In consideration are kpa500, spe 1.3k, and kpa1500. Obviously increasing In cost as we gain more capabilities. Any feedback from the group? I was expecting to see more kpa500's for sale but haven't seen many.

Thanks

Rick NJ5W

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Clay Autery-2

Re: Amp comparisons

I've used a KPA-500 enough to appreciate the integration with my K3S.
I am using an SPE 1K-FA right now, and it's nice, but required me to construct a custom cable to use it in the most integrated manner. The 1.3, 1.5, ans 2K-FA require the same thing OR one of the new serial boxes mentioned in the last couple of days.
The KPA-1500 offers both the integration of the KPA-500 and more power than the 1.3K-FA.... Better to look at the price comp between the 1.5K-FA and the KPA-1500.
I like the separate power supply on yhe KPA-1500.
BOTTOM LINE: My next amp purchase would/will be a KPA-1500.

Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone
-------- Original message --------From: Rick Reynolds <[hidden email]> Date: 7/23/18 20:22 (GMT-06:00) To: [hidden email] Subject: [Elecraft] Amp comparisons
I'm looking at upgrading my amp. In consideration are kpa500, spe 1.3k, and kpa1500. Obviously increasing In cost as we gain more capabilities. Any feedback from the group? I was expecting to see more kpa500's for sale but haven't seen many.

Thanks

Rick NJ5W
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Paul Baldock

Re: Amp comparisons

In reply to this post by Rick Reynolds

I had a SPE 1.5K for a couple of weeks. It
struggles to make 1.5KW on all bands and on some
doesn't make it. At 1.5KW there is around 2dB
compression. It's great up to 1KW.

I've had the KPA1500 for about a month now. It
makes 1.5KW with between a .5 and 1dB on all
bands. It's more money than the SPE, but worth
it. And of course excellent support from
Elecraft. Integrates well with my TS-990.

- Paul KW7Y

At 06:36 PM 7/23/2018, Clay Autery wrote:

>I've used a KPA-500 enough to appreciate the
>integration with my K3S. I am using an SPE 1K-FA
>right now, and it's nice, but required me to
>construct a custom cable to use it in the most
>integrated manner.Â The 1.3, 1.5, ans 2K-FA
>require the same thing OR one of the new serial
>boxes mentioned in the last couple of days. The
>KPA-1500 offers both the integration of the
>KPA-500 and more power than the
>1.3K-FA....Â Better to look at the price comp
>between the 1.5K-FA and the KPA-1500. I like the
>separate power supply on yhe KPA-1500. BOTTOM
>LINE:Â My next amp purchase would/will be a
>KPA-1500. Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy
>smartphone -------- Original message
>--------From: Rick Reynolds
><[hidden email]> Date:
>7/23/18 20:22 (GMT-06:00) To:
>[hidden email] Subject: [Elecraft] Amp
>comparisons I'm looking at upgrading my amp. In
>consideration are kpa500, spe 1.3k, and kpa1500.
>Obviously increasing In cost as we gain more
>capabilities.Â Any feedback from the group? I
>was expecting to see more kpa500's for sale but
>haven't seen many. Thanks Rick NJ5W
>______________________________________________________________
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Richard Thorne-4

Re: Amp comparisons

In reply to this post by Rick Reynolds

Rick,

I have a KPA-1500 and a KPA-500. To be honest, with my decent antenna
system, 500 watts is plenty, most of the time. I purchased the KPA-1500
as I plan to get serious chasing DX on the low bands.

If you already have a K3 I would stay with Elecraft and get either KPA
model, you just need to decide on power output.

Rich - N5ZC

On 7/23/2018 8:22 PM, Rick Reynolds wrote:

> I'm looking at upgrading my amp. In consideration are kpa500, spe 1.3k, and kpa1500. Obviously increasing In cost as we gain more capabilities. Any feedback from the group? I was expecting to see more kpa500's for sale but haven't seen many.
>
> Thanks
>
> Rick NJ5W
>
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k6dgw

Re: Amp comparisons

I ran my 1;2 KW amp at 500 watts for close to a year before springing
for the KPA500 just to see if it made any difference. It probably would
have were I an avid DX'er or contester. At my casual level, I really
noticed no difference. With a K3 I think the algorithm is:

if(I_want_full_power) {get_KPA1500}
if(I_want_to_save_a_few_bucks) {get KPA500}

The integration of either with the K3 is absolutely seamless. I have no
experience with the KPA1500 but the KPA500 was bulletproof, or so it
seemed. I also had the KAT500 which made a very compact moderate power
station.

This is past tense, we moved to an HOA community and 500 watts into my
end-fed WOOF antenna [Wire On Organic Fence] didn't seem like a good idea.

73,

Fred ["Skip"] K6DGW
Sparks NV DM09dn
Washoe County

>
> On 7/23/2018 8:22 PM, Rick Reynolds wrote:
>> I'm looking at upgrading my amp. In consideration are kpa500, spe
>> 1.3k, and kpa1500. Obviously increasing In cost as we gain more
>> capabilities. Any feedback from the group? I was expecting to see
>> more kpa500's for sale but haven't seen many.
>>
>> Thanks
>>
>> Rick NJ5W
>>
>> ______________________________________________________________
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Bob McGraw - K4TAX

Re: Amp comparisons

In reply to this post by Rick Reynolds

After much investigation and consideration I elected to purchase the
KPA-500/F.   Since I have the K3S and now the KAT-500, I've "trained"
the KAT-500 for the antennas and frequencies on each band. With the VFO
tracking, I dial the frequency and everything follows.

Specifically the KPA-500 I find to be very quiet, it delivers 500 watts
+ on every band, 160 - 6M. Drive power is about 25 watts on every
band. The fan is quiet and is of no concern even at the highest
speed.   It does step down quickly as the amp cools. Normally the fan is
off until the temperature rises.   Using it on FT-8 at 500 watts out, it
will increment to #2 on occasion.    The input always appears as a 1:1
SWR to the transceiver.    The high SWR circuit does protect the amp and
is fast. With my station configuration I feel as though I have a 500
watt transceiver, automatically selecting antennas and tuning as
needed.   I touch nothing but the VFO knob or enter the frequency for
the next band.   Everything switches silently and automatically.

I come from a line of tube amps in the 1000 to 1200 watt class. Fans run
all the time. Power output varies with band as well as drive
requirements. Most seem to be optimized for 20M.   My last tube amp was
a AL-80B and it was one of the smoothest tuning amps I've used. Power
out always 1000 + watts.   But it required tuning with each frequency
and band change.

The difference in power is 3 dB or only 1/2 S unit.    All works for
me. I vote for the KPA-500.

73

Bob, K4TAX

On 7/23/2018 8:22 PM, Rick Reynolds wrote:

Charlie T, K3ICH

Re: Amp comparisons

In reply to this post by Richard Thorne-4

Anybody out there interested in a swap for my QRO-3KDX that runs a pair of 4CX800A's?
I'd be interested in any sort of deal we could work out for a KPA-500, SPE amp, or ???.

73, Charlie k3ICH

-----Original Message-----
From: [hidden email] <[hidden email]> On Behalf Of Richard Thorne
Sent: Monday, July 23, 2018 9:51 PM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Amp comparisons

Rick,

I have a KPA-1500 and a KPA-500. To be honest, with my decent antenna system, 500 watts is plenty, most of the time. I purchased the KPA-1500 as I plan to get serious chasing DX on the low bands.

If you already have a K3 I would stay with Elecraft and get either KPA model, you just need to decide on power output.

Rich - N5ZC

On 7/23/2018 8:22 PM, Rick Reynolds wrote:

> I'm looking at upgrading my amp. In consideration are kpa500, spe 1.3k, and kpa1500. Obviously increasing In cost as we gain more capabilities. Any feedback from the group? I was expecting to see more kpa500's for sale but haven't seen many.
>
> Thanks
>
> Rick NJ5W
>
> ______________________________________________________________
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K9MA

Re: Amp comparisons

In reply to this post by Rick Reynolds

On 7/23/2018 21:37, Gary K9GS wrote:
> Any side by side with the KPA1500 and the Flex Power Genius yet?
>
I haven't seen any yet. I did have a conversation last year with 4O3A,
designer of the Power Genius. From what Ranko said, the Flex amp seemed
to have more headroom than the KPA1500, which might result in better
linearity at 1.5 kW, albeit at the expense of efficiency. (The specs say
"capable of 2 kW.") There is some scheme to dynamically adjust the
supply voltage for higher efficiency at lower power, I presume for CW
and RTTY, where linearity isn't a big issue. I read somewhere that
supply voltage is NOT modulated in SSB mode, which I imagine would cause
lots of nonlinearity. The Flex amp can do predistortion with their
radios. However, the KPA1500 also has an output sampling port, which
should allow it to do predistortion also with a radio capable of it,
probably including the Flex. (I wouldn't be surprised if Elecraft came
out with that feature eventually. Could that be the reason it has that
sampling port?)

The Flex amp has an external ATU, which 4O3A strongly favors, but I
think that's a personal preference. For most stations, with antennas
that aren't always below 1.5:1, a solid state amplifier without an ATU
is pretty useless, so I think Elecraft's decision to integrate it makes
sense.

While the Flex amp can certainly be made to work with Elecraft radios,
the seamless integration with the KPA1500 is very attractive. I'm happy
with mine so far.

73,

Scott K9MA

--
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Jim Brown-10

Re: Amp comparisons

In reply to this post by Rick Reynolds

On 7/23/2018 6:36 PM, Clay Autery wrote:
> BOTTOM LINE: My next amp purchase would/will be a KPA-1500.

Mine too. Normally, there are three amps on my desk -- two 87As for high
power, SO2R contesting, and a KPA500 for 6M and instant on). For about
two weeks, I've been running a borrowed KPA1500, mostly on 6M (but used
it to work 57 of the 63 WRTC stations on 20M). It's a VERY nice amp. I
had an SPE 1K for a while and really disliked it.

73, Jim K9YC

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Igor Sokolov-2

Re: Amp comparisons

I have used SPE 1K with my K3 for almost 8 years. I am now using SPE
1.3 with both K3 and KX3 connected for SO2R. No issues with integration
at all (just coax and 3 wire control cable), cheaper then Elecraft,
weight is under 10 Kg even with antenna tuner built in, SO2R with just 1
amp, 4 antennas switchable by the amplifier itself (another level of
integration). IMHO KX3 + SPE 1.3 is the best combo for expeditions of
field operation. I really like Elecraft but as far as amplifier is
concerned SPE is better for my needs.

73, Igor UA9CDC

24.07.2018 10:24, Jim Brown пишет:

> On 7/23/2018 6:36 PM, Clay Autery wrote:
>> BOTTOM LINE: My next amp purchase would/will be a KPA-1500.
>
> Mine too. Normally, there are three amps on my desk -- two 87As for
> high power, SO2R contesting, and a KPA500 for 6M and instant on). For
> about two weeks, I've been running a borrowed KPA1500, mostly on 6M
> (but used it to work 57 of the 63 WRTC stations on 20M). It's a VERY
> nice amp. I had an SPE 1K for a while and really disliked it.
>
> 73, Jim K9YC
>
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Ignacy

Re: Amp comparisons

My experiences are similar to those by Igor.

I use K3 with SPE 2k. Very convenient with 6 antenna connectors with 3
antennas per band. Turns on and off with K3 and follows bands. Antenna
switch and ATU are active with teh amp off. But 2k is heavy and the PS
generates some spurs.

I used KX3 with SPE 1.3k. Smooth integration. Light. No PS spurs. 4 antenna
connectors with two antennas per band.

Ignacy, NO9E

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