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K3 and amplifiers such as ALS-600

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Doug Person

K3 and amplifiers such as ALS-600

I was wondering if anyone has used the K3 with the Ameritron ALS-600.
Any issues, gotchas, etc?

Doug -- K0DXV
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Steve Ellington

Re: K3 and amplifiers such as ALS-600

The ALS-600s works well with the K3 especially after doing the QSK mod.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280375313067&ssPageName=ADME:L:LCA:US:1123

Steve
N4LQ
[hidden email]
----- Original Message -----
From: "Doug Person" <[hidden email]>
To: "Elecraft Discussion List" <[hidden email]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 21, 2009 2:13 PM
Subject: [Elecraft] K3 and amplifiers such as ALS-600

>I was wondering if anyone has used the K3 with the Ameritron ALS-600.
> Any issues, gotchas, etc?
>
>
> Doug -- K0DXV
> ______________________________________________________________
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Roger K7SJ

Re: K3 and amplifiers such as ALS-600

www.*ad5x.com*/presentations.htm <http://www.ad5x.com/presentations.htm>

Phil has an excellent article!

73, Roger
K7SJ

On Tue, Jul 21, 2009 at 11:29 AM, Steve Ellington <[hidden email]>wrote:

> The ALS-600s works well with the K3 especially after doing the QSK mod.
>
>
> http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280375313067&ssPageName=ADME:L:LCA:US:1123
>
> Steve
> N4LQ
> [hidden email]
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Doug Person" <[hidden email]>
> To: "Elecraft Discussion List" <[hidden email]>
> Sent: Tuesday, July 21, 2009 2:13 PM
> Subject: [Elecraft] K3 and amplifiers such as ALS-600
>
>
> >I was wondering if anyone has used the K3 with the Ameritron ALS-600.
> > Any issues, gotchas, etc?
> >
> >
> > Doug -- K0DXV
> > ______________________________________________________________
> > Elecraft mailing list
> > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> > Post: mailto:[hidden email]
> >
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> > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>
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K3 #75

MontyS

Re: K3 and amplifiers such as ALS-600

In reply to this post by Doug Person

Doug -

I bought an older ALS-600 and put Phil Silas' QSK mod in it. It works
beautifully. 60 watts' drive for full output. If I wanted to make it
change bands from the K3, Ameritron tells me a $350 mod plus $119 interface
would be needed.

So you may want to look for a new or newer one with that circuitry already
built-in.

Monty K2DLJ

> I was wondering if anyone has used the K3 with the Ameritron ALS-600.
> Any issues, gotchas, etc?
>
>
> Doug -- K0DXV
> ______________________________________________________________
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Doug Person

Re: K3 and amplifiers such as ALS-600

Monty,

Actually, I have a new one. And I have an MFJ-994B auto-tuner in front
of it. My current main rig is an Icom IC756Pro3 - which I love. I had
an early K3 and when the economy tanked I had to sell it. Now that I'm
back on a more even footing I decided I can't live without another K3.
It should be here in a few days. I'm trying to work out how to get
everything I have working now with the Pro3 to work with the K3. The
Pro3 will probably go back in its box for a while.

Doug -- K0DXV

Monty Shultes wrote:

> Doug -
>
> I bought an older ALS-600 and put Phil Silas' QSK mod in it. It works
> beautifully. 60 watts' drive for full output. If I wanted to make
> it change bands from the K3, Ameritron tells me a $350 mod plus $119
> interface would be needed.
>
> So you may want to look for a new or newer one with that circuitry
> already built-in.
>
> Monty K2DLJ
>
>> I was wondering if anyone has used the K3 with the Ameritron ALS-600.
>> Any issues, gotchas, etc?
>>
>>
>> Doug -- K0DXV
>> ______________________________________________________________
>> Elecraft mailing list
>> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
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>>
>> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
>> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>
>

HowardZ

Re: K3 and amplifiers such as ALS-600

Is it best to use a buffer send/ptt device like the Ameritron ARB-704 with the K3?

Howard

k0wa@swbell.net

Re: K3 and amplifiers such as ALS-600

No, you do not need it. I have an AL82 I am keying right out of the back of the K3. Works fine. Usually, it is a 12 volt time for keying the Ameritron Amps. I am not sure I would do that with just any old amp, but the Ameritrons use 12 volt keying line and not the 130 of the SB Line.

Lee - K0Wa

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________________________________
From: HowardZ <[hidden email]>
To: [hidden email]
Sent: Wednesday, July 22, 2009 10:16:01 AM
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K3 and amplifiers such as ALS-600

Is it best to use a buffer send/ptt device like the Ameritron ARB-704 with
the K3?

Howard
--
View this message in context: http://n2.nabble.com/K3-and-amplifiers-such-as-ALS-600-tp3300117p3303890.html
Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.com.
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.k8dd.-2

Re: K3 and amplifiers such as ALS-600

In reply to this post by HowardZ

HowardZ wrote:
> Is it best to use a buffer send/ptt device like the Ameritron ARB-704 with
> the K3?
>
> Howard

Depends on the amp.
ALS-600 - no
Unmodified SB-200/220 - yes
FL2100 - yes

Basically put - check the voltage on the amp's relay line. If it is AC,
or a higher voltage, or if it is higher current to pick the relay, than
is specified in the K3 specs - use the ARB-704.

And, yes, you can use the ARB-704 with any amp, even though it may not
be needed.

73 Hank K8DD

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Phil Salas

Re: K3 and amplifiers such as ALS-600

In reply to this post by HowardZ

"Is it best to use a buffer send/ptt device like the Ameritron ARB-704 with
the K3?"

Not necessary. The ALS-600 keying input has an open circuit voltage of
12VDC, and requires you to sink 100ma (or 70ma with the QSK mod) to key the
amp. Easily handled by the K3 amp-key RCA output.

If you have a new ALS-600, ALS-500 or ALS-1300 with the ARI-500 for
auto-band switching, the K3 band data output works great. You do need the
K3 TTL band data mod if you have an early K3 as the ARI-500 does not have
pull-up resistors.

The K3 TTL band data mod is also required for the THP HL-1.5 amp, but not
for the HL-2.5 (the HL-2.5 has internal pull-up resistors). As I recall,
the SPE EXPERT amp has internal pull-up resistors as well - but I'm not 100%
certain about this.

Phil - AD5X

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Ignacy

Re: K3 and amplifiers such as ALS-600

One of frequent authors in QST runs ALS600 with K2/10. He removed most of the input resistors in ALS600 to boost amplification and runs almost full power with QRP drive. Probably the same can be done for for K3/10W.
Ignacy, NO9E

hf4me

Re: K3 and amplifiers such as ALS-600

I had thought about that when I was about to order my K3 as a 10 watt
version (to start). I turned my 746 down to 10 watts measured and my
unmodified ALS500 put out 140 watts with 10 watts in (500 watts out with 100
in). That is what i intended to do until I could get the additional money
for the PA.

Amplifiers are not such that 100 = 500 so 10 = 50. Solid state at least,
look at the charts for the 2 meter amps for instance) Doesn't work that
way.

73, de Jim KG0KP

----- Original Message -----
From: "Ignacy" <[hidden email]>
To: <[hidden email]>
Sent: Wednesday, July 22, 2009 2:23 PM
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K3 and amplifiers such as ALS-600

>
> One of frequent authors in QST runs ALS600 with K2/10. He removed most of
> the
> input resistors in ALS600 to boost amplification and runs almost full
> power
> with QRP drive. Probably the same can be done for for K3/10W.
> Ignacy, NO9E
> --
> View this message in context:
> http://n2.nabble.com/K3-and-amplifiers-such-as-ALS-600-tp3300117p3305281.html
> Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.com.
> ______________________________________________________________
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Mark Bayern-3

Re: K3 and amplifiers such as ALS-600

>"Amplifiers are not such that 100 = 500 so 10 = 50. Solid state at least,
look at the charts for the 2 meter amps for instance) Doesn't work that
way.

_Linear_ amplifiers do hold true to the "100in=500out, so 10in=50out"
statement.

If they are not linear amps, don't use them for anything other than CW and
FM modes.

Mark
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Ignacy

Re: K3 and amplifiers such as ALS-600

MRF150 as used in ALS600 has 17db linear gain at 30MHz, and +20db on
20MHz and below. The gain is reduced to 9-11db across the bands by
swamping the input and by some feedback. It can be recovered by using
smaller or no input resistor and by removing or reducing the feedback
with a risk of some instability. Apparently ALS 600 does not suffer
from instability. The data sheet for MRF150 cites IMD3 at -32db in a
circuit without any feedback.

Linearity is another issue.
Ignacy

On Wed, Jul 22, 2009 at 4:07 PM, Mark Bayern<[hidden email]> wrote:

>>"Amplifiers are not such that 100 = 500 so 10 = 50. Solid state at least,
> look at the charts for the 2 meter amps for instance) Doesn't work that
> way.
>
> _Linear_ amplifiers do hold true to the "100in=500out, so 10in=50out"
> statement.
> If they are not linear amps, don't use them for anything other than CW and
> FM modes.
> Mark
>