OT Expert 1k Amplifier

[Stewart Baker]

Hi,
I am thinking about purchasing a linear to go with my K3 that Santa will
hopefully be delivering this Christmas. The amplifier I have in mind is the SPE
Expert 1k.

I am sure that the K3 will live up to all my expectations, but I am a little
jittery about high power solid state amplifier reliability.

Does anyone on the reflector have personal experience of this amplifier, good or
bad ?

73
Stewart G3RXQ
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[Francis Belliveau]

Stewart,

If it were me facing this decision, I would wait for the Elecraft amplifiers to come out.  They were announced but put on the back burner for the K3.  You will likely get a new estimate of shipping dates from Elecraft in the near future but I believe that they are holding off until they ship all the K3 orders collected before production began.  My guestimate is that they will begin taking orders early next year.  During the wait you can take some time to become intimately familiar with the workings of your new K3.

What you will get with another amplifier:
    1.  A product of reasonable quality that with a large user community of experience to guide you, if you can find it.
    2.  Some "how-to" help from the Elecraft list with whatever issues you run into.
    4.  Help from Elecraft with any "new product" issues within the K3.
    3.  Very little help from the manufacturer with K3 interfacing issues.  The manufacturer obviously has not tested their amplifier with a K3 yet.

What you will get with an Elecraft amplifier:
    1.  A well designed, well tested, product; possibly with a few "new product" wrinkles to deal with.
    2.  Lots of "how-to" help from the Elecraft list with whatever issues you run into.
    3.  Lots of help from the manufacturer with issues in either the K3 or the amplifier.  They will surely test the amplifiers with the K3 before they begin shipping production units.

I expect that you will find many others on the list of similar opinion.

73 and Good Luck with your decision,
Fran, KA4FRH
K2 s/n 314

 -------------- Original message ----------------------
From: Stewart Baker <[hidden email]>

> Hi,
> I am thinking about purchasing a linear to go with my K3 that Santa will
> hopefully be delivering this Christmas. The amplifier I have in mind is the SPE
> Expert 1k.
>
> I am sure that the K3 will live up to all my expectations, but I am a little
> jittery about high power solid state amplifier reliability.
>
> Does anyone on the reflector have personal experience of this amplifier, good or
> bad ?
>
> 73
> Stewart G3RXQ
> _______________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
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>
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm
> Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com

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[KBG Luxford]

Will the new Elecraft linear amps contain vacuum tubes?
Kevin
VK3DAP / ZL2DAP

[hidden email] wrote:
> Stewart,
>
> If it were me facing this decision, I would wait for the Elecraft amplifiers to come out.  They were announced but put on the back burner for the K3.  You will likely get a new estimate of shipping dates from Elecraft in the near future but I believe that they are holding off until they ship all the K3 orders collected before production began.  My guestimate is that they will begin taking orders early next year.  During the wait you can take some time to become intimately familiar with the workings of your new K3.
>
<snip>
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[Gregg W6IZT]

I would wait for the Elecraft amp. I just check the Array Solutions web site
and they have discontinued their relationship with SPE.

73
Gregg
W6IZT

-----Original Message-----
From: [hidden email]
[mailto:[hidden email]]On Behalf Of KBG Luxford
Sent: Thursday, November 22, 2007 9:11 PM
To: [hidden email]
Cc: Elecraft Reflector
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] OT Expert 1k Amplifier

Will the new Elecraft linear amps contain vacuum tubes?
Kevin
VK3DAP / ZL2DAP

[hidden email] wrote:
> Stewart,
>
> If it were me facing this decision, I would wait for the Elecraft
amplifiers to come out.  They were announced but put on the back burner for
the K3.  You will likely get a new estimate of shipping dates from Elecraft
in the near future but I believe that they are holding off until they ship
all the K3 orders collected before production began.  My guestimate is that
they will begin taking orders early next year.  During the wait you can take
some time to become intimately familiar with the workings of your new K3.
>
<snip>
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[michael taylor-3]

On Nov 22, 2007 9:11 PM, KBG Luxford <[hidden email]> wrote:
> Will the new Elecraft linear amps contain vacuum tubes?
> Kevin
> VK3DAP / ZL2DAP

No, they are solid-state. Which to me makes far more sense as most
vacuum tubes seem to be increasing in price as they become more
scarce. I imagine it would be hard to secure a large lot of new tubes,
to ensure a stable supply needed to safely market a newly designed
product. Personally, I'm more surprised Ameritron and other tube /
value amplifier manufacturers has not expanded their solid state
amplifiers offerings more.

The prototypes used Advanced Power Technology (APT now Microsemi)'s
ARF463A/B transistors.

Original Details:
<http://www.mail-archive.com/elecraft@.../msg21610.html>
Photos: <http://www.n6ie.com/Elecraft.html>
About some of the production delays:
<http://www.mail-archive.com/elecraft@.../msg31295.html>

-Michael, VE3TIX
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[KBG Luxford]

Hi guys,

I was a bit overwhelmed with all the serious and informative replies
that I got, to what, I must admit, was a tongue in cheek query.  Thanks
for the information and I shall look forward to seeing this amp on the
Elecraft site - whenever it appears, with, I hope, no pressure on the
Elecraft team from me.

And, if it is not too late, I wish all US members of this list a very
happy Thanksgiving holiday.  Many of us have a very great deal to be
thankful for, just one of them being to be living under Administrations
which permit, even encourage, the participation in the Amateur Service.

73
Kevin
VK3DAP / ZL2DAP
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[Stewart Baker]

Hi,

Many thanks to all of you who responded to my questions. Some of the replies
were very comprehensive. I think I must do quite a lot more research before
putting my hand in my pocket.

73
Stewart G3RXQ

On Thu, 22 Nov 2007 14:19:22 GMT, Stewart Baker wrote:

> Hi,
> I am thinking about purchasing a linear to go with my K3 that Santa will
> hopefully be delivering this Christmas. The amplifier I have in mind is the
> SPE
> Expert 1k.
>
> I am sure that the K3 will live up to all my expectations, but I am a little
> jittery about high power solid state amplifier reliability.
>
> Does anyone on the reflector have personal experience of this amplifier, good
> or
> bad ?
>
> 73
> Stewart G3RXQ

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[Simon (HB9DRV)]

I'm a tubes guy rather than transistors. There's something quite satisfying
about the glow from a nice big 4/1000-A or similar.

If I had to buy a big amp this morning it would have a nice big tube - for
example from HA8UG - http://web.axelero.hu/amplitec/mypa_eng.html .

My rule for amplifiers - if you can lift it off the ground then it's not big
enough :-)

Simon Brown, HB9DRV

----- Original Message -----
From: "Stewart Baker" <[hidden email]>


Many thanks to all of you who responded to my questions. Some of the replies
were very comprehensive. I think I must do quite a lot more research before
putting my hand in my pocket.


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[Geoffrey Mackenzie-Kennedy]

Simon Brown (HB9DRV)

> I'm a tubes guy rather than transistors. There's something quite
> satisfying about the glow from a nice big 4/1000-A or similar.
>
> If I had to buy a big amp this morning it would have a nice big tube - for
> example from HA8UG - http://web.axelero.hu/amplitec/mypa_eng.html .
>
> My rule for amplifiers - if you can lift it off the ground then it's not
> big enough :-)

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Don't forget those beautiful keying monitors next to the plate transformer,
I mean the ones that glow blue :-)

73,
Geoff
GM4ESD

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[Robert Allbright]

Hi Stuart

I know Ron GW3YDX (vinecom.co.uk) regularly uses the 1k amp in  
contests etc so has first hand experience.

I use my K2 occasionally with my ACOM 1000 very satisfactorily, this  
amp is a masterpiece (all 5 reviews in Eham.net) but I sometimes wonder

about the continuing supply of replacement tubes?

73 de Robert K2/100 #5219
--------------------------
Many thanks to all of you who responded to my questions. Some of the  
replies
were very comprehensive. I think I must do quite a lot more research  
before
putting my hand in my pocket.

--------------------------------------
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[Mike Harris-9]

G'day,

| I use my K2 occasionally with my ACOM 1000 very satisfactorily, this
| amp is a masterpiece (all 5 reviews in Eham.net) but I sometimes wonder
|
| about the continuing supply of replacement tubes?
|
| 73 de Robert K2/100 #5219

Apart from the K2 overshoot on SSB my Acom 1000 ticks over at 4-600W max.
Given the built in protection for the tube I would expect a long lifetime
for it.  Nevertheless, maybe now is the time to invest in a spare.

With the K3 I expect it will be treated more kindly.

Regards,

Mike VP8NO

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