Time for the KPA-1500
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Don't get me wrong. I love the KPA-500 for its nearly instant on and
instant band change. But in an event such as this past weekend ARRL CW (ditto CQWW and other major contests), 500 watts may put you in the high power category but it definitely does not put you in the same league as the guys running the legal limit. With the advances in solid state devices, I truly hope the folks at Elecraft have a KPA-1500 on the drawing board or at least a KPA-1000 with a tuner (just like the Yaesu Quadra amp). I'm willing to bet you will sell a bunch of them, too! Pete, W1RM ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html |
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Hi OMs and Yls,
I hope that when and if Elecraft do produce a higher power amplifier it is 1500 Watts continuous as needed for contesting HP operation. If one is calling for a while on a rather dead band even with CW amplifiers heat up. Solid state amplifiers seem to be particularly problematic in this regard as I found this weekend with the SPE 2000 running the new EI contest only power limit of 1500 Watts. The amplifier just starts to heat up and then reduces power. I think valve amplifiers have an advantage in this regard. Alpha has something to be said for it as does the Acom 2000A neither of which seem to suffer this affliction. On the other hand I surely do like the instant turn on of the SPE 2000 and many of its other features. So when and if Elecraft produces a 1500 Watt amplifier they have a challenge. Apparently the KPA 500 is a dream for what it does and if they can do as well with 1500 Watts solid state boy will that be a winner. I must say that the SPE amplifier has a very efficient power supply. There is practically no heat produced in the shack when one is not key down while my ACOM 2000A heats the shack up. I am afraid to monitor the electricity bill too closely for my XYL might get wind of this and put a clamp on my operations. The SPE also directly drives my SteppIR controller and also selects which of the six antenna inputs to use as preprogrammed. There is also the facility to choose between two separate rigs driving the amplifier. These are nice features. Solid state amplifiers also seem to be noisy but this does not seem to be a complaint by KPA 500 users. I look forward to seeing and hearing the one EI6IZ uses in his shack. I was certainly wrong in thinking that there might not be much of a market for the KPA 500. To be honest I was tempted but took another path. A KPA 1500 is a different matter entirely and it will greatly interest me when and if it emerges. Please do not take any of this as being critical of either the KPA 500 or Elecraft. Truth is I am perhaps too much of a booster when it comes to Elecraft products and company. Both always deserve mention as Elecraft is itself so atypical and so helpful. I do not know how they might explain this in advertisement but it is a strong point. Having the owner designers enter into dialogue with users is not an everyday experience. 73 Doug EI2CN -----Original Message----- From: [hidden email] [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Peter Chamalian Sent: 20 February 2012 17:37 To: [hidden email] Subject: [Elecraft] Time for the KPA-1500 Don't get me wrong. I love the KPA-500 for its nearly instant on and instant band change. But in an event such as this past weekend ARRL CW (ditto CQWW and other major contests), 500 watts may put you in the high power category but it definitely does not put you in the same league as the guys running the legal limit. With the advances in solid state devices, I truly hope the folks at Elecraft have a KPA-1500 on the drawing board or at least a KPA-1000 with a tuner (just like the Yaesu Quadra amp). I'm willing to bet you will sell a bunch of them, too! Pete, W1RM ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html |
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In reply to this post by Peter Chamalian
About six months ago I replaced a Ten-Tec Centurion (1KW) with a KPA-500
in radio 2 position. Since then, I've had a chance to see if I noticed a difference. It's kind of hard to be quantitative when you have so many independent variables (condx, time of year, etc.) but in this weekend's DX test, I used the Alpha station on 20 m and 10 m and the KPA station on 15 m and 40 m. The Alpha station was used on 80 and 160 (where power really does seem to make a difference). My greatest total of both Qs and mults was on 15 m (KPA band). And, I had a lot of Qs and mults on 40 m (also a KPA band). To be honest, I think if I could have been heard with the Centurion, I could also be heard with the KPA. Would I buy a KPA-1500? In a heart beat. I'd replace the Alpha with it. When I'm not contesting (most of the time), I use the K3/P3/KPA-500. No wait time and it is, how can I say this?, smoother operating. I'm tempted to get a 2nd KPA-500 and replace the Alpha with that...but I know having 1.5 KW versus 500 watts does make a difference on 80 and 160. So, for now, I'm in idling mode. Rob K6RB > Don't get me wrong. I love the KPA-500 for its nearly instant on and > instant band change. But in an event such as this past weekend ARRL CW > (ditto CQWW and other major contests), 500 watts may put you in the high > power category but it definitely does not put you in the same league as > the > guys running the legal limit. > > > > With the advances in solid state devices, I truly hope the folks at > Elecraft > have a KPA-1500 on the drawing board or at least a KPA-1000 with a tuner > (just like the Yaesu Quadra amp). > > > > I'm willing to bet you will sell a bunch of them, too! > > > > Pete, W1RM > > > > ______________________________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:[hidden email] > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > > ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html |
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In reply to this post by Peter Chamalian
I too want a KPA-1500, and it does NOT have to be solid state, nor does it need to have a tuner, just interface and change bands like the KPA-500 does.....That would get my checkbook out in a hurry.......
jim, K3SW On Feb 20, 2012, at 12:36 PM, Peter Chamalian wrote: > Don't get me wrong. I love the KPA-500 for its nearly instant on and > instant band change. But in an event such as this past weekend ARRL CW > (ditto CQWW and other major contests), 500 watts may put you in the high > power category but it definitely does not put you in the same league as the > guys running the legal limit. > > > > With the advances in solid state devices, I truly hope the folks at Elecraft > have a KPA-1500 on the drawing board or at least a KPA-1000 with a tuner > (just like the Yaesu Quadra amp). > > > > I'm willing to bet you will sell a bunch of them, too! > > > > Pete, W1RM > > > > ______________________________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:[hidden email] > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html |
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I think the real question to Elecraft is: Are you ever going to bring this
amplifier to market? Their hands are full now but the future is the question. Phil Philip LaMarche  727-944-3226 727-510-5038 Cell  www.w9dvm.com WWW.FLAMGROUP.COM K3 # 1605 KPA500 # 029 P3 #1480  CCA 98-00827 CRA 1701 W9DVM  -----Original Message----- From: [hidden email] [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of J&J Kulp Sent: Monday, February 20, 2012 5:23 PM To: Peter Chamalian Cc: [hidden email] Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Time for the KPA-1500 I too want a KPA-1500, and it does NOT have to be solid state, nor does it need to have a tuner, just interface and change bands like the KPA-500 does.....That would get my checkbook out in a hurry....... jim, K3SW On Feb 20, 2012, at 12:36 PM, Peter Chamalian wrote: > Don't get me wrong. I love the KPA-500 for its nearly instant on and > instant band change. But in an event such as this past weekend ARRL > CW (ditto CQWW and other major contests), 500 watts may put you in the > high power category but it definitely does not put you in the same > league as the guys running the legal limit. > > > > With the advances in solid state devices, I truly hope the folks at > Elecraft have a KPA-1500 on the drawing board or at least a KPA-1000 > with a tuner (just like the Yaesu Quadra amp). > > > > I'm willing to bet you will sell a bunch of them, too! > > > > Pete, W1RM > > > > ______________________________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:[hidden email] > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email > list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html |
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In reply to this post by J&J Kulp
Hi,
Yes, it *has* to be solid state. It would be complete insanity for Elecraft engineering to invest in tube technology which is completely obsolete for the power levels we are talking about here. Where Elecraft ought to take the lead is getting the distortion levels for the whole chain to at leat below 40dB. I'll be a customer in a flash if that happens. AB2TC - Knut
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In reply to this post by Phil LaMarche-2
And just in case the guys are looking for a show of hands, they can count on mine. I'd be ready to spring for anything with four numerical digits, KPA-1000 or KPA-1500 or anything in between.
73, Mike K2MK
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I think I have a "wait-and-see" attitude on the legal limit KPA1500 solid-state. I am still getting used to the KPA500 and especially since I never used an amplifier for CW prior to getting the KPA500 and I have used it sparingly since then. Sure, an amplifier is nice and maybe even required for 160/80 meter punch but I can live without that I think.
I am anxiously awaiting the KAT500 though. I can see now that if a KPA1500 is released then the KAT1500 needs to be close in following. Periodic obsolescence I say -- sort of like maintaining my Beetles Album collection. I think I am on my 4th media technology (which is digital files on my computer or in iCloud). Let's see, the White Album as LP, then Cassette, then CD, now memory and nebulous storage in the cloud. 73, phil, K7PEH On Feb 20, 2012, at 4:48 PM, Mike K2MK wrote: > And just in case the guys are looking for a show of hands, they can count on > mine. I'd be ready to spring for anything with four numerical digits, > KPA-1000 or KPA-1500 or anything in between. > > 73, > Mike K2MK > > > > Phil LaMarche-2 wrote >> >> I think the real question to Elecraft is: Are you ever going to bring >> this >> amplifier to market? Their hands are full now but the future is the >> question. >> >> Phil >> >> Philip LaMarche >> > > > -- > View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/Time-for-the-KPA-1500-tp7301985p7303100.html > Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.com. > ______________________________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:[hidden email] > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html |
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In reply to this post by J&J Kulp
Same here...I recently bought a used Alpha but the advantages of a K3
integrated legal-limit amp would interest me too. On 2/20/2012 4:23 PM, J&J Kulp wrote: > I too want a KPA-1500, and it does NOT have to be solid state, nor does it need to have a tuner, just interface and change bands like the KPA-500 does.....That would get my checkbook out in a hurry....... > > jim, K3SW > > > > > > > > > On Feb 20, 2012, at 12:36 PM, Peter Chamalian wrote: > >> Don't get me wrong. I love the KPA-500 for its nearly instant on and >> instant band change. But in an event such as this past weekend ARRL CW >> (ditto CQWW and other major contests), 500 watts may put you in the high >> power category but it definitely does not put you in the same league as the >> guys running the legal limit. >> >> >> >> With the advances in solid state devices, I truly hope the folks at Elecraft >> have a KPA-1500 on the drawing board or at least a KPA-1000 with a tuner >> (just like the Yaesu Quadra amp). >> >> >> >> I'm willing to bet you will sell a bunch of them, too! >> >> >> >> Pete, W1RM >> >> >> >> ______________________________________________________________ >> Elecraft mailing list >> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft >> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm >> Post: mailto:[hidden email] >> >> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net >> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > ______________________________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:[hidden email] > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > -- 73, Gary K9GS Check out K9NS on the web: http://www.k9ns.com Greater Milwaukee DX Association: http://www.gmdxa.org Society of Midwest Contesters: http://www.w9smc.com ************************************************ ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html |
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Let's go back to 2006. See KPA-800 - KPA-1500
I've periodically asked for a KPA-1500, or something at legal limit. It's been a no-go to date. Maybe now, with the success of the KPA-500, we'll see some progress in this area. I concur with some of the other posters, a legal limit key-down solution would be great. An in-the-field repairable, modular amp would be great! Maybe a power deck and power supply in separate K3-sized cabinets? Lou, W0FK
St. Louis, MO
"The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits." Albert Einstein |
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In reply to this post by Gary K9GS
Well, after a long study on the matter, I bought an Alpha 8410, and might
get another one. Some interesting counterpoint on the amp discussion. In 1958, the brand spanking new Collins 30S1 uses a single 4CX1000A tetrode, which was already "commercially popular". In 2012, a brand spanking new Alpha 8410 uses a PAIR of 4CX1000A tetrodes. Hmmm, how many other 1958 vintage transmitting tubes still in heavy use that you know of. Maybe a reason for that? In 2012, 4CX1000A's are still manufactured in large quantities for medical and manufacturing uses. There is a lot of manufacturing equipment using 4CX1000A's that may still be operating 50 years from now. These do basic fundamental tasks, such as "sputtering", that do not change. Some of that equipment may have been operating 50 years ago. These will NOT be replaced unless there is a cost-effective reason. The people who make 4CX1000A's will continue to use the same equipment to make them until the cows come home, or until the demand dries up. As long as the manufacturers who use the paid-for equipment that uses the tubes can get replacement tubes, they will have no incentive to replace the equipment. That's what is called a symbiotic relationship. In ham amplifiers, 4CX1000A's are operated to full output in class AB1 (no grid current), because they require negative bias on the control grid, and bias plus max positive-going signal voltage is still always negative. That means that very large swings, huge swings, in output Z can be tolerated without destroying grids. With my 8410 I can drive full power into an SWR up to 3:1. This allows me to cover 1.8 to 1.92 at full power without faulting on SWR. Since it faults on reflected power, not SWR per se, I can drop back power and operate 700 watts out at a 7:1 SWR at 1999 kHz. I don't need to retune every 25 kHz, just need to have two switched antenna settings across 160 and maybe 3, depending on the antenna, across 80/75. Are transistors really ready for 1500 watts brick-on-key with oodles of dissipation headroom. What is the price/point analysis of an absolute brick-on-key 1500 W transistor solution that will suck up 3:1 SWR without folding or faulting? So far that's still pretty expensive PLUS a brick-on-key 1500 W tuner to do what the 8410 does. Not tooting the 8410, it's expensive, but analyzing it helps to get comparisons out into clarity. By the time we are at a transistorized brick-on-key 1500 watts into nearly anything, we have crossed more than a few dotted lines that today still require paradigm shifts. 73, Guy. On Mon, Feb 20, 2012 at 10:12 PM, Gary K9GS <[hidden email]> wrote: > Same here...I recently bought a used Alpha but the advantages of a K3 > integrated legal-limit amp would interest me too. > > On 2/20/2012 4:23 PM, J&J Kulp wrote: > > I too want a KPA-1500, and it does NOT have to be solid state, nor does > it need to have a tuner, just interface and change bands like the KPA-500 > does.....That would get my checkbook out in a hurry....... > > > > jim, K3SW > > > > On Feb 20, 2012, at 12:36 PM, Peter Chamalian wrote: > > > >> Don't get me wrong. I love the KPA-500 for its nearly instant on and > >> instant band change. But in an event such as this past weekend ARRL CW > >> (ditto CQWW and other major contests), 500 watts may put you in the high > >> power category but it definitely does not put you in the same league as > the > >> guys running the legal limit. > >> > >> With the advances in solid state devices, I truly hope the folks at > Elecraft > >> have a KPA-1500 on the drawing board or at least a KPA-1000 with a tuner > >> (just like the Yaesu Quadra amp). > >> > >> I'm willing to bet you will sell a bunch of them, too! > >> > >> Pete, W1RM > Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html |
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On 2/20/2012 9:27 PM, Guy Olinger K2AV wrote:
> Are transistors really ready for 1500 watts brick-on-key with oodles of > dissipation headroom. What is the price/point analysis of an absolute > brick-on-key 1500 W transistor solution that will suck up 3:1 SWR without > folding or faulting? I have three Ten Tec Titan 425s for my SO2R station. One is a spare. If I can believe the various power meters around my shack (I have two Birds and several lesser ones), they put out 1500 watts without breathing hard, using a pair of 3CX800A7 tubes, which last decades if you don't do stupid things. Yes, THREE very good legal limit amps for less than the cost of ONE used Alpha! I bought all three used for an average price of about $1600. They have a manually tuned Pi-L network output stage that needs to be tuned when you change bands or antennas, but the network can match a fairly wide range of load impedances, AND when you write down the settings for your antennas and bands, you can return quite close to those settings when changing bands during a contest .I've learned to do that with one amp while making QSOs on the other band. They are very tolerant of abuse, like things happening in the connected antenna that cause the load to be vastly different from how they are tuned. I remember a CQ160 SSB contest several years ago when a lot of wind was causing my TX vertical to do the dipsy doodle all night, often letting it short out to the mounting plate for the radials. The red LED on the Titan would flash RED indicating excessive grid current, and I'd stop TX for a second or two, then keep on going. Three years later I'm still using those tubes, and they're no worse for the wear And any contester will tell you that it's easy to transmit into the wrong antenna, especially when you're tired halfway through a long contest, or keep track of QSOs flying by you on two radios, one in each ear. My ham neighbors will tell you that they are also pretty clean in terms of spectral purity. . So don't tell me about tubes are dead, or "old technology." Sure, it's possible to design for high reliability operation with solid state devices, but I bought these 30 year old legal limit rigs (25 years old at the time) for 20% less than the cost of a KPA500 in kit form. Do I love the KPA? You betcha. But it's unlikely that my Social Security check is gonna let me buy ONE KPA1500 (should it appear in my lifetime), let alone two. :) 73, Jim K9YC ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html |
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