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What makes difference in some amps?

Heavy Metal

Heavy Metal

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Aug 23, 2014
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What makes difference in some amps?

I have been reading watching you tubes, and the Ameritron amps AL-82, AL-1200, AL-1500, the 3 amps have same transformer, but 2 of the amps share ceramic tubes that's are very very expensive but last, the other AL-82 has a pair of 3-500z's glass tubes yet see all 3 perfom toto 2k to 2.5k+, explain why one would be better than the other in short and long time running. To me the AL-82 seems best with tubes running @300 give or take a pair vs 900 to 1900 a pop.

Are ceramic tubes that much better for the expense of them?
 

I believe the ceramic tubes have an advantage over glass tubes for long life and keeping full output. Yes, a well taken care of glass tube can last 20-30 years, I know. But you'll hear of "pulls" from commercial grade ceramics that are still good and at full output after 20 years of hard duty-cycle use.

I'd say *most* ham ops go the cheaper route with glass tube amps, and follow proper tune up procedures to keep them alive for many years. Just look at how many SB-220's and 200's are still out there, working just fine.

I'll bet Captain Kilowatt can give you some real world examples of the ceramics.

73,
Brett
 
I am curious I seen all these videos ect about all 3 amps able to do no problem 2k and up to 2.5k output and still not at max plate or grid.

Oh and yes I just saw Agee videos on the SB 220 wow impressive wonder if it could be modded out to do 160m as well, saw it do 2K no prob and 2.5K too again WOW.
 
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Heavy Metal said:
I am curious I seen all these videos ect about all 3 amps able to do no problem 2k and up to 2.5k output and still not at max plate or grid.

Oh and yes I just saw Agee videos on the SB 220 wow impressive wonder if it could be modded out to do 160m as well, saw it do 2K no prob and 2.5K too again WOW.
Click to expand...

No self respecting operator will make an SB220 do 2Kw much less 2.5Kw. The power supply will not allow it unless all you want to do is make a video and show the numbers on a meter. Even with an adequate power supply running a plate voltage of close to 4000 volts a pair of 3-500Zs will be had pressed to make 2.5 Kw peak power. If you want to drive the piss out of it and load the shit out of it then it will show the numbers but then again spectral purity goes out the window along with tube life. Think of it as running in first gear with your foot to the floor all the time.
 
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Heavy Metal said:
What makes difference in some amps?

I have been reading watching you tubes, and the Ameritron amps AL-82, AL-1200, AL-1500, the 3 amps have same transformer, but 2 of the amps share ceramic tubes that's are very very expensive but last, the other AL-82 has a pair of 3-500z's glass tubes yet see all 3 perfom toto 2k to 2.5k+, explain why one would be better than the other in short and long time running. To me the AL-82 seems best with tubes running @300 give or take a pair vs 900 to 1900 a pop.

Are ceramic tubes that much better for the expense of them?
Click to expand...

There is more than just power output to consider. Ceramic tubes can certainly pack more power for their size than glass tubes. They also can operate over a much broader frequency range because tube elements are generally much smaller which means better performance on the VHF and UHF bands. The same tube can be used on HF or 2m or even 440 MHz. IMD performance is better with ceramic tubes as well.

2RT307 said:
I believe the ceramic tubes have an advantage over glass tubes for long life and keeping full output. Yes, a well taken care of glass tube can last 20-30 years, I know. But you'll hear of "pulls" from commercial grade ceramics that are still good and at full output after 20 years of hard duty-cycle use.

I'd say *most* ham ops go the cheaper route with glass tube amps, and follow proper tune up procedures to keep them alive for many years. Just look at how many SB-220's and 200's are still out there, working just fine.

I'll bet Captain Kilowatt can give you some real world examples of the ceramics.

73,
Brett
Click to expand...

I don't know of any pulls that have spent 20 yeas in hard duty cycle use in a commercial applications that are still usable much less have full output. Light duty yes but not heavy use. We used to run a 4CX5000A at 5000 watts output class C FM service, 4500 volts on the plate and a plate current of about 2.0 amps, maybe a little less when new. After a year of 24/7/365 it would make about 4500 watts and after another year it would be down to 4000 watts and would be replaced. Another transmitter ran a 3CX3000A7 at 2300 watts out and would last a few years before dropping to about 1800 watts. ow both those tubes had a LOT of hours on them so if you were to extend that out to occasional use then you could probably buy one new tube when you are a young man and still have it when you retire as long as you do not abuse it.

My next radio project is an HF amp using a pulled broadcast 3CX3000A7 of which I have several on hand. The grid will handle 225 watts and is one of the most rugged grids in a tube of that class.It will be impossible for my 100 watt HF transceiver to harm the grid by over driving it. Usually the tube number is an indicator of what the plate dissipation is however the 3CX3000A7 is capable of dissipating 4000 watts not 3000 as the tube number would imply. could have used 3-500Z's but hew ceramic tube makes a neater package and better performance.

https://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=...3gGpgq-jkM1GmGQ&bvm=bv.99804247,d.cWw&cad=rja
 
So SB 220 and to-922a al-82 run 3-500z tubes but bulkie vs ceramic smaller neater package advantage of it over glass tubes is?
 
I think it is. Medium power up to 1000 watts is easy to achieve with solidstate devices and the market is driven by commercial users. Commercial transmitters up to 50Kw and more are solidstate but there is still a fairly high demand for tubes in the several Kw class. Since the ceramic tubes can be used up to UHF it makes sense to limit the number of tubes made but make tubes that can be used in multiple applications from LF to UHF.
 
They have a conversation for AL-82, AL-1200, AL-1500 and SB-220 to do 6m, go into that Capt K. By what I seen 160-10m is completely gone it's just a 6m 2kw plus amp.

Any insight on these so called King conversions?
 
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Somebody here on the forum has an SB220 on 6m but I forget who. The King mods are OK if you have an old Heath amp and want some power on 6m cheaply but there are better alternatives IMHO. Not necessarily cheaper. Just better.
 
I think they ALL 1306 is pretty neat though not a fan of solid state since bleed like a mother, and not yet up their in power to a tub amp. Now I'll get a lot of flack on this but what the heck, it is not a bad sliding amp 160-6m 1200 watts and does 1.5Mhz to 54mhz continuos and no tune does sound awesome but I like to turn knobs and dials lol.
 
Heavy Metal said:
How so? Explain.
Click to expand...

LDMOS modules. Power to 1 Kw+ per device and nearly indestructible as far as high SWR is concerned.

Heavy Metal said:
I think they ALL 1306 is pretty neat though not a fan of solid state since bleed like a mother, and not yet up their in power to a tub amp. Now I'll get a lot of flack on this but what the heck, it is not a bad sliding amp 160-6m 1200 watts and does 1.5Mhz to 54mhz continuos and no tune does sound awesome but I like to turn knobs and dials lol.
Click to expand...

You really need to learn more and troll less. Solidstate amps do not "bleed" more than tubes if they are run properly and a tube amp run improperly will bleed like hell. Commercial amps have been solidstate for decades and are clean clean and CLEAN.

As for power, a single LDMOS module can make 1.2 Kw and runs on 50 volts. A pair of them will run circles around a pair of 3-500Z's all day long.
 
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