One of my close friends acquired this amplifier recently, and does not run a mobile station. I have given it a complete bench test. It runs balanced and has an original set of Toshiba 2SC2879 transistors. Not red dots or cheap Chinese counterfeits. Because it is very clean and the cost of original Toshibas are ridiculous today, the price is firm at $1,000. That's $600 less, than the price of the transistors alone, as advertised by the last sales at RF Parts. If anyone is interested, you can message me and I will put you in touch with the seller. Pictures are available upon request.
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Clean Texas Star Sweet 16 for sale.
- Thread starter Shockwave
- Start date
It is one of the better amplifiers "designed for 11". It has bias, so it sounds clean on SSB. By the time they got to 8 transistors, TS could no longer get away with switching the bias, through an existing RF contact on the relay. They cured their biggest problem with RF feedback into the bias, with a dedicated contact and added a much larger RF relay.
The part that impressed me the most is, it appears to be almost 30 years old and never even needed a single transistor replaced! The solder work looks all factory and no different around the transistors. Low miles and not overdriven.
If you want around a kilowatt PEP, from 13.8 volts, this is a good, time proven option, rapidly disappearing today. I would note, that these types of biased amplifiers will not tolerate more than 13.8 volts and drive power should never exceed about 80 watts PEP. If you want to see another 30 years out of these transistors.
The part that impressed me the most is, it appears to be almost 30 years old and never even needed a single transistor replaced! The solder work looks all factory and no different around the transistors. Low miles and not overdriven.
If you want around a kilowatt PEP, from 13.8 volts, this is a good, time proven option, rapidly disappearing today. I would note, that these types of biased amplifiers will not tolerate more than 13.8 volts and drive power should never exceed about 80 watts PEP. If you want to see another 30 years out of these transistors.
I haven't heard a response since Monday and the owner has asked about it. So, this item is still for sale and I've now posted detailed photos showing 1,100 watts PEP output. The exciter power is 80 watts PEP and there is voltage drop in the 10 foot battery jumper cables, powering it from an 8D truck battery. An effort has been made to show all matching, original 2SC2879's, with "0I" date codes. Payment by PayPal and shipping by FedEx with tracking.
Attachments
Shockwave, I have to hand it to ya, you do know how to pack 'em.
Would've taken a bulldozer to damage the Sweet Sixteen.
Thanks.
This Sweet Sixteen is in pristine factory condition. Very clean.
It has not had a soldering iron inside of it since it was born.
Definitely an old one. All 8 original Toshiba transistors. All original capacitors.
I have a method to "fix" the holes drilled in the cover. I've done it numerous times on other Texas Star amplifiers and when I am finished, it's very hard to tell the holes were ever there, unless you look on the inside of the cover.
Again, thanks.
Ranch
Would've taken a bulldozer to damage the Sweet Sixteen.
Thanks.
This Sweet Sixteen is in pristine factory condition. Very clean.
It has not had a soldering iron inside of it since it was born.
Definitely an old one. All 8 original Toshiba transistors. All original capacitors.
I have a method to "fix" the holes drilled in the cover. I've done it numerous times on other Texas Star amplifiers and when I am finished, it's very hard to tell the holes were ever there, unless you look on the inside of the cover.
Again, thanks.
Ranch
My pleasure Ranch. Glad to see it go to someone who appreciates its 1990, all original factory work. Please let me know once you've had a chance to test it. I want to insure it arrived in good operating condition, as well as physical condition.
Very clean, original Texas Star Sweet Sixteen.......
All original Toshiba 2SC2879 transistors.
I received the amplifier and set it aside for a couple of days.
Before I ever connected it to power, I disassembled the amplifier by removing all the boards, power wires, and chassis from the heat sink.
Cleaned everything, chased all 4-40 threaded holes with a tap, chamfered all tapped holes to remove any raised edge.
Reassembled all boards onto chassis & heat sink. Rewired power wires to each board with larger, upgraded marine grade, fine strand wire. Rewired ground leads with larger, marine grade cable also.
Direct fed each output transformer with teflon insulated wire wrapped around a toroid to prevent RF feedback.
Moved the cooling fan circuit thermal switch off the PC board and mounted directly on the chassis/heat sink. Comes on much sooner at lower temperature.
Installed larger Andersen Power connector rated for 175A.
Checked all bias resistance, and bias voltages.
Installed complete cooling fan kit, 4 fans.
Added a switch on front of amplifier for switching cooling fans from thermal switch activation, or constant on activation.
Amplifier operates very well.
14.5 volts regulated 250A power supply
SSB operation - 40 ~ 45 watts input produces 1000 - 1100 watts PEP output.
The maximum I have operated the amplifier at is with 65 watts PEP input, produced 1250 - 1300 watts PEP output.
That is enough. I do not have a need or desire to max it out to "see" how much it will do. Don't care.
Shockwave, all is very good.
I'll try to post a few "after" photos, since you have already posted some "before" photos.
All original Toshiba 2SC2879 transistors.
I received the amplifier and set it aside for a couple of days.
Before I ever connected it to power, I disassembled the amplifier by removing all the boards, power wires, and chassis from the heat sink.
Cleaned everything, chased all 4-40 threaded holes with a tap, chamfered all tapped holes to remove any raised edge.
Reassembled all boards onto chassis & heat sink. Rewired power wires to each board with larger, upgraded marine grade, fine strand wire. Rewired ground leads with larger, marine grade cable also.
Direct fed each output transformer with teflon insulated wire wrapped around a toroid to prevent RF feedback.
Moved the cooling fan circuit thermal switch off the PC board and mounted directly on the chassis/heat sink. Comes on much sooner at lower temperature.
Installed larger Andersen Power connector rated for 175A.
Checked all bias resistance, and bias voltages.
Installed complete cooling fan kit, 4 fans.
Added a switch on front of amplifier for switching cooling fans from thermal switch activation, or constant on activation.
Amplifier operates very well.
14.5 volts regulated 250A power supply
SSB operation - 40 ~ 45 watts input produces 1000 - 1100 watts PEP output.
The maximum I have operated the amplifier at is with 65 watts PEP input, produced 1250 - 1300 watts PEP output.
That is enough. I do not have a need or desire to max it out to "see" how much it will do. Don't care.
Shockwave, all is very good.
I'll try to post a few "after" photos, since you have already posted some "before" photos.
