FatBoy 4 pill HG2879C Amp Review

[loosecannon]

575nightrider,

your post is actually somewhat understandable, given the current nature of social media in general.

In most places, its just a bunch of anonymous accounts all posting their opinions and gripes, and in those places, you'd hardly be the only one with a comment like that.

As im sure you're already aware, forums are a bit different. This one has been around for so many years that many of us feel like we know each other personally, and reputations mean A LOT!
there are people on here that i've been conversing with for 18+ years!

I too wish Brad was more active on the forum, and im pretty sure he would give you an LOL and welcome you to the forum if he were.

no harm no foul, it is CB radio after all!
we don't mind a bit of irreverence!
LC

 

[Eldorado828]

575nightrider,

your post is actually somewhat understandable, given the current nature of social media in general.

In most places, its just a bunch of anonymous accounts all posting their opinions and gripes, and in those places, you'd hardly be the only one with a comment like that.

As im sure you're already aware, forums are a bit different. This one has been around for so many years that many of us feel like we know each other personally, and reputations mean A LOT!
there are people on here that i've been conversing with for 18+ years!

I too wish Brad was more active on the forum, and im pretty sure he would give you an LOL and welcome you to the forum if he were.

no harm no foul, it is CB radio after all!
we don't mind a bit of irreverence!
LC

I'm sorry, I hope he can forgive me, I should have just let it go. @NightThumper, pls forgive my ignorance. I am truly sorry and it never will not happen again.

I know Brad myself and call him a friend aside from wwdx. Maybe I misunderstood the post and knowing Brad isn't around to respond, I may have jumped the gun.
@575nightrider my apology and hope there's no hard feelings

 

[575nightrider]

Finally got around to testing out the new FatBoy 4 pill with HG2879C transistors. This is a straight AM only no SSB bias/delay. It did come with a “Remote” connection 1/4 phone jack. WOW! First off the fans all these builders use are CRAP! They don’t even use rubber bushings to stop the vibration. Just cinch the screws down and call it good. I’ve replaced the fans on nearly all my amplifiers except the AL-82 and even then add a 140mm external fan to assist with cooling.

Build quality is about what you’d expect out of these mass produced amplifiers. No doubt two pencil irons on the bench turned to max heat. One iron for the small stuff one big one for everything else. This is no RM Italy amplifier on the inside or Ameritron, Acom, Alpha, OM, Ten Tech or other. Lots of point to point soldering.

Generic Aluminum cases with metal screws to hold it together and slap your logo on it. Although I will give them credit for using what appears to be some kind of pressed rivet nut (someone can enlighten me as to what these are called) to hold the case together. Carl Built and Texas Star just use metal screws which strip out easily.

Performance wise I can’t complain for $530 shipped. A lot cheaper than an AL-82 or AL-80b but then again no filtering whatsoever and a nice glass 3-500z tube.

I was looking for an amp that could take high drive. For me 35 watts input to 150-ish. Didn’t care about SSB as in my opinion it’s a marginal add-on to appease the masses.

Okay so performance wise…using the IC-7300 with 117 watts PEP produced 942 watts PEP output. Using my Galaxy DX99V2 with 50 watts PEP AM produced 665 watts PEP output. The input SWR on the pictures looks great but honestly they are all over the place when modulating. A common mode filter from DXENGINEERING Maxi-Core@20 Baluns and Feedline Chokes DXE-MC20-FC placed on either the input of the FatBoy itself or at the LP-700 input coupler did settle things down although I don’t think the FatBoy liked it as the amp occasionally would not un-key completely leaving me without receiving. A low pass filter placed anywhere had no effect. The SWR meters on the radio’s all said no higher than 1.3 without the Common Mode Filter. Even my cheap MFJ meter read the same. One thing about these cheaper SWR meters is something I think is called “Diode Drop Out.” My terminology maybe incorrect, but it’s the point at which the diode detector can no long function and simply “drops out” resulting in a low SWR reading.

For what this Amplifier is I’m satisfied. I don’t think there’s much of a difference between FatBoy, Carl Built, Hopper or others. They all come in around the same price point so choose your poison.

Will I sell it??? PROBABLY and just spring for another AL-82 or AL-80B. Hey it’s fun trying new things but definitely not cost effective. In my opinion any money spent on 11 meter equipment is a loss. At least with Ham gear one can re-coup more of those losses when it comes time to sell and the market interest is greater.

That’s all folks enjoy the pictures.

Brad
KE0XS
South of Pittsburgh

Good reading! Thanks for sharing Sir!