help id this "phantom"amp

[Shockwave]

In 1988 I acquired a D&A 12 tuber. It was black and looked more modern than the old gray or tan ones. It had 12 original D&A tubes with the black caps and double strapped plates. It's been a while but I'm almost certain it did have and external power transformer. I do remember when I offered it for sale, it sold fast and for good money.

I have heard several complaints about the performance of the 12 tuber not living up to the 10 tuber. Mine worked great and I suspect it had to do with the fact it had the best tubes available in it. No other 6LQ6 worked quite as well as the ones it came with.

 

[johnny9]

maybe i will get lucky and its a 2 peice.wont no till fri.
i did just find a few dealers in fl that have millions if nos tubes in stock they said..new nos 6lq6 are 45 bucks and guaranteed ..not real bad compared to fleabay and no warranty.
trying to find a good old tram cb repair guy/company in central fl,,so i can drive my radios there..shipping is over 100 bucks to ship it north..

 

[ExitThirteen]

My Phantom 12 tuber I had years ago had a built-in power supply. Mine was also the triple stage with the 3 transformers. It was a great old amp, then 2 of the 3 transformers burned out when the antenna took a lightning hit and I forgot to remove my coax. Had to use a fire extinguisher to put out the fire, as the amp was actually turned on when it got hit.


I'd be happy with a 10 or a 12 tuber, doesn't matter to me, but I just can't justify paying 300-400 bucks for one, plus another 50-80 shipping. Ouch. LOL



~Cheers~

 

[johnny9]

as of today i learned shipping a 25 lb radio from fl to indiana was over 100 bucks,,so depending how it worked out,the phantoms are over 50 lbs and could really get pricey to ship,,ouch!
i guess the ebay sellers that i see shipping some things for 50-60 bucks isnt so bad after all

 

[Shockwave]

My Phantom 12 tuber I had years ago had a built-in power supply. Mine was also the triple stage with the 3 transformers. It was a great old amp, then 2 of the 3 transformers burned out when the antenna took a lightning hit and I forgot to remove my coax. Had to use a fire extinguisher to put out the fire, as the amp was actually turned on when it got hit.


I'd be happy with a 10 or a 12 tuber, doesn't matter to me, but I just can't justify paying 300-400 bucks for one, plus another 50-80 shipping. Ouch. LOL



~Cheers~

Just curious if your 12 tuber was in a black case? If it was than I'm most likely mistaken and mine also had internal power transformers.

 

[ExitThirteen]

No sir Shockwave, the 12 tube model I had was in a grey case, just like the one that Johnny9 has pictured. D&A did have a Warrior model, which is a 14 tube that had an external power supply. Is it possible you had a Warrior? Those are quite rare.

It may be of interest to note that I've seen probably 4 or 5 different 12 tube models. Some had the bandswitch, some were triple power, some were dual power, some had the keying tube, some were solid state keying, etc. I've seen many variants of the Phantoms out there, both in 9/10 tube models and the 12 tube models too. I think They would just make revisions of the amp based on whatever they had parts for at the time.


~Cheers~

 

[Shockwave]

Thank you ExitThirteen! When I read your post with the name Warrior, I was able to find an exact picture of the amp I had a few months back in 1988. The name Warrior was not on the front of mine so I wasn't sure until I saw this D&A Mfg. Warrior II

I remembered it only had 12 of the 6LQ6 tubes but had another group of 4 smaller drivers. It was 16 sweep tubes and one 6AQ5 for the relay. It also managed to burn up every antenna it was ever connected too back then except the Sigma IV, Pentrator, or a good beam. That's exactly how I ended up with it when the guy who sold it to me cheap blew up his RS .64 wave antenna.

Once word got out how good it did work, didn't take long before someone made an offer I couldn't refuse. Enough to buy two Holly carbs, tunnel ram and Fly Catcher air scoop for a 427 I was rebuilding. Already had an 8877 amp so the sweep tubes were not hard to part with. I just never knew how rare that Warrior II was and have never seen another.

 

[2RT307]

That Phantom has 15-20-40 on it, but you can click that bandswitch one more to the right, and it has the 10 (11) meter band in it too.


Judging by the case size and layout, I suspect that's a 12 tuber, with the small 6AQ5 keying tube. If the tubes are in good shape and it hasn't been beaten on, that's a nice score. You need to find one of those old birds for me! LOL


~Cheers~

Funny that Johnny9 is looking at this amp, because my old friend Dale aka Night Prowler used to run one of these with a Tram D201A and Wilson Shooting Star "back in the day". It was a screamer, and I remember it doing about 1KW. It also pissed his ham neighbor off. A lot.

73,
RT307

 

[johnny9]

at the moment im running a 13-898b midland,and just made some good contacts with some nice fellas a few min ago..well they made me feel good saying i was putting it to there meter 20 miles away lol..im learning.
first time on lsb and realized how much more easyer it is..my vfo is off like 10 channels lol..cn 19 is 37 gotta figure how to adjust it on freq someday.

that link you post of the warrior is a sweet looking set up..bet thats one you wish you still had..it just looks cool as he!!

edit; i will be running the bird or the phantom on a tram d201 23 ch thats got some swing myself...i have a 201a 40 ch but i seem to like the 23 ch better as it still gets all the channels with the vfo..if im thinking right..any advantages about the d201a better?fill me in.

 

[ExitThirteen]

Shockwave, they also had a Warrior that came in a grey case as well, with the external power supply, in a 14 tube model, and a 16 tube model. These grey case ones predate the Warrior II, which is the black case model that you had. Seriously... 16 6LQ6's?? That's insanity.

Here's a pic of a 16 tube grey case Warrior. This one is a later model with the smaller driver tubes, but there are ones out there that have all 16 tubes as 6LQ6.

~Cheers~

 

[johnny9]

this has me wondering again,as the pics i find on line seem to mostly have 4 switches to the left of the light and 1 switch to the right..
the pic you just posted is like the first pic on page 1 i posted
3 switches to the left of the power light..im callin the guy tomorrow to ask if it has a seperate power supply..

HAPPY NEW YRS<More audio>

 

[ExitThirteen]

Johnny9, if the pic you posted of the amp is the actual amp you'd be getting, it has the power supply built-in, it will not be a separate unit.


~Cheers~

 

[johnny9]

yep i see the switch to the right is missing in the one above..meaning the power supply powers it up prob

 

[Staybolt]

I had a warrior 2 once and it never really worked right..

 

[Shockwave]

I had a warrior 2 once and it never really worked right..

I think it depended on what type of tubes the particular amp had inside. When you're pre driver, driver and final stage are all within 2 inches of each other and their isn't a drop of shielding between them, stray coupling between stages can be problematic. Many can be improved by just soldering a piece of copper flashing standing upright on the chassis between the finals and driver stages.