RM Italy BLA 350 -- Overpriced????

[K6AER]

No FCC type acceptance. The market is too small for them to care.

[G3RZP]

Do the  FCC care, either? Or haven't they got around to jumping on the dealers?

Does anybody know if there is a CE mark?

[W1JKA]

  Do you really think that checking out RM Italy products are on top of the FCC to do list during the current sequester?? Probably about the same priority level as enforcing infractions on the amateur radio bands.

[VE3TMT]

Never seen a topic get more off topic in my life!

[W1JKA]

Re: VE3TMT

  Stay tuned,it only gets worse.Most topics are just like kids on Xmas morning,the initial excitement only last so long.

[KB3RPM]

I was looking at the RM Italy HLA-150, but it requires a 50amp power supply. By the time I bought the amplifier AND a power supply delivering 50+amps @ 13.8v of DC, I could've bought the BLA-350. I'm going to be pulling the trigger on one soon!

My current rig, is an ICOM IC-718, Ten Tec Regal 707 mic and an MFJ-969 tuner. The tuner's only rated at 300watts, so I don't want to blow it out and have to replace it. 300watts should get me over the hump as they say. I had an Ameritron AL-811, but never used it. Sold it and bought a tablet PC with the $$. Then had to move, as the previous landlord wanted to convert my unit to condos. Currently in a rancher and the antenna (end fed Ultimax-100) is only 26-28' in the air. I'm running it as a sloper now and the fed end is only about 7' off the ground. I can hear like nobody's bidness, but nobody can hear me. So I figure I need a little wattage to help get me over the enforced limitations on my antenna. 100watts was just dandy when my antenna was completely horizontal and about 29-32' in the clear!

Anyway, I should be able to give user reports to you fellers soon enough. . .

[W6UV]

Do the  FCC care, either?

Not really. You can buy an illegal CB amp at almost any truck stop in America. CB amplifier companies advertise openly on the web and the FCC seems to ignore them.

There are CB competitions in this country called "key downs" where competitors vie to see who can put out the strongest signal. Typical power levels are >10KW. These competitions are advertised well in advance, and often held in public parks, but I've never heard of the FCC busting one.

[N4RSS]

I was looking at the RM Italy HLA-150, but it requires a 50amp power supply. By the time I bought the amplifier AND a power supply delivering 50+amps @ 13.8v of DC, I could've bought the BLA-350. I'm going to be pulling the trigger on one soon!

My current rig, is an ICOM IC-718, Ten Tec Regal 707 mic and an MFJ-969 tuner. The tuner's only rated at 300watts, so I don't want to blow it out and have to replace it. 300watts should get me over the hump as they say. I had an Ameritron AL-811, but never used it. Sold it and bought a tablet PC with the $$. Then had to move, as the previous landlord wanted to convert my unit to condos. Currently in a rancher and the antenna (end fed Ultimax-100) is only 26-28' in the air. I'm running it as a sloper now and the fed end is only about 7' off the ground. I can hear like nobody's bidness, but nobody can hear me. So I figure I need a little wattage to help get me over the enforced limitations on my antenna. 100watts was just dandy when my antenna was completely horizontal and about 29-32' in the clear!

Anyway, I should be able to give user reports to you fellers soon enough. . .

You don't need a 50 amp power supply, 20 amps would certainly do it if you run the amp at 100 watts output, which is all it's good for.  See

http://www.w8ji.com/rm_hla-150_test.htm

[WD5GWY]

You don't need a 50 amp power supply, 20 amps would certainly do it if you run the amp at 100 watts output, which is all it's good for.  See

http://www.w8ji.com/rm_hla-150_test.htm

Reread W8JI's article, it is the HLA-150 he is reviewing, not the BLA-350. One is a mobile
amp and the other is for base use.
james
WD5GWY

[N4RSS]

You don't need a 50 amp power supply, 20 amps would certainly do it if you run the amp at 100 watts output, which is all it's good for.  See

http://www.w8ji.com/rm_hla-150_test.htm

Reread W8JI's article, it is the HLA-150 he is reviewing, not the BLA-350. One is a mobile
amp and the other is for base use.



james
WD5GWY

KB3RPM is talking about needing a 50 amp supply for an HLA-150, which he doesn't ...,

[G3RZP]

If there's no CE mark, sale in the EU is illegal. Trouble is, enforcement in the EU is about at the same level as in the US - except in Germany.

[ZENKI]

And as a result innocent hams have to put up with the IMD and trash from this CB junk.  It also seems that seeming intelligent hams have started the promotion of CB brand amps for use on the ham bands.

We need mandated IMD standards for all ham HF amps and transceivers. Just as their are standards for harmonic levels we need standards for IMD.

The ham bands are awash with idiots using these  CB amps  using industrial FETS not meant for  linear SSB use. Just because this amp uses 50 volt devices and has low pass filters still does not make
using it acceptable. The IMD performance stinks because they using industrial ISM fets not linear amplifier FETS. I wonder when all these genius hams are going  to start promoting using class C bias amps on the ham bands for better efficiency and dollar per watt ratio on SSB. I see the argument heading in this direction. Not one poster has even mentioned the subject of IMD, and this is from supposedly smart hams.

Now we have to tolerate hams splattering because they have no skills to build a decent amplifier now we have to condone their idiotic use of CB amplifiers because they cant afford to buy a decent ham amplifier.
Another win  for low technical standards accommodating non technical people in a technical hobby. Hams defending and promoting CB garbage WOW.

Eham should really ban any discussion or promotion  on  any amplifier thats  not  FCC type accepted, that would be an acceptable standard. Since this is a education forum condoning  commercial products that are illegal
is not really ethical especially when promoting these devices will do more harm than good to the ham service. RM Italy and its friends seem to be very active lately promoting their products on discussion forums, is this their
back door brain washing and marketing program to capture the  CB'er in new hams before its lost?

If there's no CE mark, sale in the EU is illegal. Trouble is, enforcement in the EU is about at the same level as in the US - except in Germany.

[G3RZP]

If you go to

http://g4ujs.shacknet.nu/spe_2k-fa.pdf

there's data suggesting that at least one of the amps meets FCC, and by implications and the fact that the company claims ISO 9000 certification, meets EU requirements

73

Peter G3RZP