I've had mine for a quite a while (its serial number is in two digits), and it puts out 500-650 watts off 120v with no problems, virtually no noise, and instant on and instant band change.  Although I have a K3, I don't have them hooked together for the amp to follow band changes, as there is just no need -- the amp changes bands with the first dot on CW or first sound on phone.  The protection seems foolproof, as I have overdriven it on occasion.  For mild overdrive it automatically switches in an attenuator, and for major overdrive, it just faults and goes into Standby.  I don't use ALC with it.
I also have an 87A, which I occasionally use when the extra wattage seems needed, but for normal operation and light contesting, the KPA 500 is just great. I highly recommend it.
 73, Andy ae6y

I mildly disagree.  Your original email never said you would buy the item if it was still available -- you just asked if if was still available.  I think the seller reasonably didn't think that either side had committed to a transaction.  If you had said you had changed your mind, instead of sending your address, I don't think he would have had any cause to be upset with you for backing out of a deal-in-progress.
  73, andy ae6y

Send me an email, and I'll give you an email address for Siggi, TF3CW, who is a great guy and quite active.  I suspect he'll be willing to sked with you.
 73, andy,
  ae6y at aol.com

I've assembled a number of F-12 antennas and the rivets work great.  If you need to disassemble it, they are easy to drill out without harming the tubing, and it can be reassembled easily with new rivets. I suggest just going with the recommended approach with the rivets.
  Good luck, Andy, AE6Y, P49Y

I really think this is a question of personal preference.  I've never really gotten used to iambic keying, and end up using my iambic paddles as dual lever paddles that I don't squeeze at the same time.  Unfortunately, late in a contest when tired, this can cause really bad cw due to sloppy coordination.  I found that with a single lever Begali mono simplex, my code sending is just more accurate, even when tired.  (plus it's a gorgeous work of art, but then so is my Profi iambic paddle).  But YMMV.
 73, andy, ae6y, p49y

A good contest to start with is also WPX Phone, which is coming up at the end of March.  It's a great contest because everyone can work everyone else, and your KC8 prefix is a multiplier that is just as valuable as 3V8 or any other one, so you can try calling CQ yourself and will get some replies.  
  GL and welcome to the contesting fraternity.
  73, Andy, AE6Y (and P49Y in WPX SSB in two weeks)

Chris,  My recollection is that the 990 doesn't have a "monitor", at least not for SSB, though it does have a CW sidetone.  So this behavior on RTTY may be normal.
  73, andy, ae6y

One remaining question to Bill or Dave:  I've got Winkey USB working quite well now, and really wrung it out it CQP last weekend.  
  The only feature I haven't implemented is callsign correction on the fly.  That is, in my program normally, I can enter a partial callsign, say K3, then press Insert and the program will start sending.  Then I can enter the rest of the call, e.g., AN, and the program will add it to the K3 seamlessly.
  I haven't tried this in Winkey yet.  I was going to try using the echoed back characters, but am not sure if there will be latency problems.  K1EL thinks that might be an issue, and says that N1MM has implemented a system using the Pointer command.  That seems as though it might be fine, but the Winkey documentation isn't adequate.  Steve says he'll look for more documentation.  
  Anyone else have any ideas??
  73, andy, ae6y

Hi Dave,
  Thanks for the offer.  I would have contacted you directly, but I didn't recall if Win Warbler is written in C or VB.  If it's VB and you have a handy Winkey module or some code you code lend me, that would be terrific.  If it's in C, then I think I'll just ask questions if I get stuck, hi.
  I know that you are a much more sophisticated programmer than I am, but if you do have VB source code for Winkey that would be great.  I do remember your assistance when I was adding rig control to CQPWIN, and that was very helpful.
  Bill, K3AN, kindly shared some VB code, and I'll find that helpful also.  I haven't started coding yet -- in fact, I haven't even received the winkeyer from K1EL yet, hi.
  73, Andy, AE6Y
  andrew.faber at gte.net

I can't help, but can echo your question.  I just ordered a Winkey - USB box and would like to add support to my contest logging program, CQPWIN, which is written in VB6.  Does anyone out there have some VB source code for Winkey control that they could share?  It would certainly help me get started.
  Thanks and 73, Andy, AE6Y, P49Y

Neil,
  Just send at 20 wpm, if that is a comfortable speed.  The DX op in a pileup tries to latch onto one callsign to respond to.  The critical thing to the DX op is that he can hear you, so you have to be loud enough and/or on a clear enough frequency, but the exact speed isn't that important.  But just send your call once at a time, and listen after each time you send it, because when on the DX end it is frustrating to latch onto a call and be ready to reply and then have to wait while the call is sent again at (relatively) slow speed.
 73 and GL,
  Andy, AE6Y, P49Y

Bill,
  I agree with Dave.  I use my own software, CQPWIN, and find that the USB-to-serial adaptors function essentially the same as native ports.  For example, I will be running my WPX CW operation at P49Y entirely off one USB port next weekend (with four "virtual" serial ports: one for rig control of two Icoms, one for CW keying, one for PTT, and one for Radio 1/Radio 2 switching).  I have several such adaptors, and they all seem to work.  
  BTW: can you give me some more info on your timing DLL?  I also use vb6 code, and generate cw just using a klugy timing mechanism based on performing a certain number of computer operations to time the dots and dashes.  This system worked perfectly in the old DOS regime, and also actually works very well under Windows, but I'd be very interested in modifying it for more precise timing.  Every so often there is a little Windows stutter in the sent CW that it would be nice to eliminate.
  Thanks and 73,
 Andy, AE6Y

You might consider talking to an ARRL Volunteer Counsel on this one.  The restriction you describe doesn't sound like a reasonable accomodation to the needs of amateurs, and thus may violate PRB-1.
  GL, Andy, AE6Y

I sympathize.  40 CW is a delight in contests, but 40 phone is a zoo.  I was on from P49Y in Aruba for CQWW SSB, and the one band that was the hardest to operate on was 40.  It was crammed full of loud, distorted EU signals from 7010 up to 7100 or so.
 Anyway, from the West Coast, 40 phone is very difficult unless you have a large antenna system.  You will get very few answers to CQs, though you may be able to work JAs and other Asians in the morning around dawn.  In the evening, forget about CQing.  Just listen in the CW band, and you'll hear lots of dx operating split and announcing a listening frequency in the American phone band.  Jump on those frequencies, call and GL.  Bear in mind that from the DX end, there is often unbelievable QRM on the listening frequencies, so if they can't hear you it's not necessarily their fault (or an indication they are running excessive power).
  73, Andy, AE6Y

Another approach you might consider would be a multiple-wire dipole fed with coax and no twin-lead.  You can use separate wires all attached to a common center connector.  The wires don't need to be separated by much, with two wires cut to length for each band. You can have short spacers to keep the wires apart, or just tie them off separately to the end supports.
  GL with it,
  73, Andy, AE6Y