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1-6 of 6 messages
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SB-200 vs. Ameritron
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by KI4DTB on December 5, 2004
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Am looking at low cost amps including SB-200, and AL-811 & 811H. Heath is marginally cheaper, easy to work on, and nostalgic. AL's are modern, parts easily available, and 811H slightly more powerful? I would like to hear from anyone with experience with these as to which might be better. I intend to work 80-15 ssb, and probably not over 500W on permissible bands. Thanks and 73. Doug KI4DTB
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RE: SB-200 vs. Ameritron
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by W7DJM on December 5, 2004
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Sounds to me like you answered your own question.
Heathkits are getting older. They do not have 160.
I have an AL-80B and just love it.
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RE: SB-200 vs. Ameritron
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by N2NFG on December 5, 2004
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Hi Doug, I have had both the SB 200 and the Ameritron 811 on the table here. Both nice amps with similar output. Here's a plus and minus breakdown. Plus for the SB 200...Available dirt cheap, $250.00 or so with good tubes. Don't pay more. I just sold mine with a BURGHARDT keying interface for $225.00. I know where I can get another one for $200.00. People who want to get $300.00 and up for these are just plain nuts, unless it has ALL of the Harbach mods recently done, then, and only then, it may be worth $350.00. Minus side....you need some kind of interface to key it. If you just plug it into your radio, the repair bill for the radio will probably be more than you paid for the amp. There are a lot of ways you can go here. The soft keying mod is one way, the Burghardt keying interface and other manufactured devices are another. There are several ways to make your own very inexpensively. I've used 12V reed relays by picking voltage off the radio at PTT or key down; simple transistor switching can be made for under 5 bucks. The bandswitch was not the most robust to start with. Make sure the one you're looking at works properly, while you're at it, make sure the fan is working right also. The 572B tubes are fairly reasonable but you can get four 811s for the price of one 572B. No 160 meters. Are you SURE you can live with that? All in all, for the price you can get these amps for, they do the trick nicely. On the plus side for the Ameritron. 600 or 800 watts out from very inexpensive tubes. Will key your solid state rig directly. 160 meters is covered. Build quality fairly good. Good resale value. For what it is, there really is no down side to the 811 or 811H.
Other amps you may want to consider that will work on 110V....Ameritron AL-80, or the Heath version of it. (I can't remember the model number) The single 3-500 will give you a solid 750-800 watts out. If someone tells you that they've been getting a KW out, be prepared to buy a new tube. The Yeasu FL2100B or 2100Z are nice 572B amps, a bit better in quality than the SB 200. Each tube has its own cooling fan, this is nice, but they both have to work! Same cheap bandswitch deal as with the SB 200. Amp Supply made a nice single 3-500 unit. There are other makes out there that use the 3-500, 572, or 811 tube, Dentron, Gonset, Tucker, etc., all can be considered. Stay away from anything that uses sweep tubes, and avoid any older amps that did not have a tuned input. (The early Dentron Clipperton with 572s did not have a tuned input, later models did.)
Good luck! 73, Bob
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RE: SB-200 vs. Ameritron
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by KI4DTB on December 5, 2004
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Thank you,both Decar and Robert. Decar, I suspect you're right that newer is better. Still, there"s something about the old heaths that tugs at your heart. Robert it was great to hear from someone who has used both. What a great detailed response. The input on current values was particularly helpful. I'll take a look at the AL-80B. Thanks again to both of you. Doug
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RE: SB-200 vs. Ameritron
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by W6TH on December 7, 2004
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Been using my SB 200 for many many years and just love it and the 500 watts cw and 750 watts ssb.. Now the new news: I am looking at the 811H and in the future will have it, that is when my SB 200 blows.
I could use the 160 meter band which I do not have.
Then again if you can get a good SB 200 for 200 or 300 dollars, hey thats a good deal also.
Then again, there is nothing like having a brand new up to date radio, so go for it.
.:
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RE: SB-200 vs. Ameritron
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by N0TONE on December 15, 2004
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I'm too much of a cheapskate to have a youthful amp like the AL-811.
I bought an SB-200 for $175 in non-functional condition. Two new 572Bs for $70, did a lot of contact cleaning on the bandswitch and meter switch, and added a transistor to allow my solid state HF rig to key it, and it's been going for eight years.
I was so impressed at the simplicity of the amp and how well it worked, that I got another "basket case", replaced the tubes, gutted all the tuning networks, and installed single-band input and output networks for 160 meters.
Total cost less than an AL-811H even though I started with two amplifiers.
Nothing wrong with the AL-811H, although I have found more reliable sources for the 572B than the 811A.
AM
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