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| Reviews Summary for Alpha 9500 |
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Reviews: 12
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Average rating: 4.4/5
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MSRP: $8950. USD
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Description: Fully-automatic 160-10M amplifier, successor to the 87A. Uses a single 8877 tube in grounded-grid configuration. Integrated antenna switching, full QSK with vacuum relay.
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More info: http://www.alpharadioproducts.com
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W8JN
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Rating: 5/5
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Jan 27, 2009 03:35
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spectacular performance
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Time owned: 6 to 12 months
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i purshased my 9500 during may of 2008. initially the reflector was busy about the 9500 with lots of questions. it has gone silent for 3 months. i thought it was taken down. a test email showed that it was working perfectly. the reason it went silent is that everyones 9500 is working flawlesly. can you believe that? a product without issues? brad, molly and company have built a boeing 747 to carry two passengers! wow this masterpiece works effortlessly and flawlessly. no corners cut, no cheap wrappers, no cheap connectors. just built like a tank. molly and brad, thanks for an amazing product. worth $9500? i bought one and would do it again in an instant.
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N1JMS
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Rating: 5/5
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Nov 3, 2008 14:27
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Update
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Time owned: 6 to 12 months
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Had a problem on 160, Alpha knew what it was, sent me the parts & repair was a cinch. This is a ROCK SOLID unit, expensive...but worth it. jim
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K7ZP
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Rating: 5/5
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Sep 29, 2008 15:17
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OUTSTANDING DESIGN AND EXECUTION
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I received my Alpha 9500 in early July and it has been functional, without issues since. As a professional RF Systems Engineer, I am very aware of the corners cut and questionable design practices put into production by many manufactures. The form, fit, function and implementation of the Alpha 9500 is outstanding. Thorough inspection reveals how much thought went into this design. I'm sure there were some firmware issues in the very early pre- production units however the current production example, Ser 81, Firmware V 1.33 is just about perfect. The autotune function, coupled with multiple processors does it's job with ease and does not need to be manually touched up with Tune and Load controls. Much of the design requirements appear to be similar to the Alpha 87A however the implementation is flawless.
I wanted to wait a couple of months before doing this evaluation. One of my problems reading user evaluations is with a person doing the evaluation that does not have the technical ability or the person who spent a great deal of money for the product (did I mention the Alpha 9500 is value received for the money spent) and then gives the product an evaluation based on cost rather than being objective.
I installed the fan mod that the Alpha folks developed. It lowers the rear supply fan speed until the RF deck temp rises to 33C, once cooled back below the fan returns to the slower speed....it works great.
Tuning is very easy and always spot on when returning to a pre-tuned frequency. It was mentioned in a previous review that the TX relay was loud. To my ear, and review of past owned amplifiers, it can be heard but is not loud or bothersome.... this design consideration makes for very reliable RF switching without the VSWR and power considerations of using silent PIN devices.
In conclusion, this is the best of the three Alpha amplifiers I have owned.... the Alpha 99 being second. It is a pleasure to call the Alpha folks with a question or request and realize customer support and satisfaction is alive and well at Alpha. Thanx again Alpha crew.
Frank, K7ZP
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AB4D
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Rating: 5/5
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Sep 4, 2008 16:33
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RF perfection
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I took delivery of my Alpha 9500 in mid July and it has been working at my station without any issues. I purchased the Alpha 9500 based upon Alpha's outstanding reputation and the fact that it is still made in the USA. I have not been disappointed. the amplfier automatically tunes very quickly, it easily makes 1500 watts of RF power with as little as 35 watts of drive (75 meters), and it a beautiful piece of hardware to add to your station. The multi function display is easy to read, it allows you to check all critical parameters at just a glance, and if needed, you can get more exact readings by using the seven segment display.
The only complaint I have had with the amplifer was fan noise. However, this issue was recently resolved with a factory supplied, user installed (at users option), field upgrade to the fan circuit and firmware. Now the amplifier does not seem to create any more fan noise than my other ampifier, a Yaesu Quadra.
Service and Support has also been outstanding. I have had no problems contacting the folks at Alpha Radio Products when I have a question. I usually get to speak to a live person, and mostly I've spoken to Molly Hardman, W0MOM, the President of Alpha, who is very helpful, and can usually take care of any concerns that you may have.
Furthermore, Alpha support has also been quick to respond to concerns raised by the owners of the Alpha 9500, which is evident by the recent factory supplied fan modification kit at no cost to the end user.
There is not much else to add about this state of the art amplifier. If you can afford the best, then own the best, the Alpha 9500.
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W8JN
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Rating: 5/5
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Jul 15, 2008 04:51
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amazing toy
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I took delivery of my 9500 two months ago. This is a phenomenal piece of american made amateur gear. It is performing like a Swiss watch. Customer support is spectacular. Brad spent 90 minutes on the phone with me after hours shooting the breeze and giving me "tips" on getting the best out of my 9500. You cant go wrong with this amp.
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K6AER
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Rating: 5/5
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Apr 30, 2008 14:14
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The Mercedes Benz of HF amplifiers
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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This weekend we had the Visalia DX Convention in Visalia, California and the special event station K6V was QRO for 40 hours. For the special event station we used an Alpha 9500 which had just come back from Clippperton Island. It still had salt residue on the cabinet. The amplifier was hooked up to the SteppIR DB36 beam at 86 feet and the exciter was the new K3. Needless to say the station performed very well. The 3.5 KVA transformer was slid into the cabinet left side and after three Molex type connector’s were attached the cover was put back on and we were ready to go. This was one of those Top Gun kick the tires and light my fire moments. I had read that some folks thought the amplifier was over engineered and I wanted to find out.
This was my first experience with the new Alpha 9500 automatic amplifier and I was very impressed. We had a hundred hams using the amplifier and I might add most have very little experience with high power amplifiers and the amplifier survived the abuse very well. The auto AC sense worked flawlessly and set the amplifier transformers input to the hotels 208 voltage. No taps to move just plug and play.
It was not uncommon for the newbie’s to overdrive the amplifier or switch bands on the rig with out switching antenna settings. The result each time was a minor fault with just recycling the OPERATION switch needed to reset the amplifier. I noticed at 1500 watts out only the first Grid LED was lit. The 8877 was loafing along drawing almost no grid current. The Tune and Load can be adjusted in the manual setting for reducing grid drive a few mA on the lean site with the load control.
All the antenna output connectors (there are 4), load, tune and band setting are memorized. When you change bands the proper settings and antenna ports are memorized for future use. Slick. While I am talking about output connectors they are the removable type that is found on Bird watt meters. You can change them easily to ‘N” connectors if you want to.
In the bad boy area of the watt (red LED’s) meter, I saw the amplifier putting out 2700 watts when accidently overdriven. (Bad Boy, Bad Boy what ya going to do when the FCC comes looking for you.) At this point, when I came into the Comm. trailer, I pointed out the error of their ways and had them back the drive back down to 40 watts.
We also had the 4510 wattmeter attached to the input and on each band the input VSWR was below 1.3:1. The amplifier was extremely quiet and you had to look at the lights to make sure it was in operation. The power output meters not only shows peak power but the last LED stays in place to show you the peak reading while the rest of the LED’s move with average power displayed.
On item you notice right away is how efficient this amplifier is. Very little heat was being produced at 1500 watts PEP output while we yanked it up on SSB. Nice to be able keep the shack cool.
Although I did not operate any CW the keying was very quiet and the CW types at the convention like the operation of the amp in QSK.
Also the complete set of operation parameters was being displayed on a lap top to give a diagnostic overview of the amplifiers operation and health. This includes error codes which help in amplifier diagnostics.
The construction was superb and the wiring was in my opinion Mill spec. in every aspect. Looking into the amplifier you can see why the Alpha cost more but a Mercedes Benz cost more than a Ford or a Chevy. It is almost a shame to put a cover on this amp. The manual is very well written and any questions on operation were easy to find.
I know it is expensive but having an American company paying decent wages to turn out a beautiful product like the 9500 is worth it. Alpha supports their amplifier going all the way back the Alpha 77 series. I cannot name another company that supports an amateur radio product 30 years later.
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N6PSE
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Rating: 5/5
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Jan 7, 2008 10:55
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9500 just gets better and better!
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Time owned: 3 to 6 months
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Follow up review on my Alpha 9500 after 5 1/2 months of ownership.
I have owned my Alpha 9500 for nearly six months. Based on the latest software revisions this amp just gets better and better.
My first 9500 experienced a problem while tuning on 40 meters. Alpha told me that they had received some bad capacitors.
One of them blew inside my amp causing the AMP not to tune on 40/80 meters. The blown capacitor made quite a mess
of the insides of my amp. Alpha sent me a prepaid shipping label and the AMP was off to them for repairs (so I thought)
Within a short time, I received an entirely new Amplifier with my old Amps serial number on it. Boy was I glad. Alpha really
went above and beyond with this and greatly exceeded my expectations. The new Amp arrived just hours before the CQWW DX
contest and I broke it in during the contest. Each time Alpha issues a new firmware update, the AMP gets better and more refined.
Alpha has also created a user's forum on their website where Alpha owners can share tips and ideas. It is a great forum for discussing
issues and getting a better understanding of this product.
Alpha has been a great company to deal with. They provide exceptional support of their product and I am glad to own my Alpha 9500. Would I buy another one? You betcha!
73's Paul N6PSE
n6pse@earthlink.net
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N2TU
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Rating: 5/5
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Dec 28, 2007 15:46
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Update- One Month
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I've had the 9500 for a little over a month...and there is little to add from my previous review. I have used the amp on a daily basis...at all power levels, all bands and it performs flawlessly. Immediate band changes at full power is fun and a real advantage when you are chasing the rare ones! Alpha Power has just come out with a software enhancement (not a bug fix!). They are listening to the users and incorporating feedback to enhance the operational use of the amp...
It is a winner...
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W6UNQ
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Rating: 4/5
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Oct 1, 2007 23:05
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Another 9500 On The Air
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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After waiting 20 months Alpha 9500 Serial #25 showed up this morning. The transformer was a little bit of a problem putting in. Took about fifteen minutes.
Turning the Amplifier on error 5 was displayed. No High Voltage or Fan/Blower either. And Email was sent. Within 2 minutes a response came back. Asking me to Up Plug the Amplifier for 15 seconds. As this resets the Amplifier. That did not work. Another Email which in turn was followed up by a phone call from Molly. She ask me to look at the molex connector at the rear of the chassic. Found that one of the pins had became unseated. Push the pin back in the connector. Put the cover on with 2 screws. Turn the amplifier on. And in started look like we were home free. However applying 40 watts drive cause a Error 1 Trip. Found that by putting all the screw in the case resolved the problem. The 9500 Fan/Blower are not quite. My 87A is very quite compared to the 9500. The other thing that I noticed about the 9500 is 60 Watts of drive on 40 meters, you get 1500 watts. On 20 meters that same 60 watts gives you 1800 watts, 80 meters 2250 watts and 10 meter 1000 Watts (Into a Alpha 2100 Dummy Load). My 87A is +- 100 Watts of 1500 on all bands with 50 watts of drive. I like the 9500 But I am not ready to give up the 87A yet.
Robin (K6UNQ) robinfhill@roadrunner.com
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K6JW
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Rating: 5/5
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Oct 1, 2007 20:42
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A little pain for a lot of gain.
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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As did others who have posted reviews to date, I placed a pre-production order for a 9500 with Alpha after deciding not to purchase a closeout 87A. It took a year and a half before the unit was delivered, but it eventually arrived in late August 2007, just before the XYL and I had to move out of our home for five days while wood floors were being refinished. Upon our return, I eagerly unpacked the amp and its separately boxed transformer, and went to work getting it ready to blast holes in the ionosphere.
Installing the transformer was somewhat difficult, as the supplied shim (upon which to set the transformer so it will slide into place with the amplifier positioned on its side) was slightly short. This meant that I had to tip the amplifier towards me, bracing it with my chest, while shoving the transformer firmly against the chassis and reaching around to the back (underside) of the amp to place at least one bolt to anchor the anvil-weight component. It took about 15 minutes of struggling and cursing, but I finally did get the transformer installed. (Note to future owners: There are better ways to do this, but I was too stupid at the time to realize any of them. For example, one could "shim the shim" so the holes would line up properly. Or one could leave the amp right side up, set it on blocks, seat the transformer, and then easily insert the bolts from below.) The remainder of the setup was simple and straightforward.
After connecting the unit to my Yaesu Mark-V and SteppIR Yagi, I was ready to go. I will make a long story short and simply relate that every time I tried to bring the amp up to full power, the grid current went sky-high, plate current dropped, and the amp would enter fault mode, the display code being a "1", for low gain. At this point, aware of the two previous unfavorable reviews and at least one other ham who'd had problems with his early unit, I sent up a distress flare.
The staff at Alpha was, in a word, wonderful. They were concerned, helpful and very motivated to assist me in getting my 9500 to be fully operational. How so? On a Friday morning, Brad (one of the amplifier's designers) remoted into my amp in southern California from Alpha in Colorado and, after an extended period of time, concluded that the problem was a defective tube. His thought was that the Eimac 8877 had been damaged in shipping. I was skeptical but we agreed that Alpha would ship a new tube to me on Monday.
When I returned from work on Monday, there was an e-mail waiting for me from Molly. It said that they'd decided not only to send me a new tube, but to send Brad with it to visit my shack and work on the amplifier in person. He had to be in San Diego on business, anyway, so why not visit me while on the left coast?
Brad stepped into my shack on Sunday, six days after Molly's e-mail, and spent about two hours replacing the tube, checking all relevant readings, and resetting defaults. When he was done, the amp was up and running to specs. That evening, I made my first contact at full power, working 3B7C on 20 CW long path, and getting the contact on my first call. The amp has continued to function without any show stopping problems since then.
It is important to realize that the 9500 is not merely an updated 87A. It is a new amplifier, with a single tube instead of two, and a whole new microprocessor setup requiring new software. There were bound to be some problems early on, and when I decided to take delivery of one of the earlier production units, I did so with the full realization that there might be some associated growing pains. I admit that I did get antsy enough to challenge Molly (and probably cause her some coronary artery spasm) when I confronted her with my concerns over the problems and dissatisfactions reported by several early users, but after speaking with her I decided to stick with Alpha to see whether things would work out. Well, things have indeed worked out and I'm glad now to be starting what I hope will be a long life with a well-engineered and executed, high-end piece of amateur gear.
A few notes based upon early experience:
1. As has been remarked upon elsewhere, the amp does make some rather disturbing noises when first turned on and when changing bands, but a lot of tuning stuff is happening and the noise is normal. The amp is not self-destructing. I choose to view it as a charming aspect of the unit's personality.
2. The tube generates a great deal of heat, and fan noise is high. If the amp is going to be on your desk and in close proximity to the operating position, headphones will a necessity for working the pileups.
3. The QSK is characterized by lots of relay-type noise. Again, headphones will help if the amp is close to you. I've opted to run semi-QSK most of the time, which makes things much quieter. With short hang time on semi-QSK, one really doesn't need full QSK for most purposes, anyway.
4. The 8877 won't break a sweat at 1500 watts, and the amp will easily run at 1900-2000 watts. Watch your power to stay legal.
5. Remember that, legally, you can only run 200 watts on 30 meters! It would be very easy to forget this with the amp transparently online.
6. The power readings are most accurate when using antenna output #4. This is according to Brad, who uses #4 for adjustment of the amp before shipping and says it's the best to use because it's farthest from the input. Right now, I'm using #3 for my 80 meter dipole and #4 for the 10 to 40 SteppIR. The amp remembers where it needs to go every time you key up, so you don't really have to think about it once setup is completed.
7. Alpha's auto-tune/Auto Max software is not perfected, yet. I thought this meant that the amp would not auto-tune when in manual mode, but I was wrong. Manual mode simply means that the amp does not continuously tune as you change frequency. Instead, what it does do is change preset segments with as one tunes up or down. So, it actually does "auto-tune" after a fashion in manual mode, but it does so in discrete jumps rather than in a more continuous fashion. Frankly, this is fine with me, especially since I run it with a SteppIR for HF down to 40 meters, although I certainly will install the updated software as it becomes available. It should be noted that the present auto-tune mode does work, however, once the power level gets up above a few hundred watts.
8. I've found that the amp tends to fault with high grid current when one changes bands at full power. To prevent this, I can usually succeed by reducing exciter output for the change and then cranking back up to optimal drive after the initial, split-second tuning occurs. Alternatively, I can put the amp into standby mode and key it briefly before punching the operate button to go back online, although this has not been as reliable a workaround as reducing drive from the exciter. I've let Molly and Brad know about this, and they're looking into it. I'm wondering whether it's a software issue that could, perhaps, be resolved by creating a short time delay between keying at full power immediately after band change and having the amp actually respond at full power. I'm not enough of an expert about this to know that that would solve the problem, but it's a thought, anyway.
In the final analysis, one can buy any of several very fine amplifiers on the market today. There's a certain mystique about Alpha, however, and for the ham who's always aspired to own "the Alpha of amplifiers", namely, an Alpha itself, the 9500 certainly deserves consideration. The company support that I've experienced has been excellent. After all, how often do you hear of one of the designers of a piece of equipment coming to your shack to service it? Furthermore, the lineage of the 9500 makes it a good bet that the unit will perform well over time and hold its value, as well.
One additional issue perhaps deserves comment. My unit's serial number is 005. Readers of the preceding reviews will note that this is the serial number of an amp that was returned to Alpha as nonfunctional. When I received the unit and noted this, I was immediately concerned that someone else's headaches had been transferred to me. I spoke with both Anthony and Molly about this and was told that their serial numbers are meant to be an unbroken series. My unit had been completely gone through and was indistinguishable from a "new" unit. Nevertheless, Molly actually offered me a different unit if I wanted one. Had Molly not offered me the exchange, I might have been suspicious. Since she did, I felt reassured about keeping my unit at least until we knew the final outcome. Besides, careful inspection of 005 revealed it to be cosmetically perfect and immaculately clean. Now that it's up and running, I plan to stick with it.
Was it worth placing the pre-production order? Well, it took a year and a half to get the amplifier, and there were a few dicey moments early on with it, but I saved $1000 over the current 9500 price, and every time I look at it on my desk I think, wow, it's really here, it's an Alpha, and it's mine! Thus, my answer: yes, it was worth it.
Recognizing that the 9500 is still in line for some improvements over the next several months, I am nevertheless rating it a 5 in this review. I see the fact that some us are working through a few issues with Alpha as part of a collaborative adventure, part of what amateur radio is about. Besides, I think that the 9500 over time is going to prove itself to be THAT good.
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