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write your own review of the Commander VHF-1200.
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K6AER
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Rating: 1/5
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Oct 22, 2008 14:45
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Not aging well.
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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This is an up date from my review a year and a half ago. I noticed there are no other reviews from my last posting so I can only assume there are very few amplifiers have been built. I have used the amplifier in several contests at full output with out a major incident. The quality control and lack of sophistication in the design are starting to make some issues known.
I have noticed that the current meter readings are off by about 15 %. To get to the metering shunt resistors the whole RF deck must be removed to change the meter reading shunt. This is quite a chore that requires about three hours to complete. After you have replaced everything if your meter readings are still off you must repeat the three hours R&R. It is inconceivable that an amplifier design would not take in consideration the ability to service the power supply deck and metering shunts with out major surgery.
This week I turned on the amplifier for a six meter contact when I noticed the metering back light looked funny. Upon inspection the grid current meter had fallen into the amplifier????
I took of the top and noticed the meters were held in place with only Scotch Tape and the bottom of the meter was held in place with a piece of double sided sticky tape from the meter light board. One meter is held in place with RTV and the other meter in held in place with hope and a bit of tape.
I read many owners giving glorious praise for the well built amplifier. I wonder how many have ever taken a close look the actual quality of workmanship they received or even considered that when the amplifier ages, component maintenance will need to be preformed.
The TR relay was so loud that over the air contacts could hear the relay when I keyed the amplifier. I had to finally isolate the relay attachment to the case to reduce the loud clap of the TR relay upon keying.
The bias and control PCB has no component markings and the manual is greatly lacking with accurate schematics. Component schematics legends are non IEEE standards and leave you wondering if who ever did the schematics ever had any formal engineering training. IC pin out numbers are non existent. You must look up the IC to find what pins numbers are used on the IC’s.
Note that only one side of the 240 volt feed has a fuse. The other side of the 240 volt line goes directly to the on/off switch. This explains why the Command amplifiers have no UL approval ratings.
The HV anode resistor is buried on the HV board deep in the RF input area under the RF deck. If your tube develops a short you will be in for a 3-4 hour repair on what should have been a 10 minuet replacement.
There is no HV defeat switch should you take off the top cover. Until the High Voltage drains down lethal voltages are all about. This amplifier and the Command family of amplifiers are lethal hazards waiting to happen if you need to service them.
For the sake of the current amplifier owners I hope Palstar (new owners) can drag the engineering of the Pat Stine amplifiers in to the 21st century.
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VE2JKA
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Rating: 5/5
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Jan 12, 2007 20:32
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Jusk Kick A!!!!
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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Incredible! I love this amp... Max I got out of it on FM was 750W and ssb it will give you 1kw + no problem..smooth tuning, heats up a little at max output yet it cools off quite rapidly. Owned it for a little over a year now and it has performed flawlessly every time.
Highly recommended.
ve2jka
radioquebec.net
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KC9AWS
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Rating: 5/5
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Sep 7, 2002 04:40
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5/5
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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Pat Stein is very helpful and accomadating when he sells you this amp. The amp is well made and works very well. It's simple to operate and the manual is easy to understand. Pat called me the next day after my Email and answered all my questions up front. This amp is the ULTIMATE AMATEUR RADIO TOY. Reports from 150 miles away, ground waves, raise my signal by 4 on their s meter. The fan noise is real low.
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NH7RO
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Rating: 5/5
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Jun 28, 2002 23:25
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Excellent amp--recommended!
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Time owned: 6 to 12 months
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The Commander is an excellent 6M amp in all respects that I recommend it to anyone serious about magic band dxing. I'm currently driving mine with less than 20 watts PEP from a SSB LT6S transverter which results in around 600 watts PEP output. Conveniently running it off 117 volt house current works fine at these levels, too. At some point in the future I plan to drive it with an FTV-1000 for full output which will require me re-wiring it for 220v (very easy to change via terminal-strip jumpers). The first time I fired up the amp I worked stations in FJ, 9Y, KP4 and PY during a rare and marginal opening to the Caribbean from my mid-Pacific qth. It would have not been possible to make and complete these contacts without the solid help of the Commander VHF-1200. The amp has made a good number of European long-path openings bear fruit for me as well. My hat is off to Pat Stein for building such a reliable and easy-to-use amp that never needs retuning (I'm always in the weak-signal portion of the band)and delivers clean power. The slightly noisy blower fan doesn't particularly bother me--it's obviously needed to keep things running cool and dependable. My philosophy is like what the T-shirt often seen at hamfests proclaims, "Life is too short for QRP!" I'm glad I invested in this fine piece of gear and I now look forward to the upcoming fall F2 season more than ever before.
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KC4PX
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Rating: 5/5
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Jun 28, 2002 15:22
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Excellent 6 Meter amp
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Time owned: 3 to 6 months
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Once you tune this amplifier, you never have to touch it... I purchased this used - built in 1999. This is the older version of the VHF-1200 with the older TUNE control (i.e. 17 turns from min to max), so it takes a bit to get it tuned the first time. After that, don't touch.
I've always received excellent audio reports with 900-1200 PEP out, driven with my IC-756Pro + Heil and W2IHY EQ. Excellent also for contests and high duty cycles. I do recommend this amp to any serious 6 Meter DXer.
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WD8OST
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Rating: 5/5
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Jul 18, 2001 11:40
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great
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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n4cpm, said it all-have had mine since feb. 1998 works flawless it is best 6m 1200 watt. if you do not want to play games this is for you--mike
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N4CPM
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Rating: 5/5
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Aug 28, 2000 23:17
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Strong & Sturdy
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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The Commander VHF-1200 is a 6 meter amp. I have had mine for over a year and it has been service free. Like most Commander Amps the only negative I can say is that the fan is a little noisy. The amp performs great. I get 1200 watts from 60 watts drive and can even push it to 1500 watts with 70 watts input. The 3CX800A7 Ceramic Metal Triod really takes a licking and it keeps on ticking. Tune up is easy and you really never need to tune again as long as you stay in the CW or SSB part of six meters, great bandwith. Although 1200+ watts is a bit much on 6 meters, this Amp is a good investment if you gona chase grids and work a new country. I have worked over 350 grids and 25 countries with mine. 73 Ed
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