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Author Topic: Alpha Amps to be shipping NEW production amps (9500 'n 8410) in 2nd qrtr 2022?  (Read 6553 times)

N2WQ

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FU728 is a Chinese tube currently in regular production. It goes for about $200 delivered from Alibaba.com.

Recognizing that Alibaba is the distributor / retailer, who is actually making the tubes?

- Glenn W9IQ

No idea. It’s a common tube with multiple manufacturers. Makes no difference to me.
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W9IQ

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FU728 is a Chinese tube currently in regular production. It goes for about $200 delivered from Alibaba.com.

Recognizing that Alibaba is the distributor / retailer, who is actually making the tubes?

- Glenn W9IQ

No idea. It’s a common tube with multiple manufacturers. Makes no difference to me.

I appreciate that, but it does matter to me.

- Glenn W9IQ
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- Glenn W9IQ

God runs electromagnetics on Monday, Wednesday and Friday by the wave theory and the devil runs it on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday by the Quantum theory.

AE0Q

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    • AE0Q Amateur Radio

This isn't related to new-production amps, or even tubes, but Svetlana did make some interesting tubes 20-odd years ago that Alpha tried to use.

The photo is of a GU-74b, a 4CX1600B, and a GU-84B.  The GU-84B is in an Alpha 99 that had a wider tubedeck made from two production tubedecks cut and put together. 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/14jDATZ01a0h1XIJuEFkHytqGLBpb6kQp/view?usp=sharing

Gordon W0RUN built it and called it "Jabba the tube" because of the wide, squat look of the tube when in the socket :-)

The 4CX1600B was used in the original Alpha 6 amp (6m), but after building and shipping a few Svetlana quit making the tube.  The GU-84B was also too scarce.

Glenn AE0Q
« Last Edit: May 22, 2022, 03:05:51 PM by AE0Q »
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VE7RF

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FU728 is a Chinese tube currently in regular production. It goes for about $200 delivered from Alibaba.com.

Recognizing that Alibaba is the distributor / retailer, who is actually making the tubes?

- Glenn W9IQ

Hand built  by Chinese dissidents  in re-education camp #13.
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VE7RF

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I am equipping a new station and would like to be aware of the latest possibilities. My hope is that Alpha has seen the light and would offer a new, rugged SS legal limit amp. Emphasis on hope...

Clearly, new tube amplifiers are not long for the world. Amateur radio is the last (legal) user of tubes for amplifiers below 5 kW in the HF range. Most tube amplifiers do not offer remote monitoring and cannot be used in a remote control application. The supply of <5 Kw tubes is drying up.

- Glenn W9IQ

If Mike Dishop brings Alpha back from the dead, perhaps his Prometheus SS amp, re-worked and upgraded with the latest devices, might be an offering. Slap on an Alpha label, and run with it. Although back in the day, it was in excess of $10K...much more than the competition's more sophisticated legal-limit SS amps.

In my experience, through contest operations, I've had zero problems with three SS amps, and problems with both my Acom tube amps. IMO, there's nothing unreliable about SS amps if, like anything else, they're operated the way they should be.

Nobody is gonna pay > $10K...for some rinky dink 1.5 kw SS amp.   You got any idea of how big a hb tube amp I could build with $10k ?
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K7JQ

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FU728 is a Chinese tube currently in regular production. It goes for about $200 delivered from Alibaba.com.

Recognizing that Alibaba is the distributor / retailer, who is actually making the tubes?

- Glenn W9IQ

I am equipping a new station and would like to be aware of the latest possibilities. My hope is that Alpha has seen the light and would offer a new, rugged SS legal limit amp. Emphasis on hope...

Clearly, new tube amplifiers are not long for the world. Amateur radio is the last (legal) user of tubes for amplifiers below 5 kW in the HF range. Most tube amplifiers do not offer remote monitoring and cannot be used in a remote control application. The supply of <5 Kw tubes is drying up.

- Glenn W9IQ

If Mike Dishop brings Alpha back from the dead, perhaps his Prometheus SS amp, re-worked and upgraded with the latest devices, might be an offering. Slap on an Alpha label, and run with it. Although back in the day, it was in excess of $10K...much more than the competition's more sophisticated legal-limit SS amps.

In my experience, through contest operations, I've had zero problems with three SS amps, and problems with both my Acom tube amps. IMO, there's nothing unreliable about SS amps if, like anything else, they're operated the way they should be.

Nobody is gonna pay > $10K...for some rinky dink 1.5 kw SS amp.   You got any idea of how big a hb tube amp I could build with $10k ?

I agree. I wonder how many Dishtronix Prometheus amps he sold at that price? Currently, Acom leads the legal limit SS amp price race with the A2020 at $7.9K. But my point is that if Alpha and OM Power expect long term viability, they’re gonna have to start designing a line of SS amps.


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KA4DPO

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FU728 is a Chinese tube currently in regular production. It goes for about $200 delivered from Alibaba.com.

Recognizing that Alibaba is the distributor / retailer, who is actually making the tubes?

- Glenn W9IQ

I am equipping a new station and would like to be aware of the latest possibilities. My hope is that Alpha has seen the light and would offer a new, rugged SS legal limit amp. Emphasis on hope...

Clearly, new tube amplifiers are not long for the world. Amateur radio is the last (legal) user of tubes for amplifiers below 5 kW in the HF range. Most tube amplifiers do not offer remote monitoring and cannot be used in a remote control application. The supply of <5 Kw tubes is drying up.

- Glenn W9IQ

If Mike Dishop brings Alpha back from the dead, perhaps his Prometheus SS amp, re-worked and upgraded with the latest devices, might be an offering. Slap on an Alpha label, and run with it. Although back in the day, it was in excess of $10K...much more than the competition's more sophisticated legal-limit SS amps.

In my experience, through contest operations, I've had zero problems with three SS amps, and problems with both my Acom tube amps. IMO, there's nothing unreliable about SS amps if, like anything else, they're operated the way they should be.

Nobody is gonna pay > $10K...for some rinky dink 1.5 kw SS amp.   You got any idea of how big a hb tube amp I could build with $10k ?

I agree. I wonder how many Dishtronix Prometheus amps he sold at that price? Currently, Acom leads the legal limit SS amp price race with the A2020 at $7.9K. But my point is that if Alpha and OM Power expect long term viability, they’re gonna have to start designing a line of SS amps.

The Alpha website shows the 9500 at $8.795.00.  With the Acom 2020 price at $7,900.00, it pretty much a no brainer.   The 2020 specs say no time limit, no mode limit, full output a 2:1 and power rolls off at 3:1 without damage.

So the Acom sounds comparable to the 16 year old 9500, and probably includes a lot more operating features. 

The notion that SS amps are not rugged is not based in fact.  Any amplifier that is used within its operating envelope should last a very long time.  Also, SS devices don't degrade over time, tubes do.
« Last Edit: May 23, 2022, 09:37:06 AM by KA4DPO »
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K7JQ

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The 2020 specs say no time limit, no mode limit, full output a 2:1 and power rolls off at 3:1 without damage.


To clarify, the specs say..."recommended 1.5:1 or less at output". *IF* it's anything like the 1200s operation, up to 1.5:1 SWR will give you 1.5KW continuous carrier, with SSB voice or CW peaks a little in excess of that without faulting. From 1.5 to 2.0:1, you cannot exceed approximately 1499W continuous, and if SSB voice peaks (or carrier) exceed that, the amp will be programmed to trip. In order to operate at 3:1 (absolutely not recommended), you will have to severely (manually) cut back power to prevent tripping...it will not "roll off" by itself. And "continuous" time limit will go until the temperature trip threshold.

Again, this is based on my 1200s operation (at 1KW continuous, up to 1200W SSB PEP), confirmed by Val at Acom. Perhaps the 2020s trip thresholds have been designed differently. For $7.9K, I hope so ;).
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KB6DYA

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I know this started as a Alpha amp post and then in to SS amps. I would like to throw my thought  on SS amp. CK out the assembled RF 2K  that has ALL the bells and whisles and good specs. , not that good looking but for 5k$  a legal limit amp with a tuner.
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VE7RF

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I know this started as a Alpha amp post and then in to SS amps. I would like to throw my thought  on SS amp. CK out the assembled RF 2K  that has ALL the bells and whistles and good specs. , not that good looking but for 5k$  a legal limit amp with a tuner.

Agreed.  Plus it comes with  QSK.   The built in tuner is  solid.   Just thought of something else.... it also covers 6M.  The 9500  doesn't cover 6M.   The UK amp also covers  6M..and  4M.  The UK amp has QSK  ( 50 wpm) ..and uses a kilovac  HC-1 relay.
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W9IQ

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So it sounds like no announcements from Alpha at Hamvention. Not even a pulse.That is a real disappointment - but not a surprise.

- Glenn W9IQ
« Last Edit: May 23, 2022, 03:59:01 PM by W9IQ »
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- Glenn W9IQ

God runs electromagnetics on Monday, Wednesday and Friday by the wave theory and the devil runs it on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday by the Quantum theory.

KA4WJA

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Glenn,
I heard from a friend who attended Dayton this year, and I watched a couple videos of this year's Dayton...

Alpha definitely has a pulse!  (just not as flashy as Elecraft)

So it sounds like no announcements from Alpha at Hamvention. Not even a pulse.That is a real disappointment - but not a surprise.

- Glenn W9IQ

Here is what I got from him (and from the videos)

----  Alpha (and TenTec) had a double-booth, but nothing "fancy", nor "flashy".

---- They displayed the 9500, the 8410, and the 8406 amps....(and a 4040 Tuner)....all open cabinets, for all to see.

---- They had another 9500 powered-up (and working?), but my friend didn't ask 'em to demo it.

---- They had another unit (8410 ?) powered-up, as well.

---- The displayed 4040 Tuner was powered-up, but not in production (probably a prototype or alpha/beta-test unit, I'm assuming....as, according to Mike D., production units are supposedly awaiting parts, prior to production in 2023)

---- They stated they ARE producing and shipping products (except for the 4040 Tuner, of course).



As I wasn't there, and therefore didn't ask, I have no idea if Mike D. is planning on production of the Prometheus SS amp.   (sorry)
But, since the Flex Power Genius with its tuner is > $10,300....and they are selling 'em
And, with the Elecraft KPA-1500 (w/o tuner) and SPE Expert 2K amps, are > $7k...and they are selling them.
Etc etc...
So, it seems like there is a market (albeit a small market) for a legal-limit SS amp....so...
So, maybe they are in the process of producing a legal-limit SS amp....and this is the supposedly "secret" info that was talked about earlier?

BTW, knowing Mike D's approach to things (all pretty good, in my opinion), I suspect any "whispered" words to hams at Dayton were "whispered-for-effect" and destined to be broadcast far-n-wide by everyone!  :)


Not sure if I helped at all....but, at least they are in business and have capital, and are producing and shipping amps.

73,
John,  KA4WJA
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W9IQ

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Thanks, John but I take all of that as "no news" since that list is all old product. I will be moving on, I guess.

- Glenn W9IQ
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- Glenn W9IQ

God runs electromagnetics on Monday, Wednesday and Friday by the wave theory and the devil runs it on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday by the Quantum theory.

KA4WJA

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Glenn,
No worries.  :)

Btw, everyone here knows I'm an Alpha nut (I mean I own three!)...so, no surprise I recommend them.
And, I still say the Alpha 77Dx was the best ham amp ever made....will run legal-limit+, brick-on-the-key, etc....and wicked clean!  :)

But, if someone desires a more modern "no-tune" approach, look for an older Alpha 87a....one without "AlphaMAX"...
The original Alpha 87a was a dream of an amp to use seamlessly with any solid-state rig (and multiband antennas)....it was "automatic" in the sense that it returned to your "pre-tuned" / "previously-programmed" tuned positions....anywhere from 1.6mhz thru 30mhz (5 or 6 segments in each of 8 or nine bands?  it's been decades since I used an 87a, so I don't remember if it was 5 or 6 segments, or 8 or 9 bands...)

I personally used an early production ("alpha-test" unit) for 5 - 6 months during Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm.....I personally ran the thing for 6 - 8 hours each night, 7 nights-a-week, for almost 6 months....and other operators ran it during the day, during that same ~ 6 month period....without a single hick-up!
2kw+ out, into a HUGE Rhombic  (MARS Station, AAR4CSS)....one IC-751 died, one IC-761 had some issues, so a second IC-751 was used for most of the last 2 - 3 months....(oh, and the NCL-2k lasted about one day!)

Sorry I digress...
My point is, as long as you don't have the AlphaMAX software to worry about that 87a is nice amp!  :)
Okay, not as nice as the 77Dx....but, still a nice second place, and easy-peasy "no-tune" operations!


Anyway....if someone wants a tube amp....I recommend the 77Dx, or an older 87a.
Just my 4 cents. 


73,
John,  KA4WJA
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K7JQ

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the Elecraft KPA-1500 (w/o tuner) and SPE Expert 2K amps, are > $7k


The KPA-1500 ($6.7K) and Expert 2K ($7K) both have built-in tuners. The German RF-2K at $5K with built-in tuner, QSK, two LDMOS devices rated at 1,700W each and remotable, is a tough act to follow, tube or SS. If Alpha doesn't produce something SS to compete, their long-term viability is questionable.
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