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[KO4NR]

Anyone got a schematic for an AL-80(not A or B model)?

What is the difference between the AL-80 and the AL-80A?
73,
Bill Smith

[K8AC]

The AL-80 devours bandswitch contacts.  The AL-80A does not.

[W5HRO]

The AL-80 devours bandswitch contacts.  The AL-80A does not.

Interesting, I have not had or have seen any issue with the bandswitch on mine. It looks pretty durable, just like the typical thick ceramic rotary switch that were used in most amps.

My AL-80 is serial number 549 and so far it works fine. AKA ‘The Compact Kilowatt’. It was stock when I found it and was from the last production run after the fixes. I did replace the plate choke with the correct type and added the 7.5V zener to the filament line center tap to ground, but it really needs to be a 6.8V zener since the AL-80 runs the tube at just a slightly lower plate voltage than the AL-80A. The AL-80A was a complete redesign so it is not the same amplifier at all.

https://w5hro.com/attachments/al-80-jpg.314

I did some videos almost a year ago that can be found below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYu2D-DQpg4

Then for the history and other details W8JI has the info on one of his pages below.

https://www.w8ji.com/Ameritron_al80_history.htm

[WC4R]

All three were different. The AL-80A is a direct copy of the Heathkit SB-1000.
The 80A came out when Heathkit closed its doors on the SB-1000.

[W4JFA]

A 19 year old thread. My AL-80, no A or B, is still going strong. Now end of 2022. Original band switch. Switch them slowly and carefully and of course never "hot switch" em. Works for me.

[K0CWO]

From the man involved:

https://www.w8ji.com/Ameritron_al80_history.htm

[W5HRO]

A 19 year old thread.

Was it too new for you?   

I was searching around for AL-80 info and this is only 1 of about 2 or 3 posts on the entire web about it and none of them say very much. It's an under rated amp as long as you have one of the ones from the last production run or one that was sent back to the factory to be rebuilt after the fixes like many of them were. I still need to remove the front panel and change the stop on the bandswitch to get the 10-meter position because it is there. Then just one more relay and coil to make it work.

I get about 800W out on 40 & 75 meter SSB and around 175 to 200W on AM with 15W of drive and it stays nice and cool. I did upgrade the fan like in the AL-80A with more CFMs.

.

[W4JFA]

A 19 year old thread.

Was it too new for you?   

I was searching around for AL-80 info and this is only 1 of about 2 or 3 posts on the entire web about it and none of them say very much. It's an under rated amp as long as you have one of the ones from the last production run or one that was sent back to the factory to be rebuilt after the fixes like many of them were. I still need to remove the front panel and change the stop on the bandswitch to get the 10-meter position because it is there. Then just one more relay and coil to make it work.

I get about 800W out on 40 & 75 meter SSB and around 175 to 200W on AM with 15W of drive and it stays nice and cool. I did upgrade the fan like in the AL-80A with more CFMs.

.

Glad it was brought back to life. I've heard that band switch comment for years now however the several hams I've known over the years that have owned them, myself included, never had a band switch problem.