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Reviews For: W6PQL 2 Meter Kilowatt Linear Amplifier

Category: Amplifiers: RF Power - 6M/VHF/UHF+

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Review Summary For : W6PQL 2 Meter Kilowatt Linear Amplifier
Reviews: 4MSRP: 2500
Description:
Here is the all new custom 2 Meter Kilowatt Linear Amplifier built and designed by Jim/W6PQL. Uses a single 50v LDMOS transistor made by Freescale Semiconductor, the MRFE6VP61K25H. With as little as 2 watts in you can have over 1000 watts out. Rated for SSB/CW/WSJT modes. Internal fans, swr protection, alc circuit and LNA switching. Requires an external 50 volt power supply capable of 30 amps.
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.w6pql.com
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
0045
N1SV Rating: 2021-06-25
Well designed & built, a real winner! Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Jim is a prolific amplifier builder with a real attention to detail. He custom builds these LDMOS amps to meet your particular needs. In my case I wanted an amplifier that could be used for high duty cycle MS applications that would allow me to run legal limit for long periods of time. Jim was very easy to work with and very helpful in integrating a third party power supply into the package.

His amplifiers include all of the typical features you would expect;

- Full VSWR & over-temperature protection
- Voltage & Current metering as well as a peak reading FWD & REV Pout LED bar graph meter
- Low-noise temperature controlled cooling fans
- Full T/R sequencing

The amplifier looks great and works even better. This amp loafs along at 1500w but is capable of almost 2500w. I used this amplifier during a recent VHF contest for many hours making FT8 contacts and it worked great! for more info on my particular amp Jim wrote it up on his website "http://w6pql.com/1_kw_2m_ldmos_amplifier.htm" (the black one under "A 1500w (legal-limit) 2m LDMOS Amplifier"). If your thinking about buying a serious 2m amplifier this is it.
AD6A Rating: 2021-02-09
Extremely well built, fully protected, a dream to use! Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Jim (W6PQL) makes these amps to order. After a short email exchange, we settled on the specs I need for my station/use. I paid a small deposit up front (normal for a self-employed builder like Jim) and then waited. Since Jim is local to me in the San Francisco Bay Area, I got regular on-the-air updates from him on how the build was progressing. Jim builds his amps in batches, so if you order one, it may well take a few months until delivery. In my case, I got lucky as he was just about to start building a new batch of 2m 1KW amps. He was able to bring-in the schedule and deliver almost a month earlier than he'd promised me. Excellent service IMO!

I picked the amp up from his QTH directly (making sure to socially distance and wear a mask, of course) and took it straight to my shack to wire it up and try it. I integrated it into my station easily. I already had the requisite 50V 30A power supply unit ready and waiting, so I just had to crimp some ring terminals on the power cables, connect up the input/output RF connectors, and plug in the PTT signal from my IC-9700, and away it went, all working perfectly.

Jim has thought of everything in his design. The amp is completely idiot proof and works exactly as it should. The fans are quiet, the metering is complete and easy to understand, and it has all the features I think I'll ever need, including a DC power outlet at the back to feed a masthead pre-amp.

I thoroughly recommend Jim's amplifiers. I just took possession of a 1KW 432MHz version from him this weekend (I'll be reviewing that shortly) - it's already on the air, working perfectly. Jim will customize an amp for exactly your situation (e.g. EME vs. tropo). Give him a shout. I already ordered a 1KW 222MHz amp and a 600W 1296MHz amp from him to complete my lineup.

73, Dave, AD6A
AA2UK Rating: 2017-12-31
a bit later Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I'v now been using this amplifier for almost a year. It still performs like day one as it should. Getting this amp delivered in a modular form I saved almost half the price as the amp delivered as a total package. There are now devices that Jim uses to deliver legal limit output on 2 meters.
Tnx Bill, AA2UK

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Earlier 5-star review posted by AA2UK on 2017-03-26

I ordered the assembled 2 meter deck w/ the BLF-188XR. I had Jim place the RF deck on his Aluminum heatsink. Jim assembled, tuned and mounted the LO Pass output filter, a 10db input attenuator and 3 cooling fans. I added my own sequencer, LNA 12vdc injector, Totsu relays, a Bird dual line section and the DC and control cabling. The amps fantastic I've used many high power 2 meter amps in the last 20 + years. This one's the charm.
Jim great job and thank you for working w/me to deliver the amplifier assembly.
73 Bill AA2UK
N0YK Rating: 2012-02-14
Awesome!!!! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Wow! I've tried many 2 meter amplifiers in the past ten years in the hobby and Jim's new one kilowatt is by far one of the nicest I've owned. So many features to list here:
- Compact cabinet design (6.5 x 12 x 12 inches)
- Full VSWR and over-temperature protection
- Metering for PA voltage & current, with
- Peak-reading LED bar graph meters for forward and reflected power.
- Full t/r sequencing
- Low-loss high-power antenna relays
- ALC output for the driver
- Low-noise temperature-controlled cooling fans
- Front-panel AC switch for it's external power supply

I hooked a HP Blade type 50 volt power supply to this amplifier. I flip the switch on and it take about 3-5 seconds for the power supply to boot and come up to voltage then I'm ready to roll. The amp is quiet and the ALC soft start circuit is amazing. Gradually brings the amp from zero to over a kilowatt in under a second. Blocks the radio output until all relays have closed and LNA out of line, then brings power up. This amp loafs along at the 1 kilowatt power range. Very Nice build by Jim!!

Please feel free to contect with any questions.