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Reviews For: Collins 30L-1

Category: Amplifiers: RF Power - HF & HF+6M

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Review Summary For : Collins 30L-1
Reviews: 39MSRP: 520.00
Description:
80-10 meter 1KW PEP linear amplifier
Product is not in production
More Info: http://collinsradio.org/html/30l-1.html
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
15395
W0BKR Rating: 2023-01-04
Workhorse that never quits! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Have had my 30K1 for some time now, never an issue and so easy to tune. For the power out, you can easily beat a pile up, but who cares.
N8FVJ Rating: 2021-08-06
Lot of Amp for the price Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
It been a few years and the prices have increased a lot for used amplifiers. Higher power amps in the 1000 watt to 1500 watt output class start at over $1000 used! Heathkit SB-220s that sold for $800 last year are well over $1000 and rebuilt as high as $1800. So, lets compare the affordable lower cost amplifiers and the Collins 30L-1 to the competition first.

In this power class, the competitors are the Heathkit SB-200, Yaesu FL-2100B, Ameritron AL-811H, Dentron GLA-1000B and Amp Supply LA-1000. All are 500 to 600 watts PEP output. All amps listed have a tuned input for solid-state transceivers. (GLA-1000 non B missing the tuned input). The AL-811H & LA-1000 have 160 meters, rest are 80 meters on up.

Transformer weight is a factor of build quality and directly relates to power output with good voltage regulation. The Collins 30L-1 has a 19lb transformer thus is healthy like the SB-220 and FL-2100B that also are 19lbs. The AL-811H transformer is 17lbs and sufficient as the amp maintains 1500 volts (1800 volts no load) at over 600 watts PEP peak out. The GLA-1000B and LA-1000 are 14lbs each being a little light weight for 500 watts out, but failures are very rare.

The sweep tubes in the GLA-1000B and LA-1000 are heavy duty enough to produce 125 watts PEP out per tube (4 tubes).

The AL-811H and 30L-1 use 811A tubes and the Yaesu FL-2100B and SB-200 use a pair of 572b tubes. Two 572B are superior to four 811A tubes due to the graphite plate. And, you can get 700 watts PEP vs the recommended 600 watts PEP from the 811A tubes. Although the AL-811H is rated at 800 watts PEP out, the rating is over the 811A recommend output.

Sweep tube amps used to be about $300, but are now selling for at about $450 to $600. The SB-200 & FL-2100B are about $600. The AL-811H about $900. And, the 30L-1 is about $550 with shopping for best price. Some have sold for $800 and higher.

Tube replacement costs is about $30 to $40 per 811A tube and 572B about $75. The 572B supply is sketchy and RF Parts does not have Chinese stock right now. The AL-811H does not need a rebuild, the rest should have the electrolytic capacitors replaced. The SB-200 has a lot of rebuilt amps for sale.

The trick with 811A tubes is to tune at reduced power and quickly or you can burn a hole thru the fragile plate. These tubes are not near as rugged as the 572B. About 5 seconds at full power key-down is the limit. Perhaps 8 seconds at 50% reduced power input. 600 watts PEP output requires about 60 watts PEP input. Frankly, the 30L-1 is not an amp you want to use for AM or RTTY service.

I believe the Collins 30L-1 is the best deal out there with some prices in the $550 range and much better built than the sweep tube amps. I say the build quality of the AL-811H, SB-200 and FL-2100B are not far off the Collins build, but not equal. Unlike a few SB-200 transformer failures, the 30L-1 transformer failure is non existent. I read some FL-2100B had band-switch failures.
YS1RS Rating: 2019-06-06
Wonderful Amp! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Have owned one for 7 years now. It was old from circa 1962.
Needed power supply rebuild which I did with a modern Young Kim board replacement. I couldn't be more happy.
Added an Ameritron In Rush Current Outlet protection and turn the amp on/off from that, not using and saving the difficult to find 30L-1 power switch.
It is very easy to tune. I use it with my KWM-2 transceiver. Actually it is giving 900 Watts output but is too much. Lower your input level and use it with 600 Watts max. 60 Watts input is good enough.
I am located in a warm country. Have installed an extra fan to it and never had problems. One drop of oil on the internal fan is all you need. Try to find 811A tubes from RCA if possible.
If you can get one of these amps just grab it.
You'll love this small jewel.
Collins quality!
73
YS1RS
KA4KOE Rating: 2018-09-06
Well Engineered Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
This is one great amplifier. Once you get used to the low power tuning scheme, the amp is a snap to use, especially if matched with an S-line transmitter or KWM-2/2a.

600 watts is plenty.
K4GNO Rating: 2017-07-04
Excellent Quality Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I purchased my 30L-1 new in 1976 so it has given me 41 years of excellent performance. A few years ago, I had Peter K2LRC put in a new power supply board and several new components. Other than that, all I've had to do is replace tubes in the 41 years. What more can I say!
N1BIC Rating: 2015-11-03
Could not ask for more with my Collins 30L-1 Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Peter Wittenberg sold me a restored Collins 30L-1 with the new power supply. The amp and Peter exceeded my expectations! Peter also restored a Collins 30L-1 I bought off of an auction site. Luckily, I am within a few hours drive of Peter's location in Annapolis, MD and was able to personally deliver my amp for service. I was very impressed with Peter's knowledge and his shop (show room). He took time for a visit and stepped me through what he would do to the auction amp. When I made another trip to pick it up I had another chance to learn things that I would never have known about a 30L-1. I even got the parts back that Peter replaced.

He tested all tubes, replaced the power supply, rebuild the bias network, checked the ALC circuit, lubricated RF switches, aligned the input RF circuits and provided output data for each band using a Bird 43, a Bird 4381 and a HP8640B signal generator. Readings agree with my LP-100A.

A great experience with a great person at a reasonable charge.

His website: http://www.k2lrc.com/

A very happy experience and stations I call, almost always, come back to me and I frequently get "good audio" comments as well.

Jack, N1BIC
VE6ND Rating: 2015-02-18
Excellent Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Well, I have owned a Collins 30L-1 for well over 30 years and in that time I have had 8 of them!
Never a problem with distortion or any other issues.
Starting out in the late 70's the adage was to use a twenty foot length of coax to the radio. Being 17 years old I figured the 48" length would suffice, and you know what? It did.
Some of the experts will tell you that it oscillates on 10 meters and does this and that.

Horse cookies! Just because you have a tone of blogs and bragging rights does not make you right.

If you pick one up for about $500 it's a good deal!
Mine, I get an easy 850 watts out from the 811's and don't! Go to the 572B's! Stupidity!
Art Collins designed this for what it was.
Use it!!!

Glenn, VE6ND
K9RJ Rating: 2015-01-26
Quality! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have many amps: ACOM 2000A, Drake L7. Henry 2K-4, HB 3-1000Z and the Collins 30L-1. The Collins is rock solid and if you ever need to repair or re-tube it is easy. I get 500+ watts with 50 watts drive and about 650 watts out with 60 watts drive. I think it looks as good as the day it was made. Far superior to Heathkits and modern 'cheap' amps. Thank you Art Collins for a wonderful amp!
KC9WI Rating: 2013-12-22
The Steinway of Amps Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
The Collins 30L-1 was one of only a few HF amps which could add value to my hybrid station: a Kenwood TS-830s, an all band doublet fed with real ladder line and a Dentron MT-3000a tuner. That's why I searched for one. It is the rare QSO that doesn't include a comment on my great signal and beautiful audio quality. I live for those comments and wouldnt trade one of them for all the S-units in the world. This is why I got back into the hobby after 45 years. I put the 30L-1 right up there with the S Class Mercedes and Steinway piano ... a category Classic.
N9LAP Rating: 2013-10-26
Quality never goes out of style! Time Owned: N.A.
Quiet as any amp with tubes ever made! One thing that doesn't get discussed enough is the audio quality this amp delivers. Obviously if the exciter is junk, the audio will just be amplified, but with all things in the exciter being good, the cleanliness of this amps audio is simply amazing and pure. Yes, today you can buy amps which run the same tube compliment, but starting with the paper like cases they are wrapped in and the lightweight components the Collins is in quite another class,period! For the price why would you even consider another? It's that good and I own Alphas, Henry's etc.when I run it on 75 meters people actually ask if it's the Collns!