Manager


Manager - NA4M
Manager Notes

Reviews For: Mirage B-2518-G

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

eMail Subscription

Registered users are allowed to subscribe to specific review topics and receive eMail notifications when new reviews are posted.
Review Summary For : Mirage B-2518-G
Reviews: 3MSRP: 369.95
Description:
VHF AMP, 25W IN-160W OUT, 144-148 MHZ
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.mirageamp.com/Product.php?productid=B-2518-G
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
0034.7
KG4FET Rating: 2018-02-20
Does what it's supposed to Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
First a warning HARD KEY THE AMP if you plan to use the pre-amp. If you don't know what this means please look it up. Amp works fine, does exactly what it is supposed to. Looks better then the old style amps.
WD9RON Rating: 2017-07-30
GREAT AMP! Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I've had three of these amps and the old, old ones had problems with the preamplifier going out. Fixed a lot of these for people! But these new ones have the problem fixed and run GREAT! Very happy with my new one. I run on just a GP-9 ant from the house and have fantastic range now. Thank-You MIRAGE for such a GREAT new unit! GREAT preamplifier and a GREAT amp! You should run a FAN on top of the heat sink tho for heat control.
K4MSG Rating: 2013-10-17
Works FB! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I purchased this amplifier in order to continue QRP EME operation after I (a) sold my old 200w TE systems amp, and (b) replaced it with a 350w TE systems amp that I promptly "toasted" by accidentally operating it with NO ANTENNA connected! The Mirage was the cheapest immnediate alternative and was regarded as a "stop-gap", but in fact it's done quite well!

Output is "as advertised", e.g., with 25w in I get 160w out. If I "push" it to 35w in I get almost 175w out - but I *DO NOT* recommend this for normal operation; keep it within recommended limits! The unit has "overdrive" protection but apparently I can't drive it hard enough to make it trip, but I monitor my input drive to be safe, anyway. It also has VSWR protection and that definitely works! If the "other" amp had included VSWR protection I wouldn't have fried it! (But that was definitely "my bad", no excuses).

The preamp works fine (spec is 1 dB NF), about as good as the preamp in my old 200w TE amp that was sold but not quite as sensitive as the 0.7 dB preamp in the new TE unit I "fried".

Lots of folks like to "trash" MFJ, but I'm not one of them. This amp is well-built; I've had the cover off and inside it looks very well-assembled. Adjustment pots are marked with the circuit-symbol numbers shown on the schematic so you can "figure out" what to adjust if you know how to read schematics & trace circuit functions on it.

If you want to try some low-budget QRP EME on 144 MHz, or need more "oompf" in your signal for terrestrial weak-signal work, you cannot beat this amp for anywhere near the same price.