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Reviews For: Yaesu Quadra VL-1000

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

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Review Summary For : Yaesu Quadra VL-1000
Reviews: 87MSRP: 4000
Description:
Solid-state, automated 1 kW HF/6m linear amplifier
Product is not in production
More Info: https://www.yaesu.com/indexVS.cfm?cmd=DisplayProducts&ProdCatID=102&encProdID=261A83CAF673084AAC58C6801013F76F&DivisionID=65&isArchived=1
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
25874.3
VA7OJ Rating: 2018-10-07
20th "birthday!" Time Owned: more than 12 months.
20 years old and still going strong! My Quadra is now set up for two exciters, IC-7610 and IC-7300. At this rate, the Quadra could well outlast me.

73, Adam VA7OJ/AB4OJ

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Earlier 5-star review posted by VA7OJ on 2017-12-11

My Quadra has now been in my station for 19 years, and is still operating flawlessly. The current exciter is an IC-7300, with an IC-7610 soon to follow. I use the simple "Band Data 2" interface.

I believe strongly that the Quadra is one of the best solid-state HF/6m amplifiers currently on the amateur market.
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Earlier 5-star review posted by VA7OJ on 2015-11-15

My faithful old Quadra is still chugging along at 1 kW (occasionally turned down to 500W) after 17 years in my station. The current exciter is an IC-7700.
KD1MA Rating: 2018-05-06
Good amp but... Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have an older one also. Just had to have the in rush resistors replaced (thank you N4ATS) when the power came back on after a 3 day storm outage. However, I think the Rig Experts have a much superior amp but it is a bit pricey. I'll keep mine until it gives up for good.
N4MIT Rating: 2018-05-05
Old but still good Time Owned: more than 12 months.
This amp is nearly 20 yrs old. The technology has passed it by long ago but it still works and it works very well. Yes it has 8 old MRF-150 MOS in it and the power supply does talk back to you sometimes, but I get well over 1200w solid key down, high duty cycle, clean RF and that's good in my book. Reliable? well its nearly 20yrs old so, I'd say yeah.

I wish Yaesu would redesign the venerable old VL-1000 to match the newer rigs. The Orange dot matrix display is plain ugly and outdated.

Would I buy a brand new one? I'm not sure, $4500 is a lot of money for 20yr old technology. Redesign it with LDMOS, a new supply, updated tuner and a color touch screen and you bet I would.

That being said... I would still buy a used one in a heartbeat. The Yaesu Quadra VL-1000 is a solid amp in spite of its age.
K9SO Rating: 2018-01-18
Power supply failed again: third time Time Owned: more than 12 months.
The inrush resistors in the power supply failed for the third time. They lasted a bit over 3 years this time but Yaesu denies that they have a problem. See my description of their design problem in the review below. I am running the amplifier via a step down transformer at only 217 volts. Yaesu engineers designed this thing for 220VAC which is the standard voltage in Japan, not the 240VAC used here. USA 240VAC will damage this amplifier. Their service techs have admitted that to me. Apparently 217VAC only slows the failure down though. The inrush resistors are severely overstressed if the power supply is accidentally plugged in when the power switch is ON. Or when you have a power failure like I did just now.
The resistors are buried deep inside the power supply and it requires major surgery to replace them. I will fix it and then sell it to one of you who think this power supply / amplifier is so good.

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Earlier 5-star review posted by K9SO on 2014-07-28

If it failed for the second time, why would I rate it a FIVE? Because it's really a fine product. But here's what's going on:

Inrush current is limited by the notorious R2A/B/C string of resistors. Once the large value input capacitors are charged, the resistors are bypassed by relay X1. Inrush current is limited by the three 5.6 ohm resistors and the small resistance of the line filter inductors. Call it 20 ohms total. Inrush current is then 15.4 amperes peak with a 220 volt input. During this time the 5 watt R2 resistors are possibly subjected to over 1300 watts of dissipation (peak).
But this is only for a short time (probably no more than 8.3mS) so the resistors can handle that.
The problem is if you apply line voltage when the front panel switch is ON, there is a load on the input capacitors and they take much longer to charge. Relay X1 takes much longer to operate and the resistors are subjected to over-dissipation for a much longer period of time. The result is the obvious failures of one or more of the R2A/B/C resistors.
I have (had) a main breaker switch in the shack which I usually throw when I leave. I seldom turned off the power supply at the front panel switch. Even at 125 volts, it was just a matter of time.
Note that the front panel switch does not disconnect the AC mains. They are always connected unless the rear breaker is thrown. So the solution is simple: just keep the power supply connected to a hot AC main at all times. If you have to unplug it for any reason, make sure the load is not connected and that the front panel switch is OFF when you plug it back in.
It would have been nice if Yaesu had figured this out over the past 10 years of problems, but in the end I have to agree that this is an otherwise incredible product. I doubt that the autotransformers are necessary as long as the AC mains stay connected. They won't hurt, but they won't help with this problem (mine failed even at 125 volts). Note that this can still be an issue if you experience multiple power failures and are caught with the front panel switch in the ON position.


W4DID Rating: 2017-12-08
ABSOLUTELY BULLET PROOF ! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I bought this amp along with my Yaesu FTDX-5000MP in February 2005. Since then, I have not had any problems with the amp or rig at all. I have been on the air for almost 60 years and this thing is really bulletproof !! Every once in a while it will stop me dead in my tracks by not responding to a command. I have learned how to understand what it is telling me when that happens ! It simply says check your settings you idiot! And every time it makes me laugh at myself because EVERY TIME I failed to set something right! This is the most perfect rig & amp I have ever owned bar NONE !!
KG5ABW Rating: 2017-02-09
GREAT AMP Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have now had the Quadra now for 3 years and it is working fine with a buck boost. No problems here.

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Earlier 5-star review posted by KG5ABW on 2016-09-23

The quadra amp is a good amp I have had it for 2 years now. I highly recommend it.
K6RMJ Rating: 2017-02-06
best solid state amp in existance Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have had this amp for 4 years. Not a bit of trouble. My own opinion there is a solid state amp that is as easy to set up as this one.Fully automatic. I just wish Yeasu would come out with a 2 KW solid state amp. I would buy it in a flash.
K6RMJ,
K5YY Rating: 2016-11-04
Great but manual details lacking Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Love this amp. Have had it 10+ years and have it set for 1 KW output, although it will do 1200 watts. Not worth running it at 1.2KW output for a fraction of a dB gain. READ the manual completely!! Once set up for your shack, there will only be 1-2 buttons to push. Now, years ago I got extra published information from "gurus" on this amp and put notations in my manual's side columns on various pages. The understanding of the amp's workings is hard if you only read the basic manual. Subtleties exist. If you want to run a 2nd rig to the inputs and one is NOT a Yaesu then things are not easy unless you know the DIN connections and phono inputs etc.. I do run an Icom on RTTY about 8 feet away on 40 and 80m, but the transceiver input on the amp has to be changed from 1 to 2, etc. It is worth the expense to get this amp if you have a Yaesu transceiver. Seamless band switching. I NEVER use the internal tuner, as it is not designed for high SWR reactances, so I use my Nye Viking 3KW tuner. NEVER, NEVER use an amp's built in tuner in series with the input of an external tuner. That goes for all amps and external tuner setups. This amp and the power supply on the floor, once set up properly, have never had to be messed with. Read elsewhere about always turn on the ext supply FIRST, making sure AC is connected at ALL times before turning on the amp RF deck per se. NEVER turn on and off the AC mains to the PS with the amp PS in the "ON" position. And, turn on PS first ALWAYS, then the RF deck. Do not turn on the PS from your AC breaker with the PS in the "ON" position. Leave AC breaker ON and control amp system with the ON switch of the PS. See ... this can be complicated. Product Reviews are important to read!! Otherwise the manual is too brief and can be costly if you make a couple of avoidable mistakes. Good luck!
VE3TCV Rating: 2016-11-04
Solid amp, flawless performance Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Purchased this amp used about one year ago, I have used it very heavily in several contests running at 1000W SSB for 24-48hrs without a rest. I have also used the amp in RTTY contests running it for almost 24 hours continuously at 500W with no issues at all. It is very solidly built and very easy to use, the screen is very well designed and displays the information in an easy to read manner.

I have one main negative on the amp to point out, the amp must be turned on fully for the antenna to pass through. So even if you want to run 100w barefoot you NEED to have the amp ON. To get around this I configured some antenna switches to be able to bypass the amp completely when barefoot so that I can leave the amp off when it is not required.

The built in antenna tuner will not work magic, it is meant to "touch up" your SWR. If you are planning to justify the purchase of this amp by getting rid of your high power turner don't! I use a Palstar HF-Auto tuner with this setup, they seem to work perfectly together.

All in all I am very pleased with this amplifier, it works perfectly with both my FDTX-3000 as well as my FT-991. I hear that it works very nicely with ICOM radios as well in case you worried about being "stuck" with a Yaesu radio ;)
N3CML Rating: 2016-10-14
Love my Yaesu VL-100 Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I purchased a Yaesu Vl-1000 amplifier for my Ham Radio shack. I noticed the specs required a 220v single phase line.
I thought 220/230/250 is all the same. I know when I had a 208 volt 3 phase motor to install if the motor was not rated for 208volts we used buck boost transformers.
I contacted many of the users here and they shared with me what they were using.
Today’s electronic equipment requires the voltage to be what the manufacturer wants. I had 250 vac. The new piece of equipment required 220 vac.
I was recommended a transformer by another manufacturer. The price was steep. I searched on the internet and I found Jefferson Buck/ Boost transformers. They met the specs I needed and they had a cross over sheet. Yes, a direct replacement for the one that was recommended.
The price was a lot lower, the same specs, free shipping and a 10 year Warranty.
Here is the link https://www.automationdirect.com/static/specs/buckboosttransformerspecs.pdf

Anyway, I am a happy camper.
Joe N3CML