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Reviews For: Alpha 87A

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

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Review Summary For : Alpha 87A
Reviews: 98MSRP: 6500 + shipping
Description:
The Ultimate Linear Amplifier
Product is not in production
More Info: https://www.alpharfsystems.com/
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00984.8
N2TU Rating: 1999-09-20
Alpha 87A equals Fine AMP! Time Owned: unknown months.
I, too, had one of the first models off the line. Think it is number 11. It is a GREAT amp and Alpha Power service is great.

After I had the amp for two years, it developed a hard fault. Some of the early ones were prone to hard faults if driven with 200 watt rigs, like the 1000D. Alpha took it back, fixed the problem and upgraded it to the latest firmware and hardware...at no cost to me. Since then it has been operating flawlessly and is by far the best AMP I've ever owned (Also had previous ALPHAs, Ameritron and Henrys)
K2WE Rating: 1999-09-13
My 87A Spent more time in Colorado than I ever wil Time Owned: unknown months.
I really hope Alpha Power has there act together. I have owned original Alpha amps from the 76CA to the 78 to the 77Dx over the past 20 years. I owned one of the first 87A's (serial #0002). It made 8.. Yes 8 trips back to Colorado in the first 2 years I owned it, sometimes hard faulting when it wasn't even turned on!! I learned to un-plug it when not in use!! Always some poor grade, inexpensive part took it out. With the kind of money these amps sell for, I would expect commercial or Mil-Spec parts to be the only ones used. The day I sold my 87A, I felt a giant load removed from my back. I now own a Commander HF-2500E. I realize it's not an auto tune amp with all the bells & whistles but all I ask is that it work when I need it. I've compared the components in the two. The Commander uses the finest parts around.. I didn't notice anything second rate.. The amplifier is one of the most expensive pieces of equipment most hams will ever buy. Just give us an amp that will work when we need it....
N6MZ Rating: 1999-09-12
Great piece of engineering Time Owned: unknown months.
I've used 8 or 10 different 87As for DXing and contesting --- every one has been as solid and stable as a rock. The new "AlphaMax" software upgrade converts the amp to be fully autotuning, a very nice feature that works amazingly well (although I still prefer to tune my amps manually). The protection circuits are outstanding, I never worry about the amp, even when I'm using it via remote control 2,000 miles away.
KC2WX Rating: 1999-09-03
Wow! Time Owned: unknown months.
I have been using mine for about a month now. It performs flawlessly! The
AA2LF Rating: 1999-09-02
it works but ... wind happens! Time Owned: unknown months.
I had to send mine 3 times back to its mother
just because some of components simply failed:
a normally closed switch was failing and gave me hard faults (made in Mexico );
diodes after diodes after diodes...
a steping motor for tuning...
Frankly, too much grief, too much $$$ and very
arrogant people in Colorado...
Sold it and bought an IC-PW1
SM3SGP Rating: 1999-09-01
Time Owned: unknown months.
I have owned a 87A for about 1.5 year now. From the beginning with a humming transformer that Alpha sent a replacement for free. Later, a major breakdown due to the
K6IR Rating: 1999-09-01
Best Time Owned: unknown months.
I have owned several amplifiers over the years including a Collins 30S-1 and the Alpha 77SX. The 87A has performed flawless in routine DXing, rag chewing and many, many DX contests. Best amp I have operated.
W4AN Rating: 1999-08-27
Great amplifier!!! Time Owned: unknown months.
I have used mine remotely for a couple of years as well as in contests. It just plain works. Instant tune is really neat.