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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
K2UE Rating: 2013-03-04
Superb Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I spent 45 years as an RF Engineer, and I I've seen a lot of PA's, but this one is genius -- it just lays there and does it's job, quietly and competently. The best value for dollar I ever spent.
KJ6YVT Rating: 2013-02-22
Rock Solid and Fully Automatic or Manual Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
This vintage hardware still delivers rock solid performance and conveyance. Dick Ehrhorn created a masterpiece. This linear amplifier just works without requiring operator attention. It will deliver in excess of maximum legal power virtually indefinitely; hence the brick-on-key trade mark.

The Alpha 87A AlphaMax firmware enables it to automatically tune to any frequency in less than one second, and it is supported by computer station-control software (I use TRX-Manager). And with the addition of an Alpha Digital Antenna Selector, it even selects the proper antenna for any band for which it is programmed. The 87A is fully protected from ham-handed operators, and will protect itself in the event an issue occurs that might cause damage.

RF Concepts' support is first rate, very rapid, knowledgeable, and professional. You'll find a lot of Alpha 87A information, including videos, schematic, and more, available on this web page: .

Dick Ehrhorn was certainly correct when he said, "Nothing else is even close to an ALPHA 87A!"
Z35F Rating: 2013-01-08
Great Amplifier Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have worked several times in contest with Alpha 87 ...excellent linear amplifier
WW1SS Rating: 2013-01-02
AWESOME Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Have had my Alpha 87A for 3 months. This is by far the best amp I've owned.I have had Tokyo's, Quadra's and none can compare. Auto band changing with no special cables is great. Just key and start talking. I just sold it and ordered a 9500 . . . CAN'T WAIT
N5TF Rating: 2012-12-17
Best Amp I Ever Used Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I have a slightly used Alpha 87A ex owner K5JZ. I cannot say enough about the ease of use and the confidence that comes with the utmost reliability. This amp is built tough to perform day in and day out. After owning my Alpha for almost a year, I would not consider any other options. Simply the best.

N5TF
WA8VPN Rating: 2012-12-12
This is a great Amplifier Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have had several amplifiers while being a Ham, but this Alpha 87A really does the job. I have worked all countries and am on the 1 ARRL-DXCC Honor Roll all SSB. I do really like the auto tune and power it produces. I really would want to purchase a new Alpha if something would happen to this one. Gud dx to all and have a happy Christman
K9XK Rating: 2012-10-27
Still a Standard Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Back in the old "Click. I just turned on the Alpha" ads, this is what they were talking about. I have owned many other amps - including a couple other Alphas, some solid-state amps, etc - and this thing just rules. It's a total workhorse.

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Earlier 5-star review posted by K9XK on 2006-02-26

* of legal limit amplifiers

Of course there is a growing acceptance of the notion that it is okay to buy and use 5kw + amps. Even Alpha has text on their web site about one their high-powered wattmeters that snickers about breaking the rules. But that is just a sign of the times and coincides with other hip ideas such as that everyone with a pulse should now be upgraded to Extra, etc.

As for the 87A, it does its thing quite impressively. I think the blower is actually quite quiet. It is a very efficient design versus the brute force muffin fans used on amps like the Emtron DX-2sp and IC-PW1, which are both sort of loud. I have a 91B and it is also quiet. ETO/Alpha did a good job here. (both of my Alpha amps are actually ETO vintage)

The amp does moan and groan in a way that took a little getting used to, because my other no-tune amp (PW1) hardly made any noise at all. Maybe the fan noise masked it.

The 87A is a "pretty" amp that has almost a high-end, military look. It is extremely clean. The LEDs are neat but I still have issues with the low resolution of LEDs in some applications, and the TUNE meter on the 87A is a great example. I would hate to have to rely on this to get a good initial tune, because using the stepper motor switches takes more time than with knobs and you end up stepping 20 steps just to see that you're going in the wrong direction. Thank God for AlphaMax, which you know will do any further tweaking for you and pretty much eliminates the need to do anything other than a one-time pre-tune. Otherwise, I'd hook up a wattmeter to do final tuning. And then pray that the plate dipped along with the power peak since the low-resolution TUNE meter would also be used to check for a proper dip.

The only other little nit I have about this wonderful amp is that while it can handle mismatches of up to 3:1 in theory, it is touchy and does not like much reflected power. Even though I don't push it beyond 1500w, I sometimes get a fault if I move from a portion of the band where my VSWR goes up from, say, 1.5:1 to 1.8:1. I have to reduce the drive a little bit and cycle the switch. That is a little less "battleship-like" than I would like but it is only a minor annoyance.
N1CH Rating: 2012-09-24
The Greatest amp of it's time Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I owned the amp for more than 10 years and never had a problem, the tubes were still doing legal limit i had to sell it to pay taxes but i am going to buy another alpha amp.
KD8JPM Rating: 2012-09-21
ALPHA 87A Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
the alpha 87a is a great amp and does what u want it to do no issuses with it tubes are real good and last a long time i run 1500w all the time on it and you cant ask for a better amp 73s KD8JPM keith
KB3OVB Rating: 2012-09-05
Awson amp Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
After having three other amps none being an Alpha I saw an ad for an Alpha preowned.I got in touch with Molly from RF Concepts who found me an 87A factory reconditioned and with a factory warranty.I have had the amp for over 6 months now and this is the first time I can be heard in a pile up with no problem.This amp is definitely a plug and play amp. All I have to do is turn it on and the amp does all the rest.With about 40 watts drive on most bands I have the legal limit out.I will not be parting with this amp to soon.