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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
K6RB Rating: 2003-03-31
Incredible Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
It's hard not to extoll the virtues of an amp you've paid more than $6,000 for. On the other hand, I bought this one used (less than a year old and $1200 under sticker), so perhaps it would be easier to be more objective. However, I don't have to equivocate - I think it's great. It arrived in virtually mint condition, and has operated flawlessly for three months. I've used it in the ARRL DX Phone contest and, this weekend, in WPX SSB (using club call NW6H). What a pleasure changing bands within seconds! I'd hit the band button on the FT1000-D, turn the antenna switch instantly to dummy load position, press the footswitch, whistle in my mike, and the Alpha 87A would retune within one second. Switch back to my antenna, and I was good to go. Compared with last year, while using a Ten-Tec Centurion, I probably doubled the frequency of band changes, and my score improved from about 750,000 points to over 1,235,000 points in less overall time (about 19 hours). Putting my hand over the top vents, above the 3CX800A7 finals, there's a warm (not hot!) air flow, even when I'm running QSOs at a peak of 220 per hour. I'm sure this is the last amp I'll ever have to buy. On the other hand, I may have to get a small, solid-state amp to go with my future SO2R set up. I had a Ten-Tec Titan and had to replace the power transformer (ouch!!!), an Ameritron AL-80 (had to replace it's transformer, too), and a Ten-Tec Centurion (great amp). But this one is the top of the heap. You don't see many of them for sale, used. Now, I know why.
W7UJ Rating: 2003-01-30
James Bond's Amp Time Owned: more than 12 months.
This is the real deal! There is nothing better for legal limit automatic tuning amplifier. This amp really spoils you, it is so user friendly and it is so overprotected that you can't damage it. Quiet with great metering and backed with superior service. Expensive but the best there is!
PA1KW Rating: 2002-12-19
great service Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Last weekend, i had a problem with autoband switching on my Alpha 87A on 17 meterband.
I wrote an email to Alphapower service on monday morning, and the same day i received an answer from Glen AE0Q tecnician at Alpha.
He wrote to me the solution, wich was a setting problem in the bandswitch driver.
He send me how to solve the problem in the software of the 87A with a terminalprogram in windows.
Direct after changing 1 setting the problem was solved and the 87A works as always...GREAT.
I can recommend Alpha amps to everybody.

Great amplifiers, and a greater service.
Thanks to Glenn AE0Q.
AD6A Rating: 2002-11-16
Excellent piece of equipment! 5 stars!! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
IMO, this is the best HF power amp your money can buy. Sure, it's not cheap, but it's worth every penny IMO. It's real "plug and play" for high-power HF! I have nothing but praise for the Alpha 87A's features. It's a beautifully designed and constructed amp! It will withstand operator error and abuse all day long! Mine has been in use for nearly 2 years now without any problems at all.

To use it, pretty much all I have to do is set the power control on my FT-1000MP Mk V to 10 o'clock, then turn the amp on and wait a few minutes for the tube to warm up - the amp tells you when it's ready. No tuning up. Just hit the key or the PTT and away I go....love it!!

If you're thinking of buying an HF amp for your shack, I would recommend saving up a few more pennies and getting the Alpha 87A. If you don't, you'll end up wishing you did IMO.....

73, Dave, AD6A
W0DJC Rating: 2002-11-14
Excellent Amplifier Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have owned my Alpha 87A for more than 10 years, and it has delivered flawless performance since new. It still puts out 1500 watts with the same amount of drive as when it was new. My operating is almost all dxing, and for a quick full power signal, it can't be beat. Beautiful construction, top quality components and great engineering. 10 years, and it works like new. What else can you ask for?
WA4FOM Rating: 2002-10-10
Buy it; it's worth the money Time Owned: more than 12 months.
This big black steel box weighs a ton and sounds
like a million bucks. It's everything you will
EVER need from an HF amplifier and more. If you
can afford it, buy it. If you can't, save your
pennies and buy one when you can; it's worth it.
former_K4XG_Tom Rating: 2002-10-10
Outstanding Engineering! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
This is the second 87A I have owned and it is truly and outstanding example of quality engineering. In the year and a half that I have owned the second amplifier its operation has been flawless. Installation of the transformer was easy and the tubes come already installed (remove the tube packing is all that is required).

Operating the 87A amp is a hams dream. The automatic bandswiching works perfectly and requires only one or two "dits" on CW or a click of the microphone PTT switch to change bands. Although I am not really a contester per se, I enjoy the instand band change while chasing "band countries" and DX'ing. The new software, I think it is called AlphaMax, is especially nice and the amplifier makes minor adjustments as necessary to adjust to changes in the load.

The amplifier puts out 1500 watts on any mode and has been trouble free. It is capable of in excess of 2000 watts output. The only comment I have is that the 87A is well worth the extra money and is a joy to operate. I thought I would not like the LED bar graph type of metering but I must admit that I love it now that I am use to it. If anyone has any specific questions I would be delighted to answer them. Tom K4XG@arrl.net
N4QT Rating: 2002-05-03
Best I have ever owned! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
What a great piece of engineering! Thanks to a good ham friend of mine in Charlotte I was offered the opportunity to purchase a virtually new Alpha 87A at a great price. I am in the broadcast television business and spend much time around high priced tv broadcast equipment. The Alpha 87A is the first piece of ham gear I have owned in 44 years in this hobby that comes close to our broadcast equipment or the gold standard in ham radio Collins equipment. Great service/operation info from the folks out at Alpha Power in Colorado. The Alpha 87A remains the top of the line in Amateur radio high power amps. I can now be HEARD! No waiting in pileups.
W9AC Rating: 2001-06-22
Still on the Leading Edge! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I recently re-introduced myself to the Alpha 87A amplifier and I'm pleased to report that the 87A with AlphaMax/AlphaRemote is another shining example of high-quality produced by an American company. Alpha amplifiers are now manufactured from the Crosslink facilities in Boulder.

I sold both ACOM 2000A amps last year and decided to stay with my Alpha 77Dx and PA-70V work horses. I had previously owned the 87A but had not tried the AlphaMax firmware. AlphaMax takes "auto tuning" to the next level. To test the capabilities of AlphaMax, I deliberately mistuned my Force12 Sigma-40 antenna. Within several seconds of transmitting, AlphaMax brought the amplifier back to the optimal tuning point. This is something that I could not achieve with the ACOM 2000. At my previous QTH, I had a 40-meter 1/2-wave vertical that was sensitive to moisture and after a good Florida rain, it required that I retune my amplifiers. AlphaMax with it's auto-adaptive firmware would have easily dealt with the antenna's changes and would have constantly re-optimized the tuning as the antenna's base dried out!

The 87A is extremely quiet, rugged and fits in nicely with my legacy Alpha amplifiers. I highly recommend it.
GW4FRX Rating: 2000-06-04
Excellent Time Owned: more than 12 months.
No problems except self-induced ones in four years
of ownership, and excellent service from Alpha
Power when required. The AlphaMax software could
be improved and manual tuning/loading gives more
accurate results. Operationally superb, constructional quality very good indeed. I'd certainly buy another and wouldn't hesitate to do business with the company; one of the best in customer relations terms I've ever dealt with.