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Reviews For: Henry 4K ULTRA

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

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Review Summary For : Henry 4K ULTRA
Reviews: 6MSRP: 8000.00
Description:
HF Linear Amplifier - Heavy Duty
Product is not in production
More Info: http://
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
0064.7
I0JX Rating: 2020-12-12
Wonderful amplifier but... Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Really superior quality & design, no modern amplifier can compare with the 4k-Ultra in that respect. I own serial# 5 since 1971 and I only had a single failure along 50 years of operation (one of the power supply diodes failed).

But changing band is a real nuisance. Having no bandswitch, one must make many turns of the Tune (hard to rotate!) and Load controls until reaching the desired setting, the worst case being a change from 10 meters to 80 meters (or viceversa).

Along several decades of ham radio I have become progressively accustomed to change band quite often, and presently the 4k-Ultra does no longer well serve my needs. I then bought a solid-state amplifier with automatic bandswitching and my 4k-Ultra now stays dormant in a corner of my shack.

Many years ago my rating would have been even more than 5 but today, taking also into account the bandswitching inconvenience, I cannot give it more than an overall 3.
K9HZ Rating: 2019-08-13
Love my 4K Ultra Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I bought my 4K Ultra from a CBer (HA!). The amp had been hit by lightning and the power supply and line section needed work. It took me a few days to get the parts and get it back synchronized (tuning coupled coil and cap is a bit difficult to align if you have never tried it before). Even got the line section fixed. Works perfectly... puts out plenty of power easily.

I'll never sell this amp.
KC5TJT Rating: 2008-08-07
HENRY.. ENOUGH SAID! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Picked this amp up a few months back.. I find myself running it more and more. Over the 8K Ultra and the 77Sx I own. Tunes EASY.. Will do 3KW EASY and really a all around amp. It has many features the 8K doesnt have like the Staged Voltage start. Acts like a manual SOFT START. The metering setup is fantastic. The noise is not bad.. The 8877 is a rugged tube and will last forever on LOW Power with 40 watts input and 1500 watts output. JUST BUILT LIKE A TANK!! BUILT TO LAST A LIFETIME and this is a KEEPER FOR ME!!
AI0S Rating: 2007-02-08
Ultimate amp Time Owned: more than 12 months.
This is an amp for those of us who appreciate a _real_ piece of equipment as opposed to current consumer LED-bedecked and overpriced offerings from companies some of which names might possibly begin with an "A". It's a bit like comparing a Chrysler 440 Hemi to a Lexus.
Totally legal in low power setting of course, which for this particualr amp is an always sufficient 1500 to 1800 watts PEP...
No, you don't want to jack it up to hign 'cause that'll do an easy 2500 to 3000 watts output....
PS. Needs a good (probably dedicated), 240 VAC thirty amp circuit.
PPS. Only exceeded by the 8K Ultra (tubes with handles), for those "in the know".
1/QRP. Huuummmmmmmmmgrrrrr. The sound of power.....
KQ6FU Rating: 2003-05-12
A beast.... Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I bought this amp 2nd hand and it was very well cared for. Aside from all the technical babble that you can read on the Henry site, this amp is great. It's easy to use, tunes up quickly and takes very little to get it to the nominal 1600w on the LOW setting.
The high setting as yielded 3.04kw (in to a dummy load of course) with relative ease.
If you can find one, get it or you'll regret it. Mark KQ6HW had the chance and passed it up, now he regrets it every time I tune up!
73
Sean
KQ6FU
W0DC Rating: 2002-02-10
A Great Amplifier! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
The 4K ULTRA uses a 8877 (3CX1500) Eimac triode in grounded grid service to deliver a factory rated 2000 continuous (RTTY) watts output (2500 for SSB). Covers 3 - 30 MHz continuous. Heavy duty power supply uses step-start circuitry and oil capacitors. The RF tank circuit is a thing of beauty with robust components including vaccuum load and tune capacitors and a vacuum TR relay. Three panel meters monitor high voltage, plate current, grid current, power (Bird meter w/ forward & reverse), and filament voltage. Barely gets warm at amateur power limits!