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Reviews For: Ameritron ALS-500M

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

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Review Summary For : Ameritron ALS-500M
Reviews: 54MSRP: 799.00
Description:
500W Output Mobile Solid State Amplifier on 12VDC for US
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.ameritron.com/Product.php?productid=ALS-500MR
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00543.9
W3RXO Rating: 2009-04-13
Worthless!!! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I bought mine last week, and waited a day and a half to open up the box it came in. When I did take it out of the box, as I was opening the protective plastic bag around it, I could hear something rattling around in the amplifier. As I opened up the bag, a small, galvanized screw fell out, yet something was still rattling inside the amplifier. I tilted the amplifier, and gently moved it around some, until another identical screw fell out. Something still sounded loose inside, so I wrapped it back up, called AES (the retailer) and told them what happened, and they told me to send it back for a refund. I was not going to chance trying to open it up and put the screws where they belonged. If their QC is that bad, I never want another piece of Ameritron equipment again. Next stop, an SGC Smart Cube. At least their reputation is far better than Ameritron.
ON7NW Rating: 2008-07-12
Flawlessy ??? Time Owned: more than 12 months.
It's the most worstless linear ever met.
After one year the Amp blows his 4 transistors up,why after one year fine working ?
The repair time was 10 months,yes then months and cost me $300 !!!
After the repair and 4 qso's later again the load-fault comes on,coax on combiner board melted.Repaired by myself but again melted.
I have used this amp 1 year in RTTY contest.
This linear doesn't work in RTTY or DIGI-modes.
I repeat: THIS AMP WORKS NOT IN RTTY or DIGI-MODE!!! Also found several splashes of soldering and flux on all print boards.I send this amp not back for second repair it will costs me $1800 total.$1200 amp+$300 repair+next another $300 repair !!!When I can't repair it by myself and advisements of Ameritron I will dump the Amp to the scrapyard with a sledgehammer on the Amp.
The amp is ideal for CB 11m-band and 5niners,where it's belong.No one tells me the amp cannot be used in rtty/digi mode,not even in the brochure or manual,NOT a word of RTTY !
I have two HLA300V who works 2 and 3 years in ALL-modes and contest.One costs me 1/3 of the ALS500,and yes it's Italian and only 300Watts, BUT IT WORKS ALL THE TIME,and have automatic bandswitching.ALS-500 cu at the scrapyard in Hell !!!
WA8IQF Rating: 2007-10-10
Does the job Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I've had my amp since May, 2007 and it has performed well enough. The construction is a bit "cheap-feeling" and it tends to fault for no reason in the driveway. I haven't measured the output, but I'd guess it's more like 300-350 watts, not 400 or 500. (Based on juice fed to it by the puny Toyota minivan alternator and new 800 amp battery.)
My set up is an ICOM706MKIIG and Lakeview hamsticks with the ALS500M in between.
So here we are in a low end of a sunspot cycle and I am mobile, but have worked 48 countries including Senegal, Gambia, and Kuwait. Other than Hawaii the Pacific has eluded me, but afterall, I am on the west coast of Florida.
I think I'm due a relay cleaning.
AC4CP Rating: 2006-02-16
BANG 4 THE BUCK! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
This is my 3rd Ameritron ALS 500. All worked perfectly. This latest model seems to be even better. I have noticed that it no longer has excessive sensitivity to small SWR changes, so it no longer trips fault protection on a frequent basis. Also, love the remote head unit!
K6AER Rating: 2006-02-02
Solid Amplifier Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I bought the amplifier from a ham who said it had a problem. I found a bad 10 cent transistor on the control fault board and replaced it. Reset the output transistors bias and the amplifier worked fine. With 14.4 VDC the amplifier put out 540 watts PEP into a 50 ohm load with 45 watts drive. Peak current is 63 amps. You will need to run a number 4 gage wire from the battery to the amplifier if you want full power output.

Technicals: the amplifier uses 4 2SC2789 transistors in a dual push/pull design with a 90 degree splitter and combiner. There is a fault board for VSWR, overheat and overdrive conditions. The amplifier has a thematically controlled fan which can be set from 90 degrees to 140 degrees for turn on. The front panel on my unit has a manual band switch that selects the necessary low pass filter. Amp meter on the front panel indicated the amperage is not accurate but serves the function of letting you know the unit is working normally. On/Off switch is the only other front panel control.

Operation needs the PTT ground from the transceiver for keying and DC from the transceiver on switch to provide operational on voltage. This can also be connected to the battery source.

My initial concern with this amplifier was with quality. This was typical Ameritron in construction. Some flux was visible on the PCB but in all honesty I under stand this is not a SGC unit costing twice as a much with eight output transistors instead of four. PCB layout was very conventional with a fan pressure charging the cabinet and exhaust passing across the heat sink fins and out the opposite side. The control fault PCB is mounted to the chassis and the Low Pass PCB matrix is just behind the switch located up front. This is an easy amp to work on and all in all pretty conventional in design. I found the quality more than acceptable for a unit in this price range. These amps can be found for about $500 on line and present a good bargain. Another desirable feature is the 2SC2879 transistor only cost about $30 per pair of units.

On the air results are excellent with great audio reports from my FT-100D driving the amplifier with 45 watts. Input VSWR is below 1.3:1. I have found that the using an amplifier for mobile operation has greatly increased the ease of HF operation.
LX1NO Rating: 2005-11-03
A good performer Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have mine for about 5 years. Nothing to complain about. I used it two times during our holidays in TF, once at a base station, once in a camper.
Only drawback, finding a switching power supply when using it at remote places. At the beginning, I used 2x 40A PS, then later got a 60A PS and this setup performs just fine.
Planing to install it in the car for the next season. Does anyone have experience already with the remote control or the programmable Ameritron interface for the HS-1800? Comments on the last two to my lx1no at yahoo.com address appreciated.

73 Norby
N4RAP Rating: 2005-08-02
Okay Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Unlike other Ameritron equipment that I have owned...this thing just looks and feels cheap. It worked well, though but for appaerence and workmanship...I just didn't like it. I was very disappointed the the relay is out in the open and must be cleaned by the operator, every month!!! That means taking the cover off. And if you had it mounted in your mobile...it means taking all of that stuff a loose and then opening the top!!! It's in the owner's manual and I just couldn't believe it!! I did use it in my car for about 6 months and it performed flawlessly. I also ran it as a base amplifier and again it performed flawlessly.

N4RAP
K4KAL Rating: 2005-03-18
Rugged Amplifier ! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I have been looking for a good amplifier that has the design to protect the finals for high SWR and dumb mistakes by me when changing bands with my Screwdriver Antenna. So if this is you? this is your Amp...

It is very important you wire this amp with 4 AWG or 0 AWG with a good Optima Type Battery with 900+ Cranking Amps. I used Maxi Fuse Blocks for Positive and Negative (Found on ebay.com) and wired for 100 Amps of total current.

In my configuation, I am using the Icom 706MKIIG, and a High Sierra 1800/PRO. I am getting about 600 to 650 watts output on voice peaks. The Amplifier is drawing about 80+ Amps on high side, and about 60 Amps average.

I have not had any problems with amp kicking off (Fault) while driving (if SWR Changes), just when I tune my antenna or change frequencies without turning the amp off. My Stupidity... A remote On/Off Switch is a must have.

I purchased a matching black box from High Sierra to match my I-Box Controller, and it looks cosmetically good and I have a red led that lights when the amp is on. The Amp is mounted to far away for me to get to while in the driver seat. I do have to get out of the vehicle to change the band selector switch, it's not that big a deal for me.

I will put pictures on my website in the future when I have more time. Overall, I am very happy with my purchase, and will consider purchasing another one for my other vehicle in the next few months.
KB9BPF Rating: 2005-03-11
I like mine Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I get a clean 450W PEP (measured on Palstar WM-150M meter) out of mine driving it with Alinco DX-70TH with the little internal slide switch for HI power level set to 60W. Many times I'm mistaken for a fixed station.

I use an AmComm ASAC to assist in my screwdriver antenna tuning for safer driving. In order to prevent the amp from activating during tuning, I built a little interface box that disables the PTT form the radio to the amp when the tuner is in operation. That way I don't have to be concerned about putting the amp in standby each time I want to tune.

On 75 and 40 in particular, the SWR protection circuit tends to kick out a lot driving in town when going by traffic lights and overhead wires, but that's because the antenna characteristics actually change and throw the SWR off when those things are in the near field of the antenna, not due to an amplifier flaw. I'm happy that it is able to protect itself. I know some guys tweak the internal adjustments for the protection circuit to make it more lenient, but I'd rather be safe and reset the amp from time to time.

I've had no reliability issues. I keep the amp's air intake and vent clear of obstruction and it's been mounted out of direct sunlight behind the passenger seat. I use an auxilliary battery isolated from the main battery by a pair of 40A Schottkey rectifiers in parallel. Both main and aux batteries have 60A fuses on both leads.

If I have any criticism of this amp, it's that it isn't remote bandswitchable. I've got a new vehicle now and I won't be able to mount the amp and rig behind the seat in easy reach any more. It will need to be mounted back in the cargo area in the rear of the vehicle. So I'm going to make a PC board with Omron 16A relays to install in place of the manual bandswitch and I'm going to interface it to an IC-706 so it bandswitches automatically.
WM5L Rating: 2005-02-20
Nice for the money Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I get 450+ on all bands with 50w in. Easy to use and run.