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Reviews For: Trio TL -911

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

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Review Summary For : Trio TL -911
Reviews: 2MSRP:
Description:
Cheap 2kw input valve amp
Product is not in production
More Info: http://
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
0023.5
DK3QN Rating: 2003-06-26
hot - but not everybodys darling Time Owned: more than 12 months.
This is a piece of equipment from the sweep tube days. In order to hit a target price point, RF power amps of this age incorporated cheap sweep tubes. Today, finding spares of the originally used tubes is quite a challenge and they are rather expensive. Trio/Kenwood rated it at 2 KW PEP SSB input which is rather optimistic.

Mine is converted to Russian EL-509 (Svetlana). It puts out about 1.1 KW PEP on 40m. You can run it at this power only with un-clipped SSB. The 5 tubes EL509 can take about 35 watts of plate dissipation each. So you know what's going to happen if you run this baby on continuous duty modes. A no-no.

Conversion to EL-509 needs changes to the tube sockets. In addition, you have to remove the internal RF compartment cover as the EL-509's do not fit inside the compartment regarding their vertical dimensions. Use of ceramic plate caps is now mandatory. As the RF compartment cover is removed the only protection from possibly touching hazarduous voltages is the top cabinet door which can easily be removed after tilting over 2 small levers.

TL-911 does not provide an input matching network. Input is directly C-coupled to the tubes' cathodes. Input SWR is an issue on most bands for solid state TRXs.

Today I would not recommend a purchase as there are other reasonably priced second hand amps around, like the SB-200, which do not have all these limitations.

However, the built quality and implementation is extraordinary. I have never seen another amp with so many RF decoupling C's and filtering inductors as in the TL-911.
MWOKIK Rating: 2002-11-19
cheap & cheerful Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
wow I paid £180 (sterling) for second hand amp. This does 600w easy with 100w drive, peaking at over 900w on ssb.

It uses 6lq6 valves (cheap & easy to find).

If you want power on a budget the TL911 is your man...

note - to wor topband this amp does need modifying.

73

leigh

mw0kik