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Reviews For: TE Systems 0552G 50 Mhz 375 watts linear amplifier

Category: Amplifiers: RF Power - 6M/VHF/UHF+

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Review Summary For : TE Systems 0552G 50 Mhz 375 watts linear amplifier
Reviews: 16MSRP: 500
Description:
Frequency: 50-54Mhz (tuned for 2 Mhz bandwidth) Input power: 10-25 watts; Output power: >375 watts; Amp. Ratio: 15 (25watt in 375 watt out); Class operation: AB linear;
Rx preamp gain: >15db; Rx preamp NF : <0.6db; Power: 13.8v 55A
Product is in production
More Info: http://
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00164.6
DF9CY Rating: 2020-05-19
Good little power booster Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I purchased this amplifier in 2008 used from a ham in 9H (Malta) as second hand for a danish friend, but since then he did not really use it. With a drive power of 25w (measured this with a R&S power meter) I see an output power of about 220W. Oh, this is low, you may say, but the power supply is only capable of delivering 11,3V at 50A (11,7V with no load). Input VSWR of the PA is less than 1:1.2 in any case. At first I thought, one of the transistors may be dead with that "low" output power, but they are all OK. So it must be the low supply voltage, which on the other hand makes operation more robust. Destroyed transistors will be expensive to replace. I added a fan running permanently at low speed and this keeps the heatsink cool even after longer transmission periods.
I am indeed missing some safety circuit especially against high output SWR and overdrive, therefore I can rate this amp only at 4/5.
After a while in Denmark it came back to me.
As we in DL are allowed legal power now since May 6th, 2020, I have put it behind my TS590s with about 25w of drive power. It is working fine with an average of little over 200w of output (with PSU of 11,5V).
GL and 73 Christoph DF9CY
VE6MB Rating: 2020-05-05
Good performing 6m amplifier. Some issues with rated output. Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I purchased this amplifier in June of 2019, following my successful purchase of their 1452G 2m amp (see that review elsewhere on here).

Unlike my experiences with their 2m amp, and consistent with some of the reviews on here.....there were immediate concerns with the output of the amp not meeting the manufacturers ratings. I could not get the rated output.

Although I did extensive controlled testing of the amplifier upon receipt and shared with TE the results; I was immediately blamed for over-driving it, or that my radio (IC-7300) has an ALC overshoot problem.....which was simply not true. The amplifier works fine...except for the lower output....

Nonetheless, I dropped the discussion with Te (it was going nowhere)...and continue to use the amp to this day.

Note that TE amplifiers typically want to see more than 12V (or even 13.8V) during operation. I usually turn up my power supply to ~14.2-14.3V and this helps tremendously.

Here is the input power / output power curves, that I'm seeing:

@14.25VDC

IC-7300 dial @ 10% (9W) input / 120W output
IC-7300 dial @ 20% (15W) input / 200W output
IC-7300 dial @ 25% (19W) input / 250W output
IC-7300 dial @ 30% (24W) input / 300W output

....and I don't dare to drive anymore power into it...as it is only rated for 25W input. I have heard of people driving it a little higher....but not me.

Therefore, I am still happy with the amplifier...a little disappointed with the output power.....and very disappointed with TE's handling of this.....especially as I had been a repeat customer.

YMMV (your-mileage-may-vary).

KJ4SSX Rating: 2020-01-02
Great linear state amp. Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I bought this unit about 3 months ago. It was recommended to me by a friend. It is a great amp but I like others, have never been able to get 375 w into a dummy load but have gotten about to 325. However I am a net control for a 6 meter net and it has helped me to reach out to stations all over the state. The pre-amp helps me copy those hard to reach stations. One suggestion, if you order one tell them what you are using it for (SSB, CW or other wise). They will customize and tune it for your needs.
WX4US Rating: 2019-07-02
Great amp & company Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I purchased a TE Systems 6 meter amp at a hamfest years ago. I never got the full 375 watts out of it, but did get about 200 with 25 watts drive. The preamp was amazing registering an easy 20 db gain (3.5 S units) and pulled signals out of white noise. In May I could no longer get 200 watts from it, only 100 watts. So I called the company and talked to David Anderson. I told him I was using a Astron 70 amp supply to power it, #8 wire to carry the load, the antenna has a 1.2:1 match yet I can only get out of the amp the same power I can get from my transceiver. And the audio seemed to be distorted with the amp in use and clear straight from the rig. Bottom line, I sent the amp back. 3 days after they received it I received a call saying that the amp was repaired and what exactly was wrong with it, how much it cost, they had peaked the amp for my uses on the lower end of 50Mhz, and they had ALREADY shipped the amp back, could they get a credit card number from me? Not only was I impressed at the speed of the repair, but the attention to tuning for my use, AND that they had shipped the amp back to me BEFORE it was even paid for!!! I have never done business with this company before. They told me that they just wanted to get me back on the air as quickly as possible. WOW! And I'm one of those guys who was beginning to believe that no one offered customer service any longer.

I received the amp in 3 days from California and immediately put it back in line. I get 100w out for 5 watts of drive, 200w for 10w, 300w for 16w and 375w for 22w. They rate the amp as 375w with 25w of drive. The audio is clear as a bell. And the preamp appears to have been improved even further to 24db a full 4 S units. I'm very impressed and believe that when I find something or someone that does or works well, it should be noted with others that may benefit from the information. I own 3 TE Systems amps, a 2 meter 25w to 160w/50w to 200w and another 6 meter (10w to 170w) . However, they were all bought either from hamfests or off of QTH.com. I have never been an original owner. It is very good to know that there are companies that still provide customer service and make quality repairs.

73, Fred Pensacola
VK3ZAZ Rating: 2017-03-09
Brilliant Brick Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I first saw one of these at the other Steve house (Steve Tolley KL7FZ) at Wasilla and heard him work stuff I could not work on my FT650. The I bought one brand new from Janet and Chip at HRO in 1999. I used it to work all my F2 DX between 1999 and 2002 from VK3OT (25 EU countries) and VK8OT (DX records) then I hauled it out in my brief case to VK9XI in 2003 and worked 47 countries on 6M 15 hours each day using the TES 0552G and an MFJ 42/75AMP power supply. I ran 400 pep on SSB and 110 watts on PSK mode. Then I sold it to a VK6 and missed it ever since. So this week I bought a NOS in box and a second hand one off eBay on the same day for the same price as a new one. One will go onto my FT991 when it gets back from JA and the second will go on my 5/8th g/plane and be used for WSPR. I am using a PS60SWIII QJE SM supply rated at 60 amps.
I am putting my TE amps where my mouth is. This amp got me over 50 countries on 6M band and was run dxpedition style without a failure. I see on eBay a 432 MHz version has bid up over $600USD. I had to bid $400 USD to get the used one from USA. 73 VK3OT
K0PG Rating: 2017-01-25
Suds on 6 for 20 years Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have owned this and three other QRO amplifiers from TE Systems for over 20 years. The only problems I have ever had have been caused by operator error. Dave has always been responsive and eager to please. I have used tube amplifiers on 6, 2, 220, and 432. I appreciate the simplicity of the solid state amps. When I had the cooling fans going at the same time on my four tube amplifiers it got rather loud (and hot) in the shack. The fan noise was picked up by the microphone. A ham I was working asked if I had a Kenworth or a Peterbilt in the room with me. I can still work them on the first call with these amps.
WO2C Rating: 2016-04-30
Works perfectly. Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I purchased both a 0552G & a 1454 amplifier directly from TE Systems. The amplifiers arrived in separate boxes, both extremely well packed, in just over a week.
The 0552G has worked flawlessly for the few days I've had it on the air. At 16-20 watts in, it delivers 325-350 watts out across the CW/SSB portion of the 6 Meter Band. From what I know of this amplifier, it's capable of more. However, because the radio I'm using to drive it (an Icom 746) is known to produce damaging voltage spikes to TE Systems amplifiers.
On receive, the pre-amp makes a genuine difference. I've used it both with the radio's built-in pre-amps and without.
It's impossible to write a thorough review of a piece of equipment I've used only a few times. But, so far, I'm very pleased. 73, Ray, WO2C
K9KJM Rating: 2009-05-23
Overpriced junk Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Mine NEVER did put out full advertised power, But to make up for that, It smoked the finals
(TE said it was "overdriven") Even cheapo Mirage amps have overdrive protection!

AND the bill to simply check it over will floor you!

I finally got rid of this TE garbage and got a King Conversion SB 220 tube amp that DOES put out REAL power on 6!
W4MAA Rating: 2008-08-24
QRO on 6 Meters! Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I have owned the TE Systems 6 meter PA for about 1 year now and is a compliment to my VHF side of my shack. With around 20-25 watts drive seeing around 190+ watts on RMS!!! Its PEP takes the meter of the scale at over 400 watts. I have also noticed that small bursts of 28 watts drive give you 200+ RMS watts and must be run with a large power supply. I recommend a power supply of 70 amps. The PA is run at around 15v input DC and works very well. I run VHF contests and local dx ragchews 100 miles away with ease with a 3 element beam. I bought it second hand but was checked by TE Systems and got the clean bill of health. I had the smaller 6 meter PA that TE Systems made and worked great also. AM/FM/SSB operation with and adjustable delay can't be beat. Can't wait for 6 meters to come alive if solar cycle 24 ever gets here. A+ 5 rating!
VR2XMQ Rating: 2008-05-01
Great Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I purchased second hand the TE 0552G RA which is basically the 0552G placed into a 19 inch rack mount with dual blower fans for cont.-duty. The unit was in brand new tip top condition.

I removed the unit from the rack mount and am using it as the basic stand alone 0552G unit and I am very pleased with the performance.

This one is a keeper. The 19" rack moubnt blower has been stored away and may find some other use some day?

73 Steve, VR2XMQ