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Reviews For: Alpha 99

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

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Review Summary For : Alpha 99
Reviews: 79MSRP: 3850 + shipping
Description:
The Ultimate Value in a linear amplifier - Made in USA
Product is not in production
More Info: http://www.rkrdesignsllc.com
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00794.9
WA0KBT Rating: 2013-04-19
Good amp, but if buying used - check main transformer brand Time Owned: more than 12 months.
This is the best amp I have owned and the only one that worked perfect on every band I have used it on (I dont use 160) Mine is 9 years old and at that time was made by Cross Link. But....I recently had the main power transformer HV winding fail. Very costly item and not one you would expect to fail. Alpha (RF Concepts) tech support advised that for a period of time Cross Link used transformers made by Magnelab and had alot of problems. Apparently many were replaced on warranty but mine lasted longer. So if you are buying an older one 2nd hand you might check to see if the main transf is a Magnelab....could be a time bomb waiting to happen. Otherwise a great amp.
LA1U Rating: 2013-02-01
Simply the Best! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Had a few amp's earlier but decided I wanted a certified preown Alpha 99 from RF Concepts. Transported all the way from US to North Norway by FedEx. After a few days both boxes received safe & sound and since then been a happy Alpha owner. Amp works great, very robust and very reliable with a most helpful protection circuit.
Simply the best I owned so far!
K7UA Rating: 2013-01-29
Still going strong Time Owned: more than 12 months.
It has been 7 years since I bought my Alpha 99 that I reviewed earlier here. A few years later I bought a second one used directly from Alpha as a backup unit. Great amps. I have had a couple of issues with mine over that length of time including one bad tube. Not bad for 7 years of DXing and contesting. Customer service has always been first rate. I still give the 99 a 5!
K4BOF Rating: 2013-01-20
Alpha 99,...a Tried and True Amplifier Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Considering the many HF amplifiers out there, I decided to step up to a full, legal limit amp. A natural choice for me was the RF Concepts Company-Alpha given their solid products, excellent reputation, service/repair, and superb customer relations/support (Molly).
The Alpha 99 has been around for a while now and seems to continually be a highly, sought after amplifier on the used market,... holding its value very well.
Compared to the 91B (Bulgarian-made), the 99 (Made in USA) has the Hypersil Peter Dahl transformer and some other differing parts. Both 91B and 99 use the same rugged and dependable Russian tubes, but there is just something about the stamp on the back that reads,...'Longmont, CO'.
I researched this amplifier for a long time and made several contacts with Molly about possibly purchasing a newer 8410. I decided to go with a used 99 instead due to its great reputation and storied reliability. The 8410 in itself, was designed off of the 99's chassis and platform.
I strongly recommend this amplifier if you are looking for legal limit,...it loafs all day long @ 1.5kW with 40-50W exciter drive.
Considered a 'Legacy' amp by RF Concepts-Alpha, parts seem readily available if there is a future problem. The blower in mine started to rattle so I ordered a new one. Installation was a snap and now whisper quiet.
I am looking forward to many years of service with this truly, wonderful amplifier.
PP2FRS Rating: 2012-12-09
Ótimo Amplificador Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Eu comprei o meu primeiro Alpha 99 em Agosto de 2012, ele é simplismente o melhor linear que ja tive, gostei tanto que acabei comprando um segundo, so que este é o Alpha 99CS. Tenho os 02 em minha estação (Veja QRZ.
A sintonia muito facio e trabalha sem ruido, muito silensioso.
Parabéns a Alpha!! Os amplificadores sao realmente os melhores, "QUE VENHA O 8410 MINHA PROXIMA COMPRA"

Fred
PP2FRS
KD0AA Rating: 2012-11-16
Excellent 99! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I am a very happy new owner of a “Legacy” 99! Molly helped me buy a “Certified Preowned" 99 with warranty and it looks almost like new. You can tune “by the numbers” and it loafs along at the legal limit. It is very quiet, even with the auxiliary fan on! I should have bought an Alpha many years ago! I am looking forward to many years of enjoyment with my 99! Call Molly! Get an Alpha! You will be happy you did!
NS7V Rating: 2012-06-20
Outstanding! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I've had my Alpha 99 for quite a few years now. I love it! Have never had a problem with it--except for those I accidently induce. Then, the protection circuit kicks in and saves me and the amp. The Alpha has helped me to work a lot of DX. I keep a tuning chart for each antenna and bands: Tune and Load settings. I can switch bands and be ready to go in seconds.
VE3RA Rating: 2012-06-17
It does everything I expect from it! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I own Alpha 99 for a few years now. What a geat amp. Very solid design. Reltively light, very powerful and most important, very reliable. If I was to choose another amp in the future, Alpha would be at the top of the list. Thanks for a great product.
73! Ed VE3FWA
W7AV Rating: 2012-05-25
Final Comments Time Owned: more than 12 months.
As I get ready to send my Alpha 99 back to the factory as a trade-in on the Alpha 9500, I must say that after 5-6 years of ownership I could not have asked for more out of an amplifier. It never once failed to perform at peak output, and the 99 forgave my errors of trying to tune up on the one band with the amp on another, super fast default. Why am I getting another amp if I like this one so much? Just want to try something new and the trade-in price I got was VERY GOOD. Looking forward to another great amp--you get what you pay for with Alpha.
SM3LGO Rating: 2012-05-05
Ask me Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
Have had this amp for a year now (bought it directly from RF Concepts) and am very, very happy with it. (It has serial number 499, it's the second to last ever made from what I understand.)

The only slight "issue" I can think of is that it draws a lot of current from the AC line. When the amp is keyed, the AC supply line voltage drops from 217V to 207V. But this is the house wiring's fault rather than the amp's. RF Concepts recommended me to try wiring the amp for 200V instead of 220V in order to achieve the nominal 1500W output, which I haven't tried yet. I now get 1200-1300W which I think suffices.
All in all, I would not hesitate to recommend you to buy this amp if you can find one. It feels really robust and operates quietly.