| AA9DI |
Rating:      |
2011-10-27 | |
| Great Amp and Service |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
I have had the QRO-2500DX for 15 years now and it runs like the day I got it. I recently had the amp updated by QRO and their service was excellent and priced fairly. I would strongly recommend the QRO amp to anyone. Thanks QRO for a wonderful product and service.
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Earlier 3-star review posted by AA9DI on 2000-03-05
It has been a very nice amp. I have had quite a few problems when I first got the amp. Luckly I am within driving distance. Had to drive back 3 times in the first 3 months!!! Haven't had any problems now for 2 years. Have talked to a lot of people that have had the same problems. The result on there problems were, they were sent brand new amps. So maybe he has all the bugs out now. But other than that, very low drive to get 1500 watts. Can run CW and SSB at 1 Kw and can't even tell the amp is Txing. |
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| N3XA |
Rating:      |
2011-08-22 | |
| Excellent |
Time Owned: 3 to 6 months. |
As has been stated many times, the construction of this amplifier is outstanding.
For a little background, I'm a design engineer and, in addition to building many radio related projects over the years, I have also been "under the hood" for many electronic products on the market. Given that background, you can understand that I am not easily impressed. More often than not, you can see the result of cost reductions in the quality of components and the result of the general "let's hurry up and get it done" mentality.
When the cover came off of this amplifier, I must say, I was very impressed. The overall layout is very clean; the wires are routed and tied in a neat and efficient manner, components aren't "jammed" on top of one another, etc... It is very obvious that the designer took quite a bit of pride in his work and took the time and effort to design a manufacturing process that captured that. Outstanding.
Operationally, the controls are easy to use and the meters are easy to read. Tuning is smooth and the settings (tune/load) are very repeatable. The band switch is one of the most impressive I have ever turned, the feel is solid and very positive.
The amplifier works well from an electrical standpoint. Full legal power output is available on all bands with both the power supply and tubes running at about half their respective capacities. This amplifier should last a very long time.
This one is definitely a keeper.
Randy |
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| NN2X |
Rating:      |
2011-07-09 | |
| Great Serivce from QRO |
Time Owned: 6 to 12 months. |
This is my second review, Again, great amp...However, I would like to talk about the service from QRO. This particular QRO AMP was 15 years OLD. I talked with Ray (CEO of QRO), and he indicated that he could ehance this amplifier, by upgrading some new technology that evolved over the last 15 years.., basically changing out circut board, and sockets for the RF Output tubes.
The service, was fast, professional, and when I got the AMP, back, I was one happy client, Ray actually proved to me, you can improve on perfection!... If you get a chance to own this AMP, buy it...
20 Watts input, 1500 Watts out..Rock Solid..
Best
Tom, NN2X
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Earlier 5-star review posted by NN2X on 2010-12-16
The Dodge Viper of Amplifiers!
No frills, pure brute force...Tune for maximum smoke! Actually tuning this AMP is different technique then the usual amps, but at the end there is two knobs to adjust, which easily obtain 2300 Watts no matter what band..Might I add with very little input power..
And if weight is proportional to quality, well this AMP wins hands down! You know when you install the transformers, you have a real beast on your hands...
Summary, could not be happier!
Best
NN2X, Tom Wright
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| N4RSS |
Rating:      |
2010-08-24 | |
| Beast |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
Bought this 2001 vintage used with original tubes 2 weeks ago. After cleaning off the nicotine, it looks great.
Legal limit with 35 watts. 2400 watts at 55 watts in and grid current at about 75ma. Grid current can vary widely with frequency changes, so tuning carefully may be required. Run it into a 2.6 SWR with no tuner on 15m with no problem.
Very large box. Band switch very stout. Blower noise modest compared to my SB-220. Love it.
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| K7NCG |
Rating:      |
2010-03-29 | |
| Fantastic !! |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
| I've had this amp a bit over 3 years now and it is one of the most fantastic amps I've ever used. Using, building, rebuilding, and modifying amps are one of my favorites and I've worked on many over the years. But none like this one. There are no funny tuning quirks, nothing to watch out for except driving it with too much power. It just works!!! From 160 meters to 10 meters it performs flawlessly. On 10 meters with 25 watts drive I get 1500 watts out and on 160 meters with 50 watts drive I get 1500 out easily. It is built like the proverbial brick outhouse. A fantastic amp! |
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| K3MD |
Rating:      |
2009-12-03 | |
| Excellent |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
Had 5 years, ran at full power in many contests. started blowing fuses (main fuse) in a RTTY contest, sent it back to Ray in mid-contest. Fixed in 1 week... bad tube!! Ray even helped me tune it up over the phone after the tune-up settings changed with the new tube! Easily puts out 2.5 KW into a dummy load... you must be careful to run the legal limit. You will need a DX Engineering 10 KW balun to use with this amp.
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Earlier 5-star review posted by K3MD on 2005-03-14
This is my 17th amp in 42 years, including VHF kilowatts for VHF contesting and moonbounce. I owned the Commander predecessor of this amp, which self-destructed when the blower shorted, putting 240V across half the primary. The fuse took around 5 seconds to blow. You will note on checking the schematic on this amp that that can't happen on the new design.
This amp easily does the legal limit. It does not even get slightly warm at all. Tunes up from band to band in 3 to 5 seconds, no problem, for SO/A contest operation. I does not keep shutting itself off, I can tune my 40 meter double loop antenna, which is cut for CW, on the SSB portion no problem at all, SWR around 2 to 2.5 to one. You can't do that on an Alpha 99! Drive is 20 to 25 watts.
This amp is LARGE! The bandswitch makes a loud CLANK on the detent. Those bandswitch contacts are not going to melt, as they have for me on some other brands.
Now what am I going to do with my two spare Alpha 76PA's? |
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| WA9ZOH |
Rating:      |
2009-01-02 | |
| THE AMP by which others are judged |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
| I purchased the QRO HF-2500DX on November of 2002. I have now had it 6yrs. I did use it extensively on 10Mtr. SSTV as well as 20Mtr SSTV. I do run the internal fan on High and provide two additional fans on top of the case for additional air flow. While it is true that this Amp is powerful and very reliable, their was one issue that I had on 10Mtr. SSTV. and only on 10Mtrs. While running 1KW Output, after about the third SSTV transmission I would notice the RF Output as well as the Plate Current start on a slow decrease, until I was showing about 250Wts. out at which point I stopped the transmission. This would only occur on 10Mtrs. So, suspecting the tubes, I ordered two replacements (Prices then were $50.00 each) and the same problem existed. I also gave all tubes about 24hrs. of getter warmup prior, so they were well treated. When 10Mtrs reopens, I know I will have the same issue and all I can try is perhaps to increase the plate loading and see if that corrects it. In all the time I have used this Amp, I have never experienced any other problems. Thanks for the opportunity to post this message. |
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| W2RD |
Rating:      |
2008-10-04 | |
| Great Service |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
I purchased a used HF 2500 from a friend. The amp worked fine with drive applied but would draw excessive plate current when idle at my QTH. I was unable to fix the problem because I believed it to be a bias problem. I sent the amp to Ray and he diagnosed the problem to a defective diode in the screen grid voltage supply. He replaced an entire board with an upgraded one and sent the amp back to me. It now works perfectly. I know Ray spent a lot of time on my amp because he could not duplicate the problem I was seeing and we had numerous telephone conversations. The diode only failed at my QTH because my utility company is supplying me with 254 volts. The pleasant suprise was Ray only charged me for his labor and did not charge me for the new board. I believe that Ray's dedication to repairing one of his older amps is commendable especially since I am not the original owner.
This amp is replacing my Amp Supply LK550 which needed three new 3-500Z tubes. |
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| WN9D |
Rating:      |
2008-03-08 | |
| Excellent Amplifier |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
The amp has operated flawlessly since I purchased it in March 2006. I had an issue several months ago with internal fuses blowing. A trip to the factory solved that problem. Ray is great to do business with. He returns phone calls and e-mailings. That is somewhat rare in this day and age.
For the sake of brevity, I'll refrain from restating all of the wonderful things mentioned in the reviews of this amp. They're simply true!!
The proverbial bottom line - this is a great amplifier at a reasonable price. It is simple to operate and to maintain.
Thanks to QRO, this is the first and last new amp I'll ever purchase!!
'73, Randall WN9D |
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| AD3G |
Rating:      |
2007-05-19 | |
| NONE BETTER |
Time Owned: 3 to 6 months. |
Probably the last HF amplifier you'll ever have to buy. Overkill construction, excellent design. Loafs at legal limit,tunes by the numbers,repeatable settings from band to band. Other than the convenience of autotune,I don't see a better amp on the market at the present time. Have sold all my Alphas in favor of the QRO's ( I have the HF2000 also),the QRO is better built,has a better design,and,unlike the newer Alphas,is field sevicable,not full of microproccessors .
The only downside is the fan (actually it's the moving air) is a bit noisy,louder than my QRO HF2000,but pressurized cooling usually is a bit louder than the muffin fan used in the HF2000,but overall,undoubtedly the BEST legal limit amp I have ever owned.
Hats off to Ray for an excellent product!! |
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