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Reviews For: Ameritron AL-80B

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

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Review Summary For : Ameritron AL-80B
Reviews: 148MSRP: 1300
Description:
Kilowatt output HF desktop linear
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.ameritron.com/products.php?prodid=AL-80b
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
141484.6
KE4EX Rating: 2008-07-07
Six Years Running Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I just had to brag about this baby...
I wrote a review in 10/02.
Six years later and still part of my shack.
Primary use on phone. However I run 500 watts on digital and 300-400 on C/W. Wired for 240V.
Last year I had new caps (1 was leaking) and tube replaced.
Had Ameritron changed out the relay and band switch for the new one.
This is my baby, stand-by, back up do all.
Sits next to my QRO.
73
KG6POG Rating: 2008-06-11
Over a year old and works like the day I opened the box Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I bought this amplifier after having a terrible experience with an AL-811 amp. I was leery but was repeatedly told it was a solid reliable amplifier and it was in a different league than the AL-811.

I converted my amp to run on 240 volts, and using a dummy load I get at least the advertised output.

On my antennas, I get a little over 1000 watts on 80, 1100-1200 watts on 40m, 800-900 watts on 20m, 600 watts on 17m, 800-900 watts on 15m, 600-700 watts on 12 meters, and at least 1000 watts on 10 meters. All tests where done with 75 watts drive with the antennas set at their lowest SWR frequencies.

I bought the model with the Grid Protector and for the small addition is cost I would highly recommend this upgrade for anyone, but particularly for new hams, and as a first amplifier for anyone.

I still have my Ameritron AL-811, and though I checked it out when it came back from Ameritron It hasn't been used in the past 15 months that I've owned the AL-80B.

I've tried to sell it locally along with 9913f jumpers and in the small community that I live in, no one wants an amp with 600 watts pep, even though it's completely gone through by Ameritron and does do 600 watts PEP on all bands.

I swear by the Ameritron AL-80B amp, and would recommend it to my best friend without hesitation.
W1LDD Rating: 2008-06-01
Best amp for the $$ Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I have been running the amp for about a month so far and I have to say this is a really great amp.I had the Al-811H and the Al-1200 which are stone reliable.It puts a full KW and is so quiet you do not know thats it is running.Make sure you put it on 240 volts works even better!
N5VU Rating: 2008-05-16
Okie Dokie! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
It's a great GG amplifier. It tunes as advertised and produces everything that the specifications indicated that it would. I run mine on 240 VAC and I obtain much better results that when I tried it on 120 VAC. It would "work" on 120 VAC, but it kinda set down on its haunches under full load. It just sounds like it feels better when using 240 VAC. Ahhhh, Heathkit SB-1000,... It's a great amplifier.
73, Marcel, N5VU
KC2FTN Rating: 2007-12-29
GREAT Amp Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I've been running my AL-80B on/off now for a couple of years and have never had a problem. I generally keep 'er throtted back to about 600 watts, and even then it's generally one call, one contact. Great pile-up buster!
K5MRM Rating: 2007-12-19
Very forgiving Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I've had this for 8 months and I've made some mistakes on my part and the amp keeps right on working as it should. The only thing I would like to see different is indivdual band tuning instead of the 20/30, 15/17 and aux.
W6RTW Rating: 2007-09-10
Works Great. Solid Design Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have used this amp for over two years and it has been a solid performer. I use this amp during high power SO2R contesting with an Icom 756 Pro II as the Search and Pounce side of the shack. The single 3-500 is a great tube used in a classic design circuit. It does the job and is very forgiving. The key to keeping this amplifier running is to operate it within its design parameters. If you do that, it will perform flawlessly and not let you down.
73, Bob W6RTW
WA5RR Rating: 2007-02-18
Extra Oomph for Contesters Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I received this amp in trade for a radio. It only sees use in contests and does a great job. As others have said, it tunes easily, runs fairly quiet and cool, and gives you the little extra power you need when the bands require it.

W3TUA-Korey
KY6R Rating: 2007-01-21
No Problems Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I purchased one recently and was very happy to see that the QC looked good - I looked at every connection and all were soldered well, with no frayed wires or anything that I have read about.

Its a backup amp for me - and its a really nice backup. In fact, it would be a fine primary amp - the first QSO I had with it was VU7RG.

The size is esepcially nice (small), and I love the single tube - my other amp uses 2 of the same 3-500Z's, so its easy to keep a couple sets of spares here.
W3XAF Rating: 2007-01-03
Multiple Problems Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I purchased my AL-80B about four months ago. As soon as I took it out of the box and turned it on, there was a problem--the internal fan (blower) would not work. I telephoned Ameritron Tech Support and they told me to re-solder the fan to the Power Supply Circuit Board. After re-soldering the fan, it worked. About a month later, the Plate Variable Capacitor started to arc when I moved the red pointer on the Plate Control to 7 OR above. It became impossible to tune up because the arcing caused the plate current to drop to zero. I temporarily got around this problem by moving the Plate Control red pointer to a position of about 180 degrees from the normal position of the pointer. Today, a new problem surfaced. I can no longer tune up on 20/30, 15/17 meters. When I try to tune up my amplifier on a 20 meter frequency, my FT-1000MP Mark V indicates an SWR of greater than 5.1:1 and I'm unable to input more than 30 watts to the AL-80B. Unfortunately, the tuning slugs on the back of the AL-80B have no effect. As I said, this problem just started today. I bypassed the AL-80B and fed my FT-1000MP Mark V directly to my MFJ-989D Tuner and I was able to produce 200 watts from my FT-1000MP Mark V.

I will telephone Ameritron Tech Support tomorrow and see what they recommend. I sure hate the thought of pulling this heavy sucker down from its perch on my ham console, packing it into a box and shipping it back to Ameritron. It weighs a ton and I'm not a young man anymore!!!!