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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
W4HWD Rating: 2006-01-13
My most favorite amp! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
The Ameritron AL-80B is my most favorite amplifier of them all, regardless of manufacturer. I like my AL-811 also but after having run an AL-80B for the last 10 years or so, and out of all the amplifiers I've seen or personally used/owned, the AL-80B is at the top of the heap! I like it best and recommend it with no reservations! You will not be disappointed!
K0CWO Rating: 2005-11-22
All you "may" need Time Owned: more than 12 months.
My first amp was an Ameritron 811. My second amp was (and still own it) an Ameritron AL-80B. My third amp is a QRO HF-2500DX. My experience with the AL-80B has been excellent. This amp is a quiet performer. Easy to tune. Forgiving when the operator makes a mistake. Puts out a comfortable 800 watts when powered with 110 volts. I use the QRO as my primary amp, and the AL-80B as a back-up. I doubt anyone would know the difference between the two. I have driven this amp hard and put it away wet, after a lot of use, it works like the day I got it. I doubt I'll get rid of it. It's hard not to have glass tubes in the shack!
W4ILT Rating: 2005-11-08
Good Value. Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Bought mine used about a year and half ago. Just replaced the Eimac tube with 3-500zg chinese tube.

I had some initals problems getting it to tune on 17 meters. I ended up replaceing the tuning coil for 17/15 meters and that solved the problem.

What I like about the AL80B is that metering is excellent, the amp is easy to tune, fan is extremely quite--does not sound like a 757 ready to take off. I running mine off the 115V house current with no problems and with the new tube you can get close to 1kw out on peaks on SSB with 70 watts drive. It works well all the way from 10m to 160m and I am very happy with it. Audio reports are always good.

Highly recommended for anyone looking for a little more power!
WD0CT Rating: 2005-07-24
okay Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I bought one of these used in 93. I didn't use it much but when I did I had no problems. It had the grid trip circuit and I had to overload it to get enough drive into it for 1 KW out.

This is not a bad practice anyway as it is supposed to increase linearity and it does reduce grid current.

I think 1 KW may be pushing a single 3-500z a bit for best linearity though.

Some guys say that the rf bias contributes to splatter. I don't know if this is so but I have heard several of these amps that were dirty. Maybe this was just operator error or using a dirty driver ?

I think Ameritron should advertise these as 800 watt amps but that would only make the AL811H more popular. Just my opinion.
K3EY Rating: 2005-07-04
Perfect...For The Money Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Over the years I bought four (4) of these amplifiers, yes your read it correct, (four NEW AL80B Amps). I just bought this the forth one, it is the only amplifier I own. I read all of the reviews and can understand why some are rated less than a perfect score. Like one reviewer stated: I too had one that arrived with one of the meters pushed in, also on two of them the cabinets were too far bent in where the louvers for air are located. One call to MFJ and they sent me a new meter with mounting hardware and the other times, new covers. Each incident they were shipped straightaway and without costing me a penny. This last particular AL80B had one the supporting screw on the power supply board loose when I opened it to wired for 240 Volts. I simply tightened it in ten seconds, problem solved. Changing the line voltage selection on the power supply board to run 240 volts is simple. It is just a matter of unsoldering and resoldering a few jumpers. I agree with the earlier comment that it should be wired for 240 volts straight from the factory and not the 110 volts it is wired for from the factory, which is a selling point for many and I am sure why they do it. I have noticed that as time goes on the fans installed are definitely quieter. The amp tunes up in seconds and is easy and straight forward to operate. I strongly disagree with the one comment that these amps are hard to tune, yes maybe for a 4 year old. I built several of the Healthkit SB1000 amplifiers and this AL80B is simply a improvement on that platform and the AL80A, especially the placement of the tuning coils on the rear panel and not the front where it is a nightmare to work on if needed. This amplifier has plenty of power and the cost is reasonable considering what the legal limit high-end amplifiers cost these days. In fact if you are look at the pricing on what is considered (great) amplifiers, these little AL80B amps are a real steal! Are they perfect? No. Are the $5000 amplifiers perfect? You tell me, I will never own one. You have two years of worry free warranty, not even the very expensive amplifiers offer that kind of peace of mind. You can buy a used amp costing just as much on eBay and it will be out of warranty the day it arrives and you better hope the parts are still available to boot. These are the reasons I rate this amplifier a solid 5.
WK9L Rating: 2005-02-22
Nice amp Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I bought this amp a few months ago, it is very easy to load and does a great job, Low drive and cool operating. I see about 1125 watts on peaks with about 85 watts of drive and this is with a drake W-4 watt meter I do not run it that hard though, feel more comfortable at 800 to 900 watts. This one still has the Eimac 3-500Z so I figure it is a earlier model. This another good product from Ameritron, Its not a Alfa but I dont have $3,000 dollars in it either!
AD5TH Rating: 2005-01-20
Great amp for the BUCK Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I bought this amp used and it was built in 1997. I immediately noticed a high vswr on the 15/17M and 20M input circuits that would not tune out.
This amp was under warranty and since I am 70 miles from Ameritron I took it up there. The input trouble was the 3-500 tube! They replaced the tube, tuned it up and I have to hold back on the reins on 40 and 75 to keep it under 1kw. It easily does 1300pep with this new Taylor tube and 80W drive. I giveit a five because it delivers the best $ per watt for a true 1kw amp.
I have photos of the -inside- of the amp at www.ad5th.com
KB9MJN Rating: 2004-09-12
Great but Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Bought this amp new, got it home set it up. Was working great on 10,17,40 BUT not on 20 could not tune at all. Called Ameritron then were very helpful, after trying to tune on all bans. The person told me to open the amp and look for a broken tap on the tank coil. Well I did and I found it and fix it. I will give the amp a 5 works great, but a 2 to Ameritron for not testing this amp.
W4IRA Rating: 2004-06-08
#4# $4$ Awsome Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
My second one. This is a great little amp.
I have made three little mods to the six month old amp, 10 meters, QSK and 240V what a little sweetheart.
I also have a Ten Tec Centurion.
These two amps will be in my shack for a long long time...
W9OY Rating: 2004-04-22
I love this AMP Time Owned: more than 12 months.
This amp does what it says and then some. I use mine with an external QSK-5 pin diode box, and it just plays. It is very quiet and the tuning is reproducable. What I like best is that I can see something I want come up on the cluster, tune in the station, hit the amp power switch, give it a couple of dits to peak it and almost immediately I can start calling. With my 8877 amp I have to wait and wait and wait as the cathode gets conditioned. All the while the pile up is growing. I can get a good bit more snot out of the 8877, but usually not enough to make a difference.

I get about 1kw or a little better with 85 watts drive. When used with my FT-1000D the ALC feedback works well and throttles back the transmitter to keep from overdriving the amp, just set it and forget it. When used with my Pegasus the dead silent and butter smooth QSK and lack of blower noise is just what the doctor ordered. I love this lil' sucker!!