| ON6CJ |
Rating:      |
2014-12-06 | |
| Great Amplifier |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
| After 43 years of HAM Radio I finally bought a linear amplifier HF. I purchased the ACOM 1010 from GB Antennes & Towers because he was in stock. It arrived triple-boxed, well packed, and the carrier did not destroy it. Very nice amplifier. ACOM has done a great job on the design. I like the ease of tuning up with the tri indicator. The cooler ventilator noise is low. The operation is extremely simple and it works like a charm. This is my first review. I have been using the 1010 for 1 week now. I am pleased with the ACOM 1010 and I’d recommend it. |
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| KI4DHB |
Rating:      |
2014-08-25 | |
| Would do it again |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
| This being the first linear amplifier that I have owned, I cannot really compare it to anything else. However I can say that ease of operation and tuning has me saying why did I wait so long. I even ordered a spare "tube" from Ron at Vine communications in England. It easily puts out 800 watts with just 65 input. Gary at HRO in Phoenix is my go to guy for my major equipment purchases and he directed me to an excellent buy. I added a LDG ProII tuner to it and cannot say enough about the combination. I ran a 220 outlet to the shack for power. Not sorry that I did that either. Definitely a "BUY" |
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| G4OER |
Rating:      |
2014-07-03 | |
| Unbeatable value for money |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
| This is the second 1010 I've owned. Still the best value for money there is. Beautifully built and so easy to tune. Ron Stone, the dealer, still gives first-class service. Highly recommended. |
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| KF8IO |
Rating:      |
2014-06-21 | |
| Excellent + |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
Initially, I was looking for a solid state amp.
I was seeking ease of operation, and there were a couple of candidates, the KPA500 being the leader. It's a very nice product, but a little short in the power department. I have a 200W transceiver, and a 500W amp isn't enough Dog Biscuits to really bother with, especially for $2100.
So, for the whole 6dB desired (in my experience the actual signal reports are always a good bit better than the theoretical) the best choice in a 1/2 legal limit amp seemed to be the ACOM 1010. Six meters isn't a band I operate, but they have model that will go there if you want.
The amp arrived promptly from Steve at HRO VA. Well packaged and undamaged. Great service from HRO.
Mild chagrin in that the Bulgarians did not include the stupid 5 x 20 MM fuses necessary to wire the amp for 120 VAC. Those are available from Mouser for 27 cents each, perhaps they could have been included since one nice feature of this amp is the ability to run it off standard 120 VAC and not mess with a 240 VAC line. You do need the correct fuses, everything available locally is of course too big to fit. Arruggh.
Lashed up on temporary 240 VAC line while awaiting my fuses, the amp proved to be everything expected and more.
The product exudes quality, is very easy to tune, it's crazy quiet, it has a very handy A/B antenna switch (think dummy load to tune), it does not grunt or complain, and it does 800W SSB with 45W drive effortlessly.
Signal reports are 10 dB over my 200W rig, which seems to be the real life result of this kind of power increase. The KPA500 may have done just as well, but I'm a happy camper with this one.
I highly recommend. Tubes don't seem to be a huge supply issue at least right now. They made a bazillion of them, and if treated properly (the ACOMs are just about ham proof) the initial tube may outlast the owner.
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| LB6BG |
Rating:      |
2014-04-08 | |
| Well made and easy to operate |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
I had the opportunity to operate the 1010 during a field day with 230 Volts from a generator. We were using my FT-450 and a doublet with an Ameritron ATR-30 tuner. The tuning was a bit tricky, but easy and safe to perform. After a pre-tuning with about 50 watts from the transceiver (PA in non oper-mode), the SWR and max output had to be adjusted a bit at the tuner and PA LOAD.
I never got an "alarm" from the G1, G2, IP and F LEDs.
I also operated the other field day station, using an Ameritron amplifier, where I had to be much more careful.
But remember: The 6-8 dB gain that you get with the ACOM 1010 are quite expensive (perhaps you need a bigger tuner, too). But if you want to go for it, the 1010 is the best choice. |
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| M0ITI |
Rating:      |
2014-03-08 | |
| Brilliant Undersung Hero |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
I bought this amplifier to use in conjunction with my IC-7600. I had set out to buy the ACOM1000 but it turned out that, as I don't work 6 metres, the 1010 would be a better buy.
Setting up the amplifier is a breeze. The only additional item I needed was a lead to go from the ACC port on the IC_7600 to the Key in phono on the amplifier. Easy peasy with a 7pin din plug and RCA phono socket.
The tuning up instructions on the amplifier are perfectly straightforward. In the UK, where we are restricted to 400 watts, the amplifier is delivering that with about 30% drive from the IC-7600.
Instead of trying to work my way through pile-ups I now have DX stations lining up to work me - and this from the very restricted antenna system that I can have at my home QTH.
Ful kudos to Ron Stone at Vine Antennas from whom I bought the unit. His advice and after sales support is second to none.
10 out of 10 all round
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| K4FY |
Rating:      |
2014-03-06 | |
| Smooth and solid |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
The ACOM 1010 occupies a niche between MFJ/Ameritron amplifiers and the expensive Alpha’s. ACOM built some of the early ETO/Alpha amplifiers and it shows in its construction and quality. In short, the quality is exceptional, the engineering top notch, and the signal reports gratifying. The ACOM 1010 easily puts out 800 watts on SSB/CW. For me, that’s a nice compromise that isn’t going to tax the traps on my 6 band vertical.
Tuning and LED monitoring is light years ahead of old “dip and load” amps. If I note my Load and Tune settings on an index card, tuning during a band change is lightning fast and accurate. 60 Watts drives the amp to rated output and everything is operating conservatively. The 4CX800 ceramic tube, with 800 watts dissipation is running cool. The screen and control grid warning LED’s makes sure operation stays that way.
This thing should last forever.
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| SA2CER |
Rating:      |
2013-10-19 | |
| A perfect amp |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
This is a beutiful made amplifier. A joy to use.
Well built, So that you really can feel it. Like an Mercedes.
Silverplated antenna conectors. Even the ground bolt are goldplated and so also the key-in rca jack.
The tube GU74B is outstanding!
runs cool, just loafing at 700w out with just 60w of drive power.
The amp is quiet, a nice thing to be able to hear week DX from the speaker of the radio, and you dont wake the family at late eavning dxing.
It have good protection so one cant go wrong if a mishappend occure.
It sound really good on therecivers end too.
It is just about 1.6 dB from Acom 1000. That you can easy fix by use a bigger antenna or a better coax. But you do not have 6m on the 1010.
The Acom 1010 is NOT "portable"!! as some say. It is transportable.
This amp can brake any pile-up and let you come trhu with ease in tuff conditions. |
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| ON8ON |
Rating:      |
2013-06-04 | |
| Woaw .. |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
I work normaly with Solid State amp.
( RM Italy HLA 300 V plus > 5/5 )
This amp is so easy to tune !
With resonant antenna, and swr from 1.5/1 or less.
This amp. give with +/-55w drive,
a solid 750+ out.
Very quiet fan.
73 ON8ON de YVES |
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| AD4C2006 |
Rating:      |
2012-06-11 | |
| GREAT AMP |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
This is my first review after 5 hours of use.
First impression received is that the packaging was professionally done by these guys in Texas (Array solutions) where I purchased it.Amp was all wrapped in thick plastic and inside 3 boxes,I have received for years many new radios and amps and never saw any perfect packaging like this,so needless to say that it arrived in perfect shape and I know for sure that either UPS and Fedex mistreat all packages.
The exitement was too big, as a kid who received a new toy, I guess we all behave like that.When opened all boxes and pulled out the hundred peanuts inside for protection, put it on my desk side by side with my PalStar tuner, turned it up,waited the two and a half seconds and tuned it in all bands from 160 to 10M. My K3 always "saw" a perfect 1.1 match at the amp input circuit, that is a great achievement,not many amp reach that condition. I have 800W PEP in all bands except on 10M that I have 750WPEP, these levels of power are with 80W PEP from my K3, If I increase the input to about 90W the amp will be a little over 900W PEP but then the G1 (control grid) LED will turn yellow indicating is been overdriven so I will operated it with no more than 80W input.One thing I notice is that this amp is very very quite, that blower is so quite that I have to put my ear on top of the cabinet to hear it. I love quite amps so this is one more thing that make it a keeper.I also noticed that the PI circuit is very broad from band to band,for example the tuning marks on mine are exactly the same values on 40 and 20 and also same values on 15 and 10M meaning the coils taps has been selected properly for the tube matching.
I know this amp is a little pricy but today all quality amps are expensive,If we want cheap amps we have to buy low quality amps.I wanted to have something realiable at long term.
Bulgarians designed and built a good amp without a doubt.
Hector
AD4C |
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