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Reviews For: Ameritron AL-572 (all models)

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

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Review Summary For : Ameritron AL-572 (all models)
Reviews: 74MSRP: 2400
Description:
1300 Watts PEP SSB nominal power out on 160-15M. WARC bands and 10 Meters with reduced performance - user modified for 10/12 Meters with license. Uses four 572B tubes
Product is in production
More Info: https://mfjenterprises.com/products/al-572
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00744.1
WB6JDQ Rating: 2002-08-07
Works as advertized: Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
After some unpacking and preperation, this amplifier delivered stability, advertized power, clean aignal to the antenna. My antenna is a half wave vertical dipole with end l,c, loading, thus it's not a flat impedance curve. I find this unit runs resonably cool considering the total plate disapation in it. My unit cam ewith Taylor tubes, not the other ones, thus no problem at all with arc over or instability. This amp got a bad rap due to tubes that are not up to the job.
N3FN Rating: 2002-05-27
Packs the Punch!!! Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
1.3 KW on 60 watts of exciter power! I've used this amp on 75 meters so far, and it has done a fantastic job! It's easy to use, and I tune it with the Ameritron ATP 100 Tuning Pulser. I usually run it around 500 watts on 30 watts. This is my first amplifier, and the tubes were able to take a real beating when I first placed it into service without the ATP pulser. Now, it's a piece of cake and takes seconds to tune. Plus, the tubes don't have to heat up for three minutes. This is the ideal amp for "first-time" amp users. Hands down this is a fine piece of equipment and the price is right!
N3EON Rating: 2002-03-22
Great Amp Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I just received the amp direct from Ameritron. The amp came with the four 572s installed, so all I had to do was to remove the internal packing, do the five second 10 meter mod, insert the two fuses and hook up the amp. I initially put the amp on 120, but changed it to 240. I immedidately noticed about a 100 watt improvement. I now can get as much as 1.1kw on 20 meter cw, which exceeds specs. Tuneup is very easy and the amp looks great on the operating table.

First week on-air results are outstanding. Running about 1kw SSB, I received great reports on the signal quality. Some mentioned that my signal was so clean they could not even tell that I was using an amp, except when I put it in standby. The fan is relatively quiet and the amp runs cool to the touch, even at high power levels.

Dollar for dollar, this amp cannot be beat (the price is about one buck per watt). Mike at Ameritron answered all my questions. This is my second Ameritron. I also own an AL-811H. After one week of use, I am fully satisfied with the 572 and give it high marks for its cost, output, simplicity of design and operation.
KG6EPV Rating: 2002-01-27
great for the money! Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I have had this amp for about six months. It works as adverised, cruises at 1 kw all day no problem, 50w drive. It will put out a hair under legal limit with 100w, but I keep it around a kw. I get great reports from all over the world. Runs on 120 too, but it needs a circuit of its own. I put in a couple 20A circuits just for radio stuff to be sure. Overall I think this is a great amp for the money. 73 de kg6epv
KI7Q Rating: 2001-11-10
It's a great AMP Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
The true name for this is the "AL-572". Mine works very well on all bands through my Ameritron ATR-30 tuner. It puts out near legal limit everywhere and is easily tuned. The settings, once noted, can be easily returned to. Overall quality is quite good.
K5ZP Rating: 2001-02-27
Good Value -- No Problems Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
......I am an admitted amplifier "junkie" and currently own an Ameritron AL-1200, three National NCL-2000s, the AL-572B, a 1KW (pair of 8122s) on two meters plus a 144/432 Mhz 160 watt amps......... I've had my AL-572B for nearly a year now and it performs as advertised. I picked one up after my Dad (KB8LOV) got one at Dayton last year. His experience has been positive also. For the money they make a lot of power and sound very good on the air. I've been through one contest weekend with it and it performed flawlessly.......It is unfortunate that early tube problems have somewhat "tainted" the AL-572B's reputation. It has nearly the power of of $2500 watt linear at 1/2 the cost. Plus the tubes (although not cheap) are more easily replaced than buying a new set of 8874, 8877, 3CX-1200 and others.........Tune up is a little tricky - just use low input power and practice. After I got the hang of it, life is much simpler. This amp nearly fried my MFJ 1.5 KW dummy load and carpet though. The fan is much less noisy than any amplifier I've used in years...........Mine works well on a dedicated 110 volt circuit but "dimmed" the lights when using it and my rig on the same AC line. 220 volts is the better way to go...........WARC band (12/17 meters) coverage is adequate although input SWR is higher than the normal bands. WARC PEP power output was over 900 watts ..........In my opinion, this is the better path to take if you need "bigger gun" power but don't want to sink $2500 - $5000 to get there. My experience has proven that the additional 200 watts will hardly be noticed. It also fits the needs of hams with 110 volt power only or hams with limited space. It seems to be one third smaller and weights about half of my Ameritron AL-1200 (which I'll review later)............. When compared with those 811A and 572B amplifiers the AL-572B is head and shoulders above them. It is run in class AB2 which allows the power output to closely follow voice peaks for additional effiency. Expect this one to run well over 300 watts higher than an older technology Dentron Clipperton L. It also outperforms single 3-500Z amps. Performance, size, true 110 volt operation, economy and reliability make this amp a good choice.
K8DXX Rating: 2001-02-03
Really Like It, So Far! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Just took delivery on an AL572 amplifier this week. Although it was destined for installation in a new basement shack with better ground and a stiffer power line, I couldn't resist trying it out in my present 2nd story shack. Just running it off 110, I've had no problem getting 1200 watts out of it (as measured by my RF Applications digital watt meter). So far, the most I've driven it with has been 65 watts. Heck, with 40 watts drive, it puts out around 900!

I like the metering set-up. The built in peak reading RF output / SWR meters match readings on my digital unit. The controls operate very smoothly. Overall, the cabinet, finish, etc. is considerably nicer than my trusty Ameritron AL811H.

On the air results are encouraging; clean audio reports. It also looks clean on my scope. The few questions I've had were quickly answered by Ameritron's Tech Support desk, right over the phone.

Like the previous reviewer, my amp came with no-name tubes, not Svetlanas or Taylors. They sem to be fine. You'll hear about it if they're not!

73 de Bill / K8DXX
N6FM Rating: 2000-07-17
Has worked well for over a year Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have owned and frequently use my AL-572B for over a year with no problems that I didn't cause myself. If I had one criticism it would be that an RCA phono jack providing unfused 12vdc is located right next to the ALC and Relay jacks which are also RCA phono jacks. This makes for some embarassment after a late night reconnection while half-asleep in dim light. The first wire to be cut upon opening the case to survey the damage was the 12v lead to that jack. This was followed by replacing the diodes in the +12 and -12 supplies and sending in the PRO to have its reed relay replaced as well.

I have not experienced the tube problems related by others. Just lucky, I guess. For me, it's a great amplifier.

W8JI Rating: 2000-07-17
Tube problems Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I thought I'd let people know what is going on. In the early reviews, you'll see tube problems mentioned. The early AL-572's used Svetlana 572B's.

These tubes did not have enough voltage breakdown, nearly half failed high-pot testing at 5000 volts. The peak anode voltage on a properly tuned PA is nearly twice the dc operating voltage, so the Svetlana tube should have been able to hold off 5000 volts plus a safety margin. Most tubes didn't even make 5000. It turns out even the tubes that did pass 5000 volts had a high field failure rate.

Ameritron generally depends on suppliers to test components. Unfortunately Ameritron has to live with the mistake of using tubes that were supposed to be better. It turned out Chinese 572B tubes are much better, and have virtually no problems with voltage breakdown. A lesson learned too late, but consider it if you are using 572's in this or other equipment.
NE4S Rating: 1999-12-13
It does what the ads say Time Owned: unknown months.
I just got back from working the 10M contest at a campsite. I hauled the new (HRO Atlanta) AL572 out to the woods and used it all weekend. I first practiced tune up on a dummy load, with the manual at home. It just hummed along on CW for the whole weekend without any problems at all. I found that 40W from the FT100mp would drive to 1KW out, steady, on 10M, all day long. Verified by an external power meter too. It has no noises that objectionable, just a modest fan. It made no thumps or bumps in the power supply on keying. It operated off of 110V which was my main requirement. It cost a lot less than many other amps at this power level. The tubes may not be state of the art ceramics, but they are cheaper. The tubes also warmed the van over the cold weekend. I am happy, and am sorry to buck the trend. Ill revise this if time changes my experience. But for now, with a good price from HRO, and the good product from Ameritron/MFJ, I am pleased.
Mike, NE4S