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Reviews For: Alpha 8410

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

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Review Summary For : Alpha 8410
Reviews: 114MSRP: 5395
Description:
The Alpha 8410 utilizes an enhanced version of the bombproof RF deck, found in the Alpha 99 and Alpha 8100. On the 8410’s control board you’ll find a microprocessor that allows us to normalize amplification performance, calibrate the power and gain metering for each specific band, and increase reliability and durability. All of these functions aggregate into a single greater benefit for the user, ease of tuning. The 8410 comes standard with USB and serial ports for remote monitoring and performance data logging. The power supply stack found in the 8410 has been designed for maximum durability and reliability, while allowing for extremely easy voltage tap changes.

This amplifer is handcrafted, designed, and built in Boulder, Colorado, USA, comes with a 4-year warranty.

Tubes: 2 x 4CX1500B Tetrodes
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.alpharfsystems.com/
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
001144.9
K4ELO Rating: 2011-12-30
Super Amp Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
No glitches here. Amp runs perfect. The only time it behaves strangely is when I don't have the band switch set in the correct position. Then it doesn't blow up, it just won't tune and the fault led comes on. Bullet proof and indestructible are the words that come to mind. It's built so strong I just don't have to worry about it.

The only time I could get the fan speed above low was running it at 1.5kw for extended times into a dummy load to check the tuning settings. It never goes above low in normal ssb qsos at full legal power.

My last amp was solid state because I remember how touchy it was to tune my last tube amp. Not so with this one. A few seconds and you are good to go.

My regular net contacts all tell me my signal sounds cleaner/clearer now than it did on the ss amp. Nothing but great reports. I love this amp and it will be my last one.

Thanks to the folks at Alpha for building a great product and to Molly for her dedication to customer support. I couldn't be happier.

They didn't ship the brick and the key with the amp, but I guess I could find them somewhere.

73
Wayne
K4ELO

W8JWN Rating: 2011-12-21
Excellent Amp and Customer Support Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I traded my Alpha 99 for the 8410. I had a control board glitch but Molly helped me correct the issue. Telephone and e-mail support is superb!

The 8410 handles high SWR much better than the 99. As I get older, senior moments seem to appear more often: wrong antenna selection, wrong band, external tuner left in, etc. The amp doesn't go to FAULT for these increases in SWR.

RTTY is my favorite mode and the 8410 stays cool with the optional fan installed. I have no fear operating at the maximum legal limit.

RF Concepts has built an excellent amp.
K8EJ Rating: 2011-11-19
FB Amp Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
After a couple of minor glitches quickly resolved by Tech Support the amplifier has been flawless. The abundance of plate dissipation is good to have when operating RTTY. A smooth running amp with great resetability for quick band changes. The current price is $5395, not $4995.
KV7K Rating: 2011-11-18
Fantastic powerhouse Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
This is one super amplifier. Typical Alpha ruggedness. Operation is very smooth, with excellent protective circuits. Lots of headroom and won't let you down in the heat of the pileups.
Have had many amps over the years and this is the best.
AE9K Rating: 2011-11-16
Excellent amp Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I acquired my 8410 very lightly used and have grown quite fond of it in the five months I've had it.

The quality of construction is excellent. It's not only solid but it's obviously designed to be serviced. I've never seen a piece of gear with so many test gear hook-up points on the circuit boards (I counted 56).

I had read many guides to tuning/loading a tube-based amp before acquiring the 8410 and was ready for a lot of tweaking. To my surprise, I can tune up at 500W or 1.5 kW and usually not need to tweak in between. I expected to 'over couple' at 1.5 kW and back off the loading gradually with lower power as many of the presumably triode-based tuning guides recommended. So far that hasn't been necessary. I should point out that I'm tuning for max linearity by keeping the gain right in the middle of the range (30) and not tuning for max gain/smoke.

I've done my share of soft-faulting the amp - usually when changing bands and going to pre-determined tune/load settings that are close but not quite right. The fault protections are pretty comprehensive and coupled with tuning that isn't finicky, it's hard to do anything that would damage the thing.

I experienced two problems and got both resolved satisfactorily. A crimp connector for the tube heater supply line burned. I opened a case online and Molly jumped on it within 20 minutes. She gave me the option of sending it in or fixing it myself. I opted to fix that myself once she confirmed doing so didn't void the warranty. I also had a problem with the tube deck thermal sensor not communicating correctly with the PIC controller. This prevented the amp from advancing the blower speed in relation to tube deck temperature. I sent the amp in and they turned it around in eleven days. The tube deck board was replaced, several unrelated components were upgraded and the firmware was updated (to a version not yet published on the web site) and my fix for the tube heater line was re-done to factory specs. Great job. Oh, and they shipped it back double-boxed in new double-wall cartons (inner box and outer box with foam spacers) and didn't charge me for the new cartons.

Cons -

Two components make more noise than anticipated - the blower and the vacuum T/R relay. The blower is louder than I would expect for the volume of air it moves through the tube chimneys. The relay noise is only an issue with CW. Actually, I'm surprised this a relay and not a PIN diode given the cost of the amp. Both the blower and relay could benefit from better mechanical isolation from the chassis.

Both the 8410 and 9500 have USB telemetry outputs but only the 9500 has a software interface to display the data. I wrote my own C# program for 8410 telemetry logging and display that I'll upload to the RF Concepts user forum site soon.

Pros -

Solid construction
Minimal to no tweaking of tune/load necessary as power output is changed
100% duty cycle at 1.5 kW
Telemetry data available via USB
Great customer service
It will bypass 500W RF (I use my Elecraft KPA500 in-line ahead of the 8410, either while the 8410 is warming up or when I don't need more than 500W)
Aesthetically, it looks great - always a plus with a major purchase ;-)

Overall, highly recommended - even if you're hesitant about manual tuning.
KQ0C Rating: 2011-11-01
Super easy to Tune Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I have an Alpha 9500 at my main QTH but needed a second amp for a contest shack way up on a hill. I was reluctant to spend all that another 9500 would run so I went with the 8410. Yes there are probably other good amps I could buy for a bit less, but I live in Colorado and if I ever have a problem with my amps I can drive them in for repair. As everyone knows shipping amps is complex at best. As it is I've never had a problem so my amps are as reliable as Alphas are known to be.

Anyway I expected tuning to be about as touchy as tuning a manual antenna tuner, where I have to fiddle quite a bit to find the optimum tune, and I have been really surprised how much more easily this amp tunes than I expected... much easier than any antenna tuner I have ever used. Set it to the factory suggested settings for any band, tune at low power in 3 seconds at most, then confirm the tune at high power (it rarely needs any further adjustment). In many ways I find it easier to switch bands with this amp than the 9500. I have certainly tripped the protection many fewer times than I have with the auto tune 9500.

If I had it all to do over again I actually think I would have been just as happy (or happier) with two 8410's.

Both amps will tune antennas with a bit of SWR just fine. So you can tune all of 80 meters for instance with a 66 foot wire thrown over a tall tree. And with the 8410 there is very little to go wrong... and protections for essentially all of what the operator can do wrong.

My advice to those on the fence... absolutely don't worry about the "complexity" of tuning this manual tune amp... 3 or 4 seconds at most. And you'll never run this thing even close to its real capacity.

CQWW SSB was last weekend, and until you have run 1500 watts with some decent antennas you will never experience the true ease of cutting through a pile up. 95% of my QSOs were accomplished on a first call in the most competitive contest of the year.

W4PF Rating: 2011-10-30
Fantastic piece of equipment. Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I just received my 8410 a couple of days ago. I can only echo what others have said, it is a excellent piece of equipment. Well made and easy to use. With only 25 watts of drive, it puts out 1500 watts on 10 meters. Even though it is expensive, this is a good investment. The only negative comment I have, is the manual that comes with the amp has errors in it, and its quality needs improving.
K7CHE Rating: 2011-10-19
FLAWLESS Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I, like most hams have owned several amps. I thought most were good amps until I put my first Alpha, (Alpha 89), in line and found that there was no comparison. I traded the 89 in for my 8410 in July of this year. I had it in line for 3 days and my antenna took a lightening strike. Now, the best part of owning an Alpha, is the customer support! I called Molly and sent my amp into the factory. After an inspection they were sure that it could be repaired without any problems showing up in the future. Long story short, I had it back in a very short time. I actually think it operates better now that before. 16 watts drive on 160 to 10 meters delivers 1500 watts out! I use it every day and it is the best amp I have ever owned! Thank you Molly and the Alpha techs.
73 K7CHE
KY7F Rating: 2011-08-12
A Great Amp Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Have had my 8410 for a year now. Zero problems. Easy to tune. Full 1500w output with 35-40w input on 40m CW. Internals are big, have solid connections, and are very robust. Designed "to run". Lots of safety built-in for when the op goofs-up. Very well thought-out product. Pricey, but well worth it. The folks at Alpha are great to deal with, too!
KA6D Rating: 2011-08-11
Excellent expereience Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I have previously owned an Ameritron 811H, but wanted to step up to a higher grade of amplifier. After doing plenty of research and comparing notes with other hams I called RF Concepts. I was able to purchase a pre-owned 8410, the guy never unboxed it! The new amp is a wonderful piece of engineering. Setting it up was easy. I realized that I had to carry it upstairs in two parts, the amp, then the power supply. Simple. Performance has been awesome, great reports world-wide and it is worth the cost. Never thought I would own one!