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Reviews For: Yaesu FL-2100B/Z

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

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Review Summary For : Yaesu FL-2100B/Z
Reviews: 57MSRP: 2000.00
Description:
fl2100b
Product is not in production
More Info: http://www.foxtango.org
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00574.7
W5ZYX Rating: 2021-05-20
Found a new collector item 2100Z Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Unbelievably I found a new, unused FL-2100Z in Japan at a reasonable price and it now makes its home in Texas. It is quiet, efficient, and outperforms my Ameritron AL-811H. Measured SSB PEP output on an accurate Palstar meter is 750 watts as compared to a little over 650 from the 811H--not that makes a lot of difference to someone on the receiving end. The 811H could possibly have a greater PEP output but that would involve exceeding its maximum rated grid current.

As an added bonus, the FL-2100Z is a very nice looking and slim piece of equipment and complements the FTDx3000 that I'm using to drive it.

I previously also had a 2100B which I would put about on par with an AL811. The nice thing about the Z, which is slightly longer than the H, is that it covers 160 and the WARC bands. This was a great find.
KE4ZHN Rating: 2021-03-05
An okay amp Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I had an FL2100B when I first got my general ticket. At the time it served me well and gave a reliable 650 watts pep on SSB. These amps suffer from a couple of minor design flaws but nothing too difficult to take care of. With some brands of tubes besides the original Cetrons you may need to modify the bias circuit because the cut off bias is inadequate for the Chinese 572b's. Being old amps, you will need some sort of keying interface to prevent damage to a modern radio. These run -18vdc on the keying line which doesn't agree with the switching mosfet in some radios. The cooling could be better, but it is quiet. The input tune capacitors are prone to failure with age. These can be had used for pretty cheap these days so for the ham on a budget, one of these may serve you well. Just be aware that they are 40 years old now and prone to some issues. If you manage to find one in good shape, it will serve you well.
W0AZ Rating: 2020-12-02
Great amp for the money Time Owned: more than 12 months.
2020 Update:

My original comments stand, but I thought an update might be in order after another 14 years of service ...

My 2100B keeps on keeping on.

In the past I have paired it with an FT-101E and a TS-440, and it is currently connected to my FT-1000MP. I also have an IC-7300 that drives an Acom 1010.

During past solar peaks I rarely used this amp, but during the current extended minimum I find I’m using it a lot.

My 2100B is still all original, including the original Cetron 572B finals, and it is still capable of putting out rated maximum output although I generally run it at 500w, mostly CW.

If only every piece of gear in my shack were this reliable!

(Well, my 22 year old FT-1000MP seems to be as well.)

A ham friend recently called me a Yaesu fanboy. My experience with Yaesu radios and amps has been so good, why wouldn’t I be?


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Original comments :

I've owned my FL-2100B for over 10 years. It came with the original Cetron 572Bs, and I'm still running them without any loss of power--admittedly, I don't use an amp very often, but when I need it, it's there.

I bought mine for $100 from a kind local ham who was getting out of the hobby--best equipment money I ever spent.

Hams will tell you, you get the most bang for the buck with a 500w or 600w amp. Going to 1200w from 600w nets a 3dB gain--not noticeable. Going from 100w to 600w You get over an S-unit, often enough to make the difference between solid and marginal copy, or the little bit extra needed to bust a pileup. (As always, the time and money are first better spent on a good antenna system if you are able to put one up.)

My fans began to bog down this year (after perhaps 25 years of use). I cleaned the motors, and now they run as good as new.

All in all, a terrific amp--usually available, when you can find them, at a pretty good price. Attractive. Compact. Durable. Well made, and easy to use.

Easily a 5.
VE3TMT Rating: 2020-04-20
FL2100B Update Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
Update from 2015 review...

Amp is still working flawlessly. Use it mainly on FT4/FT8 running 200W. Requires less than 25W from my TS-850S to produce this output power. Gives my signal a little oomph. Original Cetron tubes and Yaesu quality.

--------------------------------------------------------

In the shack now for six months and still working FB! In addition to the HV supply updates, I have added LED lighting to the meters and most recently replaced the stock relay with smaller power relays that are much quieter. The amp almost sounds like a solid state amp. Amp is now running on 240V and I get much less of a voltage drop on transmit. Still putting out full 600W + on all bands. One thing I like about the FL2100, it's very easy to work on.
W0BKR Rating: 2020-02-01
Great amp, small footprint Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Have to say, this is an easy to use amp, works with solid state or tube radios easily. Mine puts out around 700-800 but I run it around 500watts key down out. Just an all around easy to use amp, and gives you a few dB punch to your signal.
N6CIC Rating: 2018-10-05
Update on a fine amplifier Time Owned: more than 12 months.
This is an update on my last review which was in 2015. I since moved and had the amp in storage for three years. In my new house I had no convenient 220 VAC outlet, so I rewired it for 110 VAC. I also found that the bandswitch had stiffened up to almost be unusable. On taking the amp apart, I carefully lubed the moving parts of the bandswitch with light sewing machine oil, and added a couple of drops to the fans as well. Now the bandswitch clicks in just as before. I am careful to not overdrive the amp since I am on a 110 volt circuit. I am using it on 80 meters and it is working perfectly. My exciter is an Icom 7600 and it is switched with an Ameritron 704. Next I plan to replace the high voltage caps and I expect to get many more years out of this fine amp.
PY8WW Rating: 2016-06-21
Good Time Owned: more than 12 months.
My fl- 2100B was modified for ceramic tubes. GI7B , the manager made ​​some changes in the system of parasites and exchanged the band key for a more robust . works efficiently around 800 watts rms .
K6AKF Rating: 2015-04-17
Since 1978 Time Owned: more than 12 months.
My FL-2100B amp has been used with three HF rigs, a FT101B and a TS-850 and now a FT-590S. I got it in 1978, just before the FCC banned 10 Meters on HF amplifies 1979. It still has the original Cetron 572B tubes that still a good output around 550W however, they are showing their age. I did have to send it back to Yaesu in 1995 for a bad rotary switch and they replaced, two mica caps, metal film resistor. They also told me the tubes were bad, I knew they were not, at that time, just another way to pad their repair cost. I took the advice from others who have posted their comments about replacement tubes on this forum to get the Taylor 572B tubes. In January 2014 I got a matched pair of the 572 BMP-TAY tubes fully tested from RF Parts. When old tubes pass on, I’ll replace them.

I had it out of line for about 3 months when I moved. When put it back in line I didn’t do a good job of putting the ground back on the ground stud. I moved the amp around and un notice to me the ground came off. On key down I smelled a something burning. No visible smoke, however I noticed the S.W.R. A DC meter was no longer working.

So on its annual inspection & air blow-out in June, I’ll see if I can see what fried.

A great amp!

Stephen,
W6AKF
FORMER_W3AMF Rating: 2014-12-17
A World Class RF Amplifier Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
My FL-2100Z, was acquired in November 2014, and had not been used for many years. Cosmetically, outside and inside, it is a "10." It certainly looks nice and business-like in my lineup.

It has two Taylor 572Bs installed, which the former owner believes were new and unused. I received two CETRON 572B "spares" (unknown condition) that my EICO 667 tube tester cannot test.

Upon performing a visual inspection , I discovered the top cover over the tubes compartment was not fastened down. When that cover is removed, the HV is shorted to protect the uninitiated or careless ham. Had I applied power with the cover removed, serious damage would have been done to the amplifier.

It is wired for 120VAC, and I connected it to a dedicated 20 AMP circuit, that I had installed for my AMP SUPPLY LA-1000A. As is my practice with all old gear, I warmed it up for about 5 hours at 85 VAC. I connected it to the station ground and was ready to go.

I have a Yaesu FT-101ZD MK II (see my review of that rig) with which the FL-2100Z was intended to be used. I decided instead to drive it with my Kenwood TS-570S (see my review of that rig). The TS-570S, unlike the FT-101ZD, does not require tune-up and has an internal ATU that could be used between the rig and the amplifier, if necessary. Later, I learned that it is not necessary to use the internal ATU to match the driver to the amplifier.

I connected the TS-570S and amplifier with a standard Kenwood ALC-RLY cable, made the antenna connections (using RG-8 cable, of course) and was ready to go. First, I turned off the internal ATU and connected the TS-570S to the antenna through an MFJ-989D tuner and obtained a 1:1 match.

Second, I switched the meter on the MFJ tuner to high power (don't forget this step!) and applied about 30 watts drive to the FL-FL-2100Z. I rechecked the SWR to be sure I still had a good match to the antenna.

Third, following the tune-up procedure in the manual, I gradually increased the drive power. Depending on the band 75-90 watts drive will produce full output.

I have used it on CW and SSB on all bands (except 30 meters!). Output measured on my MFJ-989D is close to the theoretical maximum efficiency of 70% for two 572Bs in class AB2. On 160 meters, I get about 500 W on CW and about 650 W PEP on SSB. On all other bands, I get 600-700 W on CW and about 800 W PEP on SSB. It is easy to reduce the power to 300 W CW and 600 W PEP SSB for my Mosley TA-33 JR, which cannot handle the full power.

My LA-1000A, by comparison, delivers meter readings of 450 W on CW and 500-600 W PEP on SSB. The FL-2100Z surely is a more robust amplifier. The cooling fans definitely can be heard, appear to do a good job, and are not objectionable.

Listeners have reported a difference of 1 to 3 "s-units" between the TS-570S 100 W output and the FL-2100Z's full output. An "average gain" of 2 s-units makes the FL-2100Z a useful accessory.

I rarely use an amplifier on CW and have too much respect for the 572Bs to use the FL-2100Z on AM. I just hope it continues to work as it now does.
M0WEM Rating: 2014-08-12
FL2100Z GREAT STUFF Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
Versatile multi-band amp (FL2100Z ( inc. WARC ).

Had mine for a while and works well on all bands.

Driven by the FT101ZD3 as the exciter, 20 watts in gives 200w out, and it loafs along.

Pointless beating it to death with loads of drive.

Would have liked it to had illuminated meters, but that is a minor gripe.

I built an external soft-start circuit for the amp, as it kept tripping the main breaker in the shack if i used it DOL.

Recommended, but treat with care (like most things in life.)

Happy Daze, Howard in the UK