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Reviews For: Mirage KP-1-440 70 cm GaAsFET Pre-Amplifier

Category: Receive Pre-amps

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Review Summary For : Mirage KP-1-440 70 cm GaAsFET Pre-Amplifier
Reviews: 5MSRP: 149.95
Description:
KP-1-440 70 cm/430-450 MHz In-Shack GaAsFET Pre-Amplifier
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.mirageamp.com/products.php?prodid=KP-1-440
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
0052.2
KM3F Rating: 2011-12-12
Quality Time Owned: N.A.
Did not work out of the box.
Relays operated with RF powr applied.
Measured the feed through match upset at 10 watt level into a flat load and found it not acceptable to me.
Looked at the contruction inside the amplifier housing and see that at this frequency of 432, the design is not in keeping with construction practices at this high frequency.
The housing should be of metal and good UHF circuit design used.
I did note that the instruction rated the unit at 300 watts. That's quite good as these units go, but the rest turned me away.
Returned it for a refund.
KJ4QAN Rating: 2011-07-19
Didn't work new. Had to have it repaired. Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Mine didn't work right out of the box. I could hear the bypass relay kick in but it actually attenuated the signal. So I sent it back under warranty. They said there was nothing wrong with it and sent it back. It worked when I got it back. Instead of attenuating the signals, it amplified them (plus the background noise) so go figure. I took it apart and it was nice and clean inside. Good construction, but I couldn't tell if they had replaced the GaAsFETs.

It's collecting dust now. Maybe it's a candidate for the next swap fest.
WD4ELG Rating: 2008-12-20
Defective unit Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Nice package, did not work. Sent it back. Read the reviews and decided to go with Advanced Receiver Research unit.
W0BKR Rating: 2008-07-24
Okay unit, not as advertised Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Haven't actually used the unit yet, but lots of inconsistencies in the website advertisement and the actual hardware.

As mentioned in the other review, the original configuration appears in similarity to the ARR reamp configuration with BNC or N-Connectors.

The 1 sheet "manual" states that the antenna and radio connections are N-Connectors when in fact, they are SO239's.

The chassis is also in line with the cheap MFJ boxes and not like the ARR preamps (which are much less obtrusive in the shack (and can be mounted under a shelf over the radio).

Would be nice to get what you order and not some alternate configuration without prior notification.

I have to wonder what else may be "different" internally.

Also, no schematic included.
WB1AAT Rating: 2008-07-10
OWorked OK, but better choices for the price Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
After popping a couple RX only preamps doing FM sat work, sprung for one of these. Did the job but there were some disappointments. It was 3-4 s units less gain (even on the high setting) than my ARR SP432VDG and didnt pull in the weak ones. The ARR did a better job for 30 bucks less, but granted it is only rated for 25, not 100 watts like the Mirage (not an issue with the 5 watts I use). It also lacked RF immunity of the ARR and desensed pretty badly when using full duplex in v/u operation. One other surprise too. In the last 6 months or so, Mirage changed the design. Instead of the square block type packaging with a toggle switch on the side, its now a small "project type" box with a plunger switch on the front. It doesnt match teh manual that came with it or the manual on the Mirage website. All in all, it didnt work out and back it went. Seeing the good name of Mirage and the good luck I've had with the B23A and B34 linears, I had higher hopes. I'm sticking with the ARR.