Hi Chuck,
The club at my workplace recently picked-up an AL-82. So far it
seems like a very nice amplifier. It uses 2 x 3-500Z tubes which
are considerably cheaper than the 3CX1200 and the 8877 tubes
used in the AL-1200 and AL-1500. The 3-500Z's are instant
on, so there is no waiting if you stumble across a pileup with
your amplifier off. Unlike many other 3-500Z amps, the AL-82
runs a fairly high plate voltage (3600VDC resting in the SSB
position), so the amp is easily able to produce legal limit output
with 100 watt rigs like the TS-850 we have at work.
I have also used the AL-1200, and the engineering model
of the AL-1500 (an old contesting buddy is a good friend of
W8JI). Both amps worked very well (the AL-1500 engineering
unit would run 2500 watts output key down, but I think it had
a slightly larger than stock transformer in it). From my recollection,
the AL-1200 performed similarly to the AL-82 (its been over 10
years since I have used the AL-1200). The only caveats I can
think of for the AL-1500 are the higher tube cost, sensitivity to
excessive grid current (characteristic of the 8877 tube), and
warm up time of the indirectly heated cathode. The AL-1200
doesn't have the problem of grid current sensitivity, but it
does use a pretty expensive tube. I don't recall if the 3CX1200
tube used in this amp is instant on or not. I should also mention
that the AL-1500 will require less drive power to reach legal
limit (~65 watts versus ~100 watts) than the AL-1200 or AL-82.
The other technophiles on the reflector may be able to fill you
in on some of the finer points of these fine amps.
73 de Mike, W4EF..................................................
----- Original Message -----
From: "Chuck Adkins - K8CPA" <k8cpa@arrl.net>
To: <amps@contesting.com>
Sent: Monday, January 01, 2001 6:41 AM
Subject: [AMPS] AL-1500, AL-82, AL-1200, QRO???
>
> Which ones are better???
>
>
> -Chuck K8CPA
> http://www.qsl.net/k8cpa -- My WebPage
> http://multi.mode.listbot.com -- Digital Amateur Comm.. Mailing list
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