[LCC] Amplifier FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH...

[RUSS W COPPING]

        Further on the Alpha 91b... I have one I bought in 1995 from ETO
before they were really in production.  Early on I kept having problems
with static discharge coming back down the antenna into the SO-239
knocking out my output metering circuit.. the amplifier was ok, but I
couldn't tune it without the front panel indicators at the time... (maybe
I could if I was technically astute) but after sending it back to Alpha
about 5 times, a late friend named Charlie Folmar came over and looked
into it and being technically astute, fronted for me with Alpha.  Well,
it finally came back with a little circuit board attached at the SO-239
antenna input and it has apparently cured the problem.  I also home
brewed and installed one of those porcupine looking static charge
dissipators on the tower.  In about 2010, I think, there was a component
failure which blew out the HV board which then had to be replaced.  In
July 2015 I had to replace the transformer, but the OEM wired one now
comes from Hammond Mfg., is sold through Digi-Key and the wiring harness
is configured nothing like the original custom neatly routed and cable
tied harness... the harness couldn't even be rolled up to fit into the
cabinet anywhere, so I had to shorten it by about 18" (damn).  Also had
to wait several months for the damned thing to be made.  I did have the
filter board recapped by Glenn RKR Designs in Longmont, CO while I was at
it.  I have gone through several sets of tubes (4CX800/Gu74b's) over the
20+ years I have had it (due to my operating errors maybe?) but other
than those issues, it has been a real grizzly bear of an amp.  It has
been humming along quite nicely over the past 2-3 years. 
        All that being said, I certainly see the advantages of having the
simpler MFJ equipment.  It may have made my life easier in the long run. 
As a matter of fact, I was just as happy with my old 800 watt Collins
30L-1 and old FT-990. There just isn't that much difference between 1200
watts and 1500 on the air that I have seen.  Maybe the fact that the 91b
can actually crank out more than the legal limit has something to do with
it...
73,
Russ AD5W



On Wed, 13 Dec 2017 20:42:48 -0600 "Charles Morrison"
<cmorrison at lusfiber.net> writes:
> The 1200 is a workhorse of an amp with the simplicity needed to work 
> on it
> yourself.  The 3CX1200 in that amplifier is expensive but tough as 
> nails.
> Treat it right an you'll never have to replace it.  The 91b is an 
> EXCELLENT
> amp and has 2 4cx800/gu74b's.  They WERE cheap at one time, but not 
> so much
> any longer (but not near as expensive as the 1200 or 8877's or 
> especially
> 8874's for the Alpha 76/78 owners out there).  But they ARE new old 
> stock
> now.   Add that to the uncertainty of Alpha the company.  Is 
> Dishtronix
> working on the 91b?  Can you fix the 91b yourself (surface mount 
> IC's,
> etc?).  The 1200 can be repaired by almost anyone with a small 
> amount of
> soldering knowledge.  I've already changed the relay, bleeders and 
> filter
> caps in my 1500, piece of cake.  If I had to work on my Alpha 99, 
> anything
> beyond the high voltage or the tube, I'd probably be lost.
> 
> Stick with the 1200 unless its low on power and you don't want to 
> buy a
> tube.  No need to inherit the uncertainty of the 91b.  I have a 
> spare set of
> GU74's, but they're getting old.  I gettered them about a year ago, 
> ran the
> heaters without the HV, hopefully to keep them in tact until called 
> to
> duty.. but perhaps never?
> 
> My 2cents.
> 
> Charlie
> N5WE
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: LCC [mailto:lcc-bounces at louisianacontestclub.org] On Behalf 
> Of
> w5wz at w5wz.com
> Sent: Wednesday, December 13, 2017 4:00 PM
> To: lcc at louisianacontestclub.org
> Subject: [LCC] Amplifier
> 
> Hi guys,
> 
> I've currently got an AL-1500 and an AL-1200.  They both serve me 
> well.  
> However, I've just learned of an Alpha 91b available for sale at 
> what seems
> to me a bargain price of $2,400.  If I do this, I'd likely offer the 
> AL-1200
> for sale.
> 
> What do you guys think?  Stay with what I've got, or go for the 
> Alpha ?
> 
> --Scott
> 
> _____________________________________________
> LCC mailing list
> LCC at louisianacontestclub.org
>
http://mail.louisianacontestclub.org/mailman/listinfo/lcc_louisianacontes
tcl
> ub.org
> Message delivered to cmorrison at lusfiber.net
> 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> LCC mailing list
> LCC at louisianacontestclub.org
>
http://mail.louisianacontestclub.org/mailman/listinfo/lcc_louisianacontes
tclub.org
> Message delivered to ad5w at juno.com
> 
____________________________________________________________
How To Remove Eye Bags & Lip Lines Fast (Watch)
Fit Mom Daily
http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL3141/5a321167c405116675b8st02vuc
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mail.louisianacontestclub.org/pipermail/lcc_louisianacontestclub.org/attachments/20171213/edb97415/attachment.html>