New Elecraft KPA1500 Amplifier Presentation

These are simply put ldmos amps. They have been around for a while I don't understand why they are still charging so much. You know WHAT they say Pay for the NAME. Look into building your own or buy the Elecraft kit yourself! I've got my 1.25kw that is home brew and 3 to 5 watts gives you max pep output. Btw K0PIR great looking qrz page. Nice rigs I especially like your 7000 in the hummer. Awesome.

 

Price is a bit high for what it is. I will stick with tube amps.

 

I have a blown up Tokyo Hy-Power HL-1.5kFX. All indications are that only the finals are blown. Everything else that can be tested at this time tests good to go. If new finals don't fix it I'll do what you did but I'll use the Hy-Power PSU, LPF, switches, case, fan and anything else I can to make it all work again with a different PA board. I have a feeling the control unit "looks for" only the state of the the thermistors on the PA board will operate with a replacement from another source. As for connections there are only 4 on the board.. 2 50 volt lines and a conrol line for transmit/bias voltage/output and thermal protection monitoring lines and a relay line. I suppose the normal state of the thermistors could be sent to the controller manually to fool it if necessary or maybe incorporate them and if less than 12v were necessary for parts of the new board it could be regulated down. I don't see anything else on the baord that appears to be a monitoring line so maybe it can be done. It would be nice to have all the features work but if not there is certainly enough there that is good to make a nice semi-homebrew SS amp for little more than the cost of one of the numerousPA boards out there now. The question really is which one?

 

Nice piece of engineering! But, Six K bucks to gain less than 2.5 dB over what I already have is not a informed option for this hobbiest. That said, it would be pretty next to my K3! Perhaps it’s time to pour some funds into the antenna where real signal gains can happen.
I look forward to hearing the KPA 1500 on the air and noting the excitement of the hams using them.
Enjoy the Hobby in your own way. It’s nice to have so many options involving the best use of our resources in the hobby.
73, Ken