Issue #18: A Smart New Solid State Linear Amp from ACOM (Tiny!)

Please join our discussion about the ACOM or any other amplifier you'd like to discuss. Pass along your comments, suggestions and tips to other hams, and the author of the article. If you haven't yet seen this column, it's at this link.

 

Ouch, to me, that's quite a chunk of change for only 500w and no internal tuner, even for solid state.

 

Rick, I agree. There's something going on with the pricing that I'm not clear on . . . it's much less expensive elsewhere. I think it's a DX Engineering question. They'll price it out of the market if they don't watch out. It's a fine quality product, with advanced features. The "watts per buck" factor is a bit out of whack here in the USA. Dave

 

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I have the same problem, just this afternoon. IT is looking at it. I hope you'll please come back soon and try again Kent, Dave

 

Dave: can you use a "currency exchange" calculator to determine what the price in US dollars is in these other "less expensive" countries? I'd be curious to know by what percentage DXE's price is over theirs; ie...20% more, 30%, etc? I also wonder if some of that price increase has anything to do with US import tax and/or tarrifs on foreign imports? I'll admit I've had my eye on the ACOM 700S for a while, but I'm going to have to get lucky with a scratch-off lotto ticket or two before one graces my desk! 73.

 

Thanks for asking. The difference is close to $500. It's a DXE matter -- they set the price in the States. Ask your DXE sales rep! I think it is an issue that ACOM needs more competition in the USA.

 

Unfortunately any gear I've looked at had DXE to be the highest price

 

Dave thanks for putting the time and effort to write these articles. It is really refreshing. Blabbermouth on utube is so worn out. There are some well done utube, but most of it is totally worthless.

Nice Amps. Acom has some well developed products that seem to be very reliable.
When I was young and immature I used to complain about high prices until an old man who was mentoring me said to me "Can you build it yourself for less?" and almost always the answer was no. I can't build anything like it and have the feature set and reliability that it has for the offering price. Building it myself would cost me 10 times the amount after all the time and failed prototypes. I don't even know if I could successfully do it. I don't have the life force to put in the time and energy to figure out out how to do it. I don't want to build one one. I want to operate and if I want what that amp has to offer then it is either worth it to me or not. It would be a great off grid and/or portable amp. I would be very interested in one of these and it would be worth it for my station.

73 de KC6FLG

 

Thanks Kevin!

 

You wrote: "One odd first warning about "High power coming too early" popped up a couple of times and I'm still trying to figure that one out"

Easily solved changing the TX-Delay to 10ms or more.

 

Thanks Harry! I sent the unit on to Hamvention and the DXE booth by fedex, so it's out of my hands now. But I am sure what you're suggesting would do the trick -- makes sense. Appreciate the help for readers as well, Dave

 

For a little over 5 grand you can get a B26-PA RF2K-S HF dual LDMOS with 189s, and a built in high quality antenna tuner.
The

• Dual LDMOS devices are rated at 3,400 Watts. https://islandamplifier.com/product/rf-kit/

 

Thanks Steve. Some people gripe about that built-in tuner, but that's a good amp. So's the Mercury LUX, reviewed in these pages. Dave

 

Owning an Elecraft KPA500 amplifier for years;
{ that doesn't care what antenna tuner is used } it seems the main advantage to this higher price Acom is it weighs less.

With the KPA500 I can and have bought 120v and 240v power cords and fuses.

No thanks not for me. I chase DX at home anyway, don't need ultra light weight stuff.

73 K2HAT